(The Associated Press circulated the following on April 16, 2009.)
PORTLAND, Ore. — An Oregon Department of Transportation official says President Barack Obama’s plan for a high-speed rail network could quicken Amtrak Cascades service.
Obama on Thursday allocated $8 billion from the economic stimulus package for a start on establishing faster train service, saying the long-term project will relieve congestion, help the environment and save energy.
The federal money could improve Amtrak Cascades service, said Kelly Taylor, administrator of the rail division for ODOT. The trains are currently limited to less than 80 mph, but could reach 90 mph with improvements.
She said trains running along the corridor from Oregon to British Columbia could go as fast as 110 mph if rail lines are separated from roads along the route.
The Amtrak Cascades service shares tracks with freight rail lines, which slows the trains. Taylor told The Oregonian newspaper that the state has no plans for a passenger-only rail corridor between Eugene and Seattle, which might enable a super-fast service with trains moving at speeds of more than 150 mph.
Gov. Ted Kulongoski, in a news release, praised Obama’s plan and said improved rail service is a necessity.
“To be competitive in a 21st Century economy, we need a balanced transportation system that allows us to move people, goods and commerce quickly and efficiently — and that reduces the number of cars on our roads,” Kulongoski said.