Illinois revs up for high-speed trains

By Keith Benman, Times of Northwest Indiana
keith.benman@nwi.com

Illinois leaders are getting aggressive about landing a share of $8 billion in federal stimulus money for high-speed rail projects, while Indiana's leadership is taking a decidedly more low-key approach.

On Monday, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., went to Chicago's Union Station to say they want to use stimulus money to upgrade Amtrak's existing service between Chicago and St. Louis with trains going up to 110 mph.

That would cut travel times to under four hours from the current five.

In the Hoosier State, Indiana Department of Transportation Deputy Commissioner Bruce Childs said the state is waiting for Federal Railroad Administration guidance while admitting Indiana has no "shovel ready" high-speed rail projects.

The "shovel-ready" designation is a key one for projects seeking federal stimulus money. It means engineering and environmental studies are complete or nearly complete and construction can begin once money is received.

Child's noted three high-speed rail projects proposed as part of the Midwest Regional Rail System Initiative would pass through Indiana. Those are the Chicago-to-Cincinnati route, Chicago-to-Cleveland and Chicago-to-Detroit.

All three of those routes would pass through Northwest Indiana with a station proposed for Gary.

Those promoting high-speed rail in Indiana said it's no surprise the state has no shovel-ready projects.

The Indiana High Speed Rail Association has pushed for years to get the state to at least fund an environmental impact study, according to association founder Dennis Hodges.

"If we don't get into the game, high-speed rail may take place up to our state line and stop," Hodges said Monday. "And that's pathetic."

Quinn and Durbin didn't offer a price tag for improving the Chicago-St. Louis line. A Midwest Regional Rail Initiative report from 2004 pegs the estimated price of improving tracks and buying trains at $560 million.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.