Ohio Train Network

Analysis of Travel

Existing US Network

Proposed Train Network

Proposed Ohio Network

City Network

Proposed Cincinnati

Proposed Columbus

Proposed Cleveland

Improved Network Time

Improved Commute

Integrated Train Station

Car vs Train

Social Train Network

Train Hybrid

Bar / Sponsor Car

Band Car

Dining Car

Museum Car

Shopping Car

Improved Train Sation

Location: Ohio
Use: Train Station Study Model
Concept: Super Trains
Techniques: Convenience

Team Members: Mark Oswanski + Elaine Shroyer

Write Up: This was a complex series of ideas that may seem like obvious models for train systems, but an investigation that was helpful to developing a utopian train model. The idea of the studio was to rethink a recent high speed train proposal from Cincinnati to Cleveland that the newly elected governor decided to kill. Our job was to make this more politically feasible by developing a convincing counteroffer to the people opposed to train systems.

We started this studio wide project by investigating how train systems could work with economic sectors. (see Transportation Infographics). Our group took this research with other economic sector research to sell the case that a train models would work regionally including new and exciting aspects of train travel.

Train travel can't be successful without a real network of varying scales. We started our presentation by describing the importance of scales with exact diagrammatic proposals with national, regional, and local.

Out next focus highlighted user experience. How could trains be more than the conventional idea of sitting between stops? We proposed new fun activities for trains that included drinking, partying, shopping, and looking at art while we travel. Besides providing entertainment, this would provide more funding sources for the train. The second major goal was to make the train network genuinely user friendly and this would be through a variety of systems to put train travel in the fingertips of riders by using trip planning and ticket buying networks together. One could plan a trip in a system modeled like google maps and purchase all the tickets necessary including travel models outside of the train system. This information then could be integrated into notifications over mobile phones to make any hiccup in the system easier to work around. A slightly more obvious solution for train stations is the connection with other modes of travel and clear signage.

The PDF download will includes final boards used in the presentation and makes more graphical arguments than found on this page.

Project Downloads:
Final Boards
Portfolio Spreads