Come on ride a train - to Bloomington. Or Indianapolis. Or Anderson.
The proposed commuter rail connecting Muncie and Bloomington would increase travel possibilities for students and residents living in areas all along the train's route.
Ball State University and Indiana University students could hop on board for weekend trips to visit each other without worrying about driving cars and wasting gas. People could travel to Indianapolis or any other stop along the route for jobs, school or visits to family and friends.
Rail travel is common in some areas of the United States, but Indiana's commuter rail travel is very limited. Amtrac, for example, has only one route that stretches from Chicago to Indianapolis to Cincinnati. That's not very useful for all the communities outside that route. A commuter rail stretching the approximate 100 miles between Muncie and Bloomington would help some of the other people ignored by the limited existing rails.
Students should let officials know this service would be valued and used. Right now it's only an idea being studied and, if it's even approved, won't get started for at least six years. That's a lot of missed train rides for football games, trips to Indianapolis or random weekend excursions. Although most of us won't be Ball State students when, and if this project is completed, we could be using it to commute to Indianapolis one day, or our kids could ride it when they are in college. But it won't even happen if the feasibility study doesn't prove it's worth the money and time to create it.
It'll save on gas money, time (rails are usually faster than highways) and give students a few free hours to nap, do homework or run up minutes on their cell phones while they relax and watch the cornfields speed by. Of course it won't be free, and some rail trips even cost more than driving, (obviously, prices haven't been set for a rail that isn't even approved) but more time will be freed up for travelers. And who couldn't use a few extra minutes of chilling out and letting someone else do the driving?
Indiana needs more commuter rails to connect people in the middle of the state, and a Bloomington to Muncie route would help almost all students at some point. So support the train so one day everyone can ride it.
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