a:26:{s:9:"weblog_id";s:1:"4";s:8:"entry_id";s:4:"1024";s:6:"sticky";s:1:"n";s:14:"allow_comments";s:1:"n";s:16:"allow_trackbacks";s:1:"n";s:10:"entry_date";s:19:"2010-10-14 03:58 AM";s:15:"expiration_date";s:0:"";s:23:"comment_expiration_date";s:0:"";s:8:"category";a:1:{i:0;s:1:"4";}s:9:"author_id";s:1:"4";s:10:"new_weblog";s:1:"4";s:6:"status";s:4:"open";s:14:"trackback_urls";s:0:"";s:18:"versioning_enabled";s:1:"y";s:5:"title";s:37:"High Speed Rail from Dwight to Alton?";s:9:"url_title";s:36:"high_speed_rail_from_dwight_to_alton";s:6:"submit";s:6:"Update";s:11:"field_id_26";s:37:"High Speed Rail from Dwight to Alton?";s:11:"field_ft_26";s:4:"none";s:11:"field_id_31";s:0:"";s:11:"field_id_44";s:77:"Alton could emerge the winner in the Illinois\' high speed rail sweepstakes.
";s:11:"field_ft_44";s:4:"none";s:11:"field_id_28";s:13:"Alton, Amtrak";s:11:"field_ft_28";s:4:"none";s:11:"field_id_29";s:1133:"<p>Alton could emerge the winner in the Illinois\' high speed rail sweepstakes.</p>
<p>Last month, Union Pacific and the Illinois Department of Transportation began upgrading tracks on the line that runs from Alton northeast to Springfield to handle faster passenger trains, trains that could run at 110 miles per hour. Senator Richard Durbin said the $98 million, 90-mile track upgrade project to Lincoln has created 900 jobs.<br /><br />Now Alton may get some more good news on its bid to become the St. Louis terminus for the Chicago-St. Louis high speed rail line. Citing high ridership figures from Alton on Amtrak\'s St. Louis-Chicago run, and the availability of land, Alton bid for money for a new, larger train station and parking lot. The city above the locks was competing with East St. Louis to become the St. Louis end of a high speed rail line to Chicago. The Chicago end of the high speed line actually will be in Dwight, more than 60 miles south of downtown Chicago.<br /><br />Sources tell CNR that Amtrak has picked Alton\'s bid and Senator Richard Durbin will make an announcement about it in the coming weeks.</p>";s:10:"category_0";s:1:"4";}