Florida Governor Rick Scott’s decision not to build a high-speed train from Tampa to Orlando because it used federal funds could be a boon to Amtrak. The train company was unable to compete for federal money for a high-speed rail line, but with $2 billion freed up by Florida that could change.
Amtrak, a government-owned corporation, is lobbying for $1.3 billion to help pay for a train that would travel between Boston and Washington D.C. at speeds of 165 miles-per-hour (compared to their fastest trains today, which travel at about 85 MPH), the Wall Street Journal reports.
Amtrak is competing with a number of states including California and Illinois for the money.
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