Support grows in Indiana for high-speed rail

High-speed rail supporters are hoping Indiana gets a share of federal stimulus funding intended to expand passenger rail service to the state as part of a Midwestern high-speed rail network.

[lexslamman]

If you really want to see high-speed rail take off, write your senators and congressmen about the Surface Transportation Authorization of 2009 recently proposed by Oberstar (D- Minnesota) and Mica (R - Florida). $50 billion for high-speed rail over the next 6 years. Obama's measley little $8 billion won't go very far, we need a serious investment in this technology now before the costs of our highways and our fuels become too much to bear.

[Druery]

High speed rail in Indiana? That's fine, but there just isn't exactly any place to go. So what would you do, get on the train in one crap town, and the you'd quickly go to another crap town?

[Marvin8]

It's about time this backwards country caught up with Europe and Japan, but only 110mph? He'll, these things should be maxing out at 150mph like their European couterparts. If you're gonna do it, do it right! And yes,$8 Billion is a joke. Closer to $50 Billion will be what's needed.
You also need at least one stop in Indiana unfortunately, but that's not terrible when you're in the mood for a barn dance or hoe-down.

[Stanley Kowalski]

I wrote my senator talking up Oberstar. The repubs would have us riding stage coaches before they would spend a dime of general tax money on rail. Watch the character assassination of the man start.

Oberstar is exactly right. with about 2800 billion in receipts every year not counting payroll social security tax, a 9 billion dollar per year expenditure over the next six years to build high speed rail is completely inconsequential. Its not even a rounding error. We could raise twice that much simply by not passing Sen. Jon Kyl's proposal to cut estate taxes--again.

I realize the Minnesotans have self-esteem issues which preclude them from asking for true 220 mph high speed rail, but what is the excuse of the Indiana, Illinois and Michigan?

[community idiot]

there it is ..theres your sign
the classic libtard phrase
keep up with europe and japan

[Chart125]

I'd be for it if it meant building a separate track between Chicago and Indianapolis away from the one they use now. All freight trains currently have to go into sidings to allow AMTRAK by because of single track between Chicago & Indy. And if AMTRAK is running late, it delays all the freight trains and the crews on those trains are in danger of running out of authorized operating time and have to be recrewed making it more expensive for railroads. The track has been recently upgraded for faster speeds, but 30-40 mph is still slow.