High-speed rail money possible from stimulus package

Stimulus Package: Part of funding will go toward faster trains

Several Southern states are interested in high-speed rail: North Carolina, which is part of the Southeast High-Speed Rail Corridor, will seek some of the stimulus money to speed rail service between Charlotte and Washington; Officials in Alabama want to be on a faster line connecting Atlanta and New Orleans.

Many rail advocates said that it would make sense to move to higher-speed rail before building true high-speed rail, and that getting the nation’s long-neglected rail system into working order could lay the foundation for future high-speed projects.

“You’ve got to walk before you can run, and we’ve just been crawling up to now,” said Ross B. Capon, the president of the National Association of Railroad Passengers, an advocacy group for riders.

There are a lot of issues to be solved before true high-speed rail can be realized, but at least this is a start.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Tax preparers upset over bill that would regulate their industry

ARKANSAS: Abortion bill passes in state Senate

FLORIDA: Bill introduced to limit state's ability to prosecute crimes on Indian land

GEORGIA: First commercial methane gas processor in Southeast goes online in Barrow County

KENTUCKY: Appalachian miners show increase of black lung disease

LOUISIANA: New Orleans won't benefit much from stimulus package

MISSISSIPPI: Schools to see big boost from stimulus package

NORTH CAROLINA: Schools could get $2 billion from stimulus package

SOUTH CAROLINA: State DOT to put $200 million into roads, bridges

TENNESSEE: Sen. Alexander wants TVA, public to re-think coal ash use

VIRGINIA: Gov. Kaine says he'll sign bill to restrict smoking quickly

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