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Ahlfeldt / Feddersen –From periphery to core 14erwaldkreis. This comparison substantiates the impression that the county was perceived as an economicallymore attractive location once it was clear that it would be connected to the HSR line.Figure 3 provides an overview of the various comparisons between the actual and counterfactualtrends we did for the three treated counties and six alternative outcome measures. In each panel weplot the differences between the trend lines (actual – counterfactual) for a different outcome measure.We further add an extrapolated linear trend fitted into the pre (before 1998) observations toallow for an intuitive comparison of the relative trends before and after construction began.The positive impacts on economic activity suggested by Figure 2 for Montabaur seem to generalize tothe two other intermediate stops. We find positive deviations from the relative pre-trend in GDP afterthe construction began (Limburg) or the line was completed (Siegburg). Similar positive turns inrelative trends are evident in the share of in-commuters. The other outcome measures yield moremixed patterns and, in general, suggest that the HSR increased the attractiveness of the three affectedcounties as places to work rather than places to live.Fig. 2 Westerwaldkreis (Montabaur) vs. synthetic control countyLn GDPLn number of in-commutersNotes: Solid (dashed) line shows the trend line for Westerwaldkreis where Montabaur is situated (the syntheticcontrol county). Vertical lines indicate the period of substantial construction activity. Years upto 1997 were used in the construction of the weights matrix underlying the synthetic county.