Michigan wins $200M for high-speed rail

[marmar]

Mich. wins $200M for high-speed rail
David Shepardson / / Detroit News Washington Bureau


Washington— Michigan will get nearly $200 million in federal funding to make high-speed rail a reality — and to help build a new bus and train station in Ann Arbor, the Transportation Department announced this morning.

The bulk of the funds — $196.5 million — is to help retrofit a 135-mile section of the Kalamazoo to Dearborn track for high-speed rail service. In total, this will eventually allow trains to travel 110 miles an hour on 235 miles between Chicago and Detroit, the government said.

The state is also one of seven that will buy next-generation passenger rail equipment in the Midwest. The government awarded $268.2 million to purchase 48 high-performance passenger rail cars and seven quick-acceleration U.S.-built locomotives for eight corridors in the Midwestern States: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Missouri. Michigan had sought $366 million along with three other states.

Michigan and 23 other states, the District of Columbia and Amtrak submitted nearly 100 applications seeking $10 billion after Florida returned $2.4 billion in high speed rail funds. ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://detnews.com/article/20110509/METRO/105090371/Mich.-wins-$200M-for-high-speed-rail#ixzz1LrV57iYC