Near the end of the year the Federal Railroad Administration announced it would choose four Ohio routes as priorities for Amtrak expansion, including one that could include a stop in Crestline.

That has been a long anticipated decision as Amtrak published a nationwide map of potential new routes, including one connecting Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati − with a stop in Crestline.

If Crestline becomes part of the Amtrak plan, it will change the face of the entire region, said Mayor Linda Horning-Pitt. It was after her taking over Crestline mayor office in 2020 that the talks of Amtrak returning to the community began.

Change: More residents, more business

Should the plan be implemented, she said, not only Crestline, but the entire region will reap benefits. First, the railroad will bring more residents to the area who will be able to work in Columbus and live in Crestline.

“We are seeing a great influx of people move out of Columbus due to the congestion down there,” Horning-Pitt said.

She said the change would mean less travel time due to avoiding traffic congestions near Columbus, and the fact commuters will be able to work while on the train.

If more residents come to Crestline, and with travelers passing through, more businesses would come to the area, the mayor suggested.

The three trains a day that are planned so far, according to Horning-Pitt, also will allow the residents to travel to Columbus and other communities of the corridor for sports games and art performances.

“It will bring a lot of business to the entire area,” the mayor said. “”It’s just a great opportunity for everyone.”

Tracking potential challenges

However, it may take a couple of years before the routes come to the village as the plan will now depend on co-financing from the state in addition to Federal Railroad Administration grant funding.

The FRA will finance $500,000 for each corridor for planning under the Corridor Identification program. The next step will involve state funding along with the federal funding for engineering, design and construction.

The first two Ohio corridors on the list were sponsored by the Ohio Rail Development Commission with the endorsement of Gov. Mike DeWine.

The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) helped sponsor the Midwest Connect corridor. Amtrak sponsored the Daily Cardinal Service application, he said.

“The challenge could be that the state of Ohio will not want to participate further,” Horning-Pitt said.

Hope spurs because of a past relationship with Amtrak

The hope, however, is the program will come to fruition because of previous positive relationships between Amtrak and Crestline.

Horning-Pitt said Amtrak representative Derrick James informed her that small and rural Crestline was chosen by Amtrak as one of the stops among significantly larger communities because Crestline had Amtrak service until the end of 1990s.

“They have relationships with us here,” Horning-Pitt said. “They used to be here.”

This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Amtrak new route would change Crestline and surrounding area