Ohio House Republicans yesterday accused Gov. Ted Strickland of throwing them in the caboose of his plan to revive passenger rail service in major cities, but they were unable to muster enough votes to derail the plan.

The four-city rail idea -- which would bring passenger trains to Columbus for the first time in a generation -- is a key component of Strickland's plan to lessen Ohio's dependence on highways.

Strickland and rail proponents have run into skepticism and outright opposition from some Republicans, who have dismissed the idea as "romantic" in tough economic times.

In a hearing in the House Finance Committee that extended into the late night yesterday, some Republicans said the Strickland administration was trying to steamroll through the rail plan without proper oversight.

"They are very clearly taking away power that belongs to the General Assembly and giving it to themselves," said Rep. Matthew J. Dolan, R-Novelty. "We are giving away our powers gradually and this is the first step of many as we approach this budget."

Specifically, Republicans said the entire legislature -- not just one panel that approves big-ticket expenditures -- should have the final say on whether to approve passenger rail service between Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati.

Democrats countered that the Controlling Board, a budget-oversight panel, includes members of both parties and that the rail plan would encounter additional scrutiny from another group that includes transportation professionals and regional planners.

Ohio hasn't had passenger rail service connecting its major cities since the early 1970s, when Amtrak discontinued many of its routes across the country.

An Amtrak consultant now is studying the costs and potential ridership of a route connecting Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati, with a possible link to Toledo.

"If the (legislative) leadership suggests that after the study, the legislature needs to look at it a little deeper, the Controlling Board will not approve this but instead it will go to the General Assembly," said Rep. Michael Skindell, D-Lakewood.

The dispute took center stage in discussions on Ohio's two-year, $7.5 billion transportation budget, but it did not derail the budget. A Republican effort to require the full legislature to vote on rail failed along party lines, 16-13.

The budget could affect Ohio drivers in a number of ways. It would:

• Raise vehicle title fees from $5 to $15, with the change taking effect next year.

• Allow state and local governments to begin charging tolls for new highways and new lanes on existing highways. Members of the House Finance Committee decided last night to limit the number of tolling authorities -- each of which would cover a highway or new lanes -- to four in the initial phase.

• Make it possible for police to ticket drivers who fail to wear seat belts even if that's their only violation. Lawmakers agreed last night to study whether the new seat-belt law leads to racial profiling.

• Authorize cameras that photograph the license plates of speeders in construction zones, with fines not to exceed $250. The provision was tweaked to allow tickets only when construction workers are present.

• Require drivers to switch on their headlights when driving in the rain and to change lanes when approaching stopped tow trucks.

jnash@dispatch.com