The Midwest Regional Rail Initiative did quite well with the reallocation of FloriDAH's rejected 2.4 billion. we scored 1/4 of the funds = to $672.3 million in addition to the initial awards announced last year.
The highlights are some funds for actual train sets - 7 locos and 48 cars. Also Michigan gets funds for the Chi-Det line for actual track work and acquisitions, Illinois gets funds for actual track work on the Chi -St.L route.
In all $651 mil is designated for actual construction and equipment.
The remainder is for EIS and design funding. But they do set up some important projects for any future construction funds.
This illustrate another reason why the Midwest's rail proposition was a good plan. With the incremental improvement approach you can actually do the fine dance between politics, funding and construction. We in Illinois are certain to have improved HrSR service to St.L and the Michigan cities. And there will be train equipment to operate.
We have scored well with the $133 mil for the Englewood Flyover. Station awards in Bloomington/Normal, Moline and Joliet. And the initial $1.2 billion award for the Chi-St.L line improvements which are already underway.
Noticeably missing is any award to Wisc. and their belated attempt to rescue the funds for Milw-Chi route and the train shed renovations. No surprise, that will have to wait till after the WI state recall elections in Fall of 2012.
From FRA website:
REGIONAL EQUIPMENT POOLS
Next Generation Passenger Rail Equipment Purchase – This state-of-the-art rail equipment will provide safe and reliable American-built vehicles for passenger travel, while boosting the U.S. manufacturing industry.
*
Midwest Corridors – $268.2 million to purchase 48 high-performance passenger rail cars and 7 quick-acceleration locomotives for 8 corridors in the Midwestern States: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, and Missouri.
* California Corridors – $68 million to acquire 15 high-performance passenger rail cars and 4 quick-acceleration locomotives for the Pacific Surfliner, San Joaquin, and Capitol Corridors in California.
MIDWESTERN REGION
Illinois – Chicago - St. Louis Corridor – $186.3 million to construct upgrades on the Chicago - St. Louis Corridor between Dwight and Joliet, IL with trains operating at 110 mph for more than 220 miles of track. This investment will reduce trip times, enhance safety and add more seats on the corridor, increasing the number of people who can conveniently travel by train.
Michigan – Kalamazoo-Dearborn Service Development – $196.5 million to rehabilitate track and signal systems, bringing trains up to speeds of 110 mph on a 235-mile section of the Chicago to Detroit corridor, reducing trip times by 30 minutes.
Michigan – Ann Arbor Station Project – $2.8 million for an engineering and environmental analysis to construct a new high-speed rail station in Ann Arbor, MI, that will better serve passengers and allow more than one train to serve the station simultaneously.
Minnesota – Northern Lights Express – $5 million to complete engineering and environmental work for establishing the Northern Lights Express – a high-speed intercity passenger service – connecting Minneapolis to Duluth, with 110-mph high-speed rail service.
Missouri – Merchant’s Bridge Replacement – $13.5 million to advance the design of a new bridge over the Mississippi River on the Chicago to St. Louis Corridor, replacing a bridge built in the 1890s.