Hamilton: Butler County's potential gateway as proposed Amtrak stops emerge in city plan

HAMILTON, Ohio (WKRC)- We now know the two sites selected as possible Amtrak stations if our area gets increased passenger rail service in the coming years.

It's part of a proposed Amtrak expansion of the existing Cardinal route between New York and Chicago, and the creation of the 3C+D route, which would go from Cincinnati through Dayton onto Columbus and Cleveland.

The potential stops are in Hamilton and leaders say they could make Butler County a gateway for regional travelers.

Councilmember Michael Ryan said the city hopes to utilize those tracks to offer passenger rail service.

"We have a huge opportunity to take advantage of this. So, you know, as I was saying prior, the trains are going to be coming through town and we need to take advantage of this opportunity. The last thing we want to experience. This is another opportunity going through town," Ryan said.

One of the proposed Amtrak stops would be on Sycamore Street, next to Symmes Park. Another stop is proposed just a few blocks away at the former Beckett Paper site.

There's just one issue with the locations. Of the proposed routes that could connect with the city, each one of these stations would only be able to serve one of the trains.

There's a fork in the road though. The rail tracks, which are owned by CSX, split before they reach downtown. One line goes west toward Indiana and onto Chicago. The other heads north.

Both station stops are after that split.

Local 12 asked Ryan why the city isn't looking at a site that would enable it to serve both of those routes in one stop, as opposed to having two station stops.

"CSX didn't want us anywhere near that area because we just relocated our train depot, so they advised us that they don't want anything in that area at all," Ryan said.

Ryan said the city wants to keep the stations close to downtown to make everything walkable.

Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Dan Bates said that it will help make the city a destination rather than simply a place to travel from.

"Moving people without them having to be in their cars is a huge asset to economic development. Attracting people to your city. And, you know, even attracting businesses that would pop up around the train station. You know as people transfer and either come here or go to other places," Bates said.

This is all in the preliminary stage. Amtrak is allocating money to study the feasibility of the cardinal service, which currently runs three times a week in each direction, but it comes through union terminal in the middle of the night.

The 3C+D route would operate as many as three trips a day between Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, and Cleveland.