Think fast: 220 mph rail line to St. Louis proposed
When it comes to trains, there's fast, and then there's really, really fast.
Last week, advocates unveiled an $11.5 billion plan for a Chicago-to-St. Louis high-speed rail line that could cut travel time to two hours from the current five. If built, it would be among the fastest U.S. lines and would rival systems in Europe and Asia.
Under the proposal, electric-powered trains would zoom the nearly 300 miles between Chicago and St. Louis at speeds up to 220 mph -- more than 100 mph faster than diesel-powered trains under a comparatively modest plan advocated by eight Midwestern governors.
U.S. trains reaching close to 220 mph are unheard of, though a California proposal for 800 miles of service along its coast also foresees trains approaching that speed. That and the original Midwest governors' plan are front-runners for $8 billion in federal stimulus cash set aside for high-speed rail.
The latest plan -- announced as part of a study by the nonprofit Midwest High Speed Rail Association -- is generating excitement among rail enthusiasts who pooh-pooh the governors' proposal, which envisions trains reaching top speeds of 110 mph, as too conservative.
With backing from Illinois officials, the ambitious project could be in place for the 2016 Summer Olympics, which Chicago is bidding to host, said Rick Harnish, the association's executive director.
The proposal for a 220-mph service is intended to complement, not replace, the governors' plan, Harnish said. The 110 mph trains would serve more communities and make more stops.
Backers want Illinois to apply for $10 million in federal stimulus funds for further analysis they hope could lead to a detailed plan.
John Tillman, head of the conservative Illinois Policy Institute, questions whether the benefits would justify the cost. "This would be subsidized travel when there are already ways to get to and from St. Louis and Chicago," he said.
AP