By JESSE DAVIS, Goshen News
jesse.davis@goshennews.com
Both freight and passenger trains will eventually be going a little faster through the state as plans move forward for a national high-speed rail system with support from the federal government. The 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act included $8 billion for the system, and another $1 billion a year in federal funds has been earmarked for five years to get the effort moving out of the chute.
A map of the federally designated high-speed rail corridors shows lines crossing through Indiana from Chicago, with one line going north around Lake Michigan into Michigan, one line going straight east through the northernmost limits of the state and one traveling southeast through Indianapolis, splitting to travel to Cincinnati, Ohio, and Louisville, Ky.
According to Indiana Department of Transportation spokesman Will Wingfield, the Federal Rail Administration has already received 259 applications totaling $57 billion. He said that's not a bad sign for Indiana.
"Even if Indiana's not the first to see high-speed rail under this first wave of grants, let's say Illinois or Ohio receives one, there will be a desire long-term to connect those systems to other cities," Wingfield said. "We see an award for neighboring states as a victory greatly enhancing our opportunities moving forward."
In fact, the question doesn't seem to be whether Indiana will get high-speed rail, but which path it will take through the state.
"We've completed some early studies on the matter," he said, "but certainly not the degree of environmental and feasibility studies to begin design and engineering of the rail line."
Routing study
The feasibility study will provide more information on routing, based on which path would likely be more successful.
INDOT has already submitted two applications for the first round of funding.
The first application is for $71 million aimed primarily at northwest Indiana, between Chicago and Detroit, for improvements to an existing Norfolk Southern rail line. That line is the most congested for both passenger and freight traffic in the country. Improvements to the line would allow for more traffic, benefiting existing Amtrak service as well as freight.
"The second is much more significant in scope, an application to fully plan, build and launch a service," Wingfield said. "It would take it from the concept it is today, complete the engineering and design, build the necessary line and then buy train cars and launch that service."
That application is for $2.8 billion.
Aiding the state in its efforts is its participation in the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative, a group made up of relevant entities from Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Nebraska, as well as additional sponsors and stakeholders including Greyhound Lines, Inc., the FRA and Amtrak. The group has its own suggested plan for the Midwestern system, spidering out in all directions from a central point in Chicago.
"When you're talking about intercity passenger rail, you have to work across state lines and party lines," Wingfield said. "Forming this group allows us to demonstrate to Washington the Midwest is a good place to invest in high-speed rail."
Competing for the path
Wingfield said that the organization has been in place for some time, but the recent availability of funding under the recovery act as intensified its efforts.
At Amtrak, spokesman Marc Magliari said they are working with all states who have pending applications with the FRA, including Indiana. With their work in Indiana, he said Fort Wayne - currently competing with the Elkhart County/St. Joseph County region for selection as the eventual path of the rail system through the state - has been particularly active. For example, a public rally in support of high-speed rail was held Saturday at Baker Street Station in downtown Fort Wayne.
"We hope that as much as possible, the states receive their requests," Magliari said. "We're happy to work with the states to operate the service. We're in the business of operating high-speed trains."
Amtrak runs trains at speeds of more than 100 mph every day. The fastest trains they run reach 150 mph, although trains in Indiana have a maximum speed of just 79 mph. One section of the Michigan Amtrak route between Porter and Kalamazoo runs at 95 mph, although there are plans to increase that speed to above 100 later this year.
A spokesperson for Norfolk Southern Corp. declined to comment on any high-speed rail efforts, directing questions to INDOT and Amtrak.
Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo is speaking to Indiana/Chicago-area business and government leaders Jan. 29, when he is expected to define the proposed Midwestern high-speed rail system as well as any potential economic benefits. It is not known whether or not he will make an announcement of funding recipients, which is expected to come by the end of March.
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