James Seney of the Ohio Rail Development Commission said Thursday (Feb. 24) that Ohio must complete a preliminary environmental study of high-speed rail transit by summer if it wants a place at the federal-funding table.

About 40 public officials and residents from Galion, Crestline, Shelby, Marion, Ontario, Mount Gilead and Mansfield attended the meeting at the Galion Theater, one in a series held by the commission to gain public comment.

Most of Thursday's comment was favorable, especially about the possibility of a 110-mph passenger train linking Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati -- with a quick stop in Galion.

"This is not an engineering problem. The technology is on the shelf,'' Seney said. "It's a political problem.''

Seney said the purpose of Thursday's meeting was to determine if the public accepts the high-speed rail concept.

Mansfield truck driver Fred Falls thinks so. "It's viable, but public support is absolutely critical,'' he told the commission.

High-speed rail travel cannot be accomplished without federal aid. Seney said start-up costs could be $500 million and escalate to $3.32 billion to assure service that meets the 110-mph standard of a true high-speed rail operation.

David Dayne of Galion, a supporter, said, "I'll be surprised if this ever happens. It's so expensive.''

But Dayne is sure that a "hub'' system connecting Ohio's major cities to similar systems coming in from New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Michigan would have a wide, positive effect on the economy.