My Husband is Very Smart

I read in the paper on Sunday that Ohio received a 564-million dollar federal grant for new rail system. I'd read about this possibility over a year ago, and have been excited about it ever since. 

See, I love trains. It all started when my mom took little 7-year-old me on a train trip from the now-defunct Lima, Ohio, Amtrak station to Union Station, Chicago.  I'll never forget having an early morning donut, waiting for the train with my parents in the cold, and being sad as the train drove away with dad waving goodbye from the platform. 

Now we just get to say goodbye as we enter the security line. Not nearly as emotional.

Then, I'll never forget all the trains I've taken with my friend, Rusty, in Washington, DC. One night we rode the trains very late home, he in a tux and me in ball gown, from his ritzy Department of Defense Christmas party. We were running, running, running (in heels, no less), to catch a connecting train at the Metro Center, and I slid and busted my shin against the escalator stairs. It hurt, but with all the excitement, I didn't mind at all.

Then there was the time Jeremy and I caught the train from the Red Sox game back downtown with all the Boston locals--rowdy, spirited, and a maybe little too much like that one SNL skit with Jimmy Fallon and Rachel Dratch as Boston teen lovers. And I quote, 

Boston Local Guy (to Jeremy  me): Do you guys wanna be on TV tomorrow?

Jeremy (confused): Um, no, why?

Boston Local Guy: Because you're going to get interviewed by the news tonight about the murder you're about to see.  (As he begins to break up the fight between his buddy from his buddy's girlfriend)

Ahh trains...

So, Ohio received this big grant, and I'm pumped. There will be passenger rail connecting Toledo, Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland. Alas, Ironton loses out again.  

I bring it up over Sunday coffee. And Jeremy says (in one breath) (I paraphrase):

"Kara, first of all, this is not free money. It has already come off the backs of taxpayers. Is this sustainable? Has anyone thought about that? Who is going to ride this train? Business people? How many people leave Columbus for Cleveland every day for a meeting? 10? 100? Who don't want to or have to drive for another reason? Even if you want to take the train, what if there is only one train departing for Cleveland at 7:30am, and your meeting is at 8? Its not like there will be a train every 7 minutes like in DC. And then, when no one takes the train, who will be left with this huge government entity and no sustainability? Almost every public train system in the US exists with government subsidy. It will never bring in enough funds to pay for itself."

Then he took a smug sip of his coffee. 

This brought up a memory of another point I learned on NPR awhile ago: The Final Destination Problem. How, without well-integrated busing or cab systems, do you get from the train station to your final destination? You may have to walk over a mile to the nearest bus stop, or take a cab that will add considerable costs to your $18 Cincinnati-to-Cleveland ticket. 

Hmm...okay, so now my excitement for Ohio trains is not chugging along so briskly. 

But if they added an Ironton stop...?