[OhioGuy]

The concern I have with the Ohio 3C line is that it can get people to Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Cincinnati, but once they get there they'll need to be willing to ride the bus (or possibly train in Cleveland) if their plans don't involve whatever happens to be within walking distance of the rail station. I think the vast majority of Ohioans will not want to take the time to figure out the bus system of the city they're traveling to, particularly since I would ventue to say that most Ohioans do not hold a favorable opinion of buses. And considering they'll be able to travel to the other cities just as quickly via automobile (if not more quickly), I think they'll view taking the train as more of a hassle than a convenience. Unlike the other high speed rail lines being developed in the Midwest which will feed into pedestrian friendly Chicago, as well as service reasonably pedestrian friendly downtowns like St. Louis, Milwaukee & Minneapolis, the Ohio 3C line is essentially independent of the Chicago connection (save for Columbus residents who might ride the rail to Cincy to catch a future high speed train through Indy to Chicago). In California, SF is certainly a destination where a car isn't needed and Los Angeles is increasingly becoming one due to their continued efforts to expand their rail system. And in the Northeast, Boston, New York, Philly, and DC all offer visitors a relatively easy non automobile experience. I'm a hardcore rail fan and I certainly hope rail can succeed in Ohio, but I definitely have my doubts.