High-speed rail, coming soon to an America near you

[Sionnach Glic]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Obama unveiled his administration's blueprint for a new national network of high-speed passenger rail lines Thursday, saying such an investment is necessary to reduce traffic congestion, cut dependence on foreign oil and improve the environment.

The president's plan identifies 10 potential high-speed intercity corridors for federal funding, including California, the Pacific Northwest, the Midwest, the Southeast, the Gulf Coast, Pennsylvania, Florida, New York and New England.

It also highlights potential improvements in the heavily traveled Northeast Corridor running from Washington to Boston, Massachusetts.

Each of the corridors identified by the president's report are between 100 and 600 miles long. The blueprint envisions some trains traveling at top speeds of over 150 mph.

Federal grants would also be directed toward separate individual rail projects that are deemed "ready to go," with preliminary engineering and environmental work already completed.

"My high-speed rail proposal will lead to innovations that change the way we travel in America. We must start developing clean, energy-efficient transportation that will define our regions for centuries to come," Obama said at an event near the White House.

The president cited the success of high-speed rail in European countries such as France and Spain as a positive example for the United States.

His plan would be funded in part through the recently passed $787 billion stimulus plan, which includes a total of $8 billion for improvements in rail service. Obama has also proposed a separate five-year, $5 billion investment in high-speed rail as part of the administration's suggested fiscal year 2010 budget.

"We're going to make travel in this country leaner and a whole lot cleaner," said Vice President Joe Biden, speaking before Obama.

The president spoke one day after the governors of eight Midwestern states sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood requesting stimulus funds for the construction of a regional network of faster passenger rail lines.

The city of Chicago, Illinois, would be the hub of the proposed Midwest Regional Rail System, which would stretch to Madison, Wisconsin, in the Northwest; St. Louis, Missouri, in the South; and Detroit, Michigan, in the East.

During the 2008 presidential campaign, Obama pledged to support a national network of faster passenger trains. The administration has already dedicated $1.3 billion in federal funding for Amtrak.

The money for the rail service, which carried almost 29 million passengers last year, will go primarily to infrastructure repair and improvement.

[Monroe]

About time we get some bullet trains.

[Tsukiyumi]

I might actually be able to travel again! Yay!

[Mikey]

About friggin' time. Although, their estimation of the Northeast Corridor is undervalued. High-speed rail needs to replace the existing local NE Corridor, ranging from DC to Boston. I love train travel, but (for example) my last trip to Boston was taken by car because we saved half a day. That's just shameful.

[Lazar]

Worcester doesn't even have a direct train to New York anymore.

[Deepcrush]

About fucking time! They need to link DC, Annapolis, Columbia and Baltimore together by train. The traffic would be so so so much better.

[Mikey]

I don't think a tactical nuke would help the traffic in DC.

Worcester doesn't even have a direct train to New York anymore.

Did it ever? Worcester isn't exactly the hotbed of urbanity in Eastern Massachusetts. I always liked the Higgins Armory, though.

[Lazar]

Well it used to be a strong industrial center (before, say, 1970), and my parents told me that there used to be a direct link. We're still fighting with Providence over who's the second largest city in New England. And yes, I loved going to the Higgins Armory as a kid.

[Deepcrush]

Take out a few of the provi kids and you'll win your war.

[Nickswitz]

NYC is still the biggest, no matter how you cut it. lol. It doesn't matter who comes in second.

[Lazar]

No, I meant second after Boston.

[Deepcrush]

Would anyone miss either of them...?

[Nickswitz]

Right, Is New York actually in the New England area? Oh well, I hate Boston, I live right by NYC and go there just about every weekend, so I would miss it.

[Lazar]

No, New England is the six states east of New York.

[Nickswitz]

Right, Ok, I never remember geography, lol