Obama administration says it will select high-speed rail projects for funds this winter

October 6th, 2009 $50B in high-speed rail applications submittedWASHINGTON — The Obama administration said Tuesday it has received applications from 24 states seeking $50 billion for high-speed rail projects, more than six times the money designated in the economic stimulus plan. A decision on which projects will receive funds will be made this winter, Joseph Szabo, head of the Federal Railroad Administration, said in a statement.

October 2nd, 2009 State asks feds for $4.7 billion for speedy trainsLOS ANGELES — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger requested $4.7 billion in federal stimulus money Friday to help build an 800-mile bullet train system from San Diego to San Francisco.

September 17th, 2009 Senate approves $122B for transportation, housingWASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday approved generous increases for transportation and housing programs as it passed the fifth of 12 appropriations bills funding the government for the budget year that begins in just two weeks. The bill, passed 73-25, would permit $122 billion in new spending for programs such as road projects, housing subsidies for the poor, community development grants to local governments, and generous subsidies for rural air service.

September 11th, 2009 Rail official: Upgraded service will come slowlyCHICAGO — The Obama administration's top railroad official says Americans shouldn't expect to see networks of souped-up, bullet-fast trains after the $8 billion set aside in the federal stimulus bill for high-speed rail is finally spent. But Federal Railroad Administration head Joseph Szabo said in prepared remarks for an industry conference Friday in Chicago that the White House is committed to upgrading train service, adding that the stimulus cash is just a down payment on what he dubbed "a rail renaissance." "Change will happen incrementally," he said.

September 11th, 2009 Official: Upgrading US rail service to come slowlyCHICAGO — The Obama administration's top railroad official says Americans shouldn't expect networks of super-fast trains after federal money already set aside for high-speed rail is spent. In prepared remarks at a Chicago rail conference Friday, Federal Railroad Administration head Joe Szabo says $8 billion in stimulus cash for high-speed trains is a down payment on a White House's commitment to modernize railways.

September 10th, 2009 Ohio company eyes stimulus money for train factoryCOLUMBUS, Ohio — State transportation officials agreed Thursday to support a private company's bid to make passenger trains that would run on President Barack Obama's proposed high-speed rail network. U.S. Railcar LLC, which in June bought the assets of a shuttered Colorado railcar company, intends to build a $14 million factory in suburban Columbus that would make diesel-fueled passenger cars and employ about 160 people.

July 24th, 2009 House passes increase for housing, high-speed railWASHINGTON — The Democratic-dominated House Thursday approved generous funding for housing subsidies for the poor and President Barack Obama's initiative to build high-speed railroads as it passed a $123.1 billion transportation and housing bill. The measure, approved 256-168, provides a 13 percent increase in total funding for the programs it covers, including $4 billion for Obama's high-speed rail initiative, which was launched in February with an $8 billion infusion from the economic stimulus bill.

July 17th, 2009 Spending bill would help high-speed rail projectsWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's high-speed rail initiative would get an enormous boost under a spending bill that a House committee approved Friday. Obama sought $1 billion for construction of a high-speed system and other intercity rail lines, which would come on top of $8 billion provided in the economic stimulus bill in February.

July 17th, 2009 Panel give huge boost to high-speed rail projectsWASHINGTON — Funding for a signature high-speed initiative of President Barack Obama would get an enormous boost under a transportation spending bill approved Friday by a key House panel. Obama had asked for $1 billion for construction of a new high-speed rail system and other intercity rail lines, which would come on top of $8 billion provided in Obama's economic stimulus bill in February.

July 3rd, 2009 SoCal-to-Vegas route wins federal designationLAS VEGAS — The clogged tourist travel route between Southern California and Las Vegas has been designated a federal high-speed rail corridor, in a move that officials hope would signal increased cooperation between the regions on building speedier train travel. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Thursday that the route is now considered part of the federally designated California high-speed rail corridor.

July 3rd, 2009 SoCal-to-Vegas rail route wins federal designationLAS VEGAS — The clogged tourist travel route between Southern California and Las Vegas has been designated a federal high-speed rail corridor, in a move that officials hope would signal increased cooperation between the regions on building speedier train travel. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Thursday that the route is now considered part of the federally designated California high-speed rail corridor.

June 23rd, 2009 GAO: Gov't lacks strategic high-speed rail planWASHINGTON — The U.S. agency in charge of $8 billion in stimulus money for high-speed rail projects doesn't have an adequate plan to oversee the projects, and the system of super-fast trains ultimately will cost much more than even the $8 billion, a government watchdog official told Congress on Tuesday.

June 18th, 2009 Midwest, Calif. front runners for $8B in rail cashCHICAGO — High-speed rail plans in California and the Midwest appear to be front runners in the race for $8 billion in stimulus cash based on federal criteria released Wednesday that favor projects with established revenue sources and multistate cooperation.

June 18th, 2009 Possible high-speed rail projects in the USCorridors highlighted by the Federal Railroad Administration as possible contenders for stimulus funds for high-speed rail: —California corridor (Bay Area, Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Diego) —Pacific Northwest corridor (Eugene, Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, Vancouver British Columbia) —South Central corridor (Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Little Rock) —Gulf Coast corridor (Houston, New Orleans, Mobile, Birmingham, Atlanta) —Chicago hub network (Chicago, Milwaukee, Twin Cities, St. Louis, Kansas City, Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Louisville) —Florida corridor (Orlando, Tampa, Miami) —Southeast corridor (Washington, Richmond, Raleigh, Charlotte, Atlanta, Macon, Columbia, Savannah, Jacksonville) —Keystone corridor (Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh) —Empire corridor (New York City, Albany, Buffalo) —Northern New England corridor (Boston, Montreal, Portland, Springfield, New Haven, Albany) __ Source: Federal Railroad Administration.

June 17th, 2009 Feds release details on high-speed rail fundsCHICAGO — The Obama administration has released criteria for $8 billion in stimulus money for high-speed rail that appear to give front-runner status to projects in the Midwest and California. The 68-page guidelines released Wednesday by the Federal Railroad Administration are the starting shot in a race between states to build new or revamped networks.