WICU12

There are very few high speed rail trains across the nation.  Back in January, the President announced he is going to change all that spending $8 billion of taxpayer dollars. CLICK FOR VIDEO

For the past year and a half, local officials have been lobbying the federal Department of Transportation for a three-way high speed rail line between Cleveland, Erie, and Buffalo.

All Aboard Erie, a group formed last year to bring high speed rail to our region, hosted author Jim Mccomons Monday night at Gannon.  He has spent years studying and writing about this nation's rail system.

"The experience hasn't gotten much better.  Its still up and down some trips work wonderfully, some trips not so wonderfully you get stuck behind freight trains," said McCommons.

Officials say high speed rail will be an economic stimulus of sorts.  County Council President Kyle Foust was one of the first in the city to begin lobbying for high speed rail for this region.

"We would miss out on job opportunities ands economic growth for our region," said Foust. 

But this area's high speed rail corridor remains a work in progress.  A comprehensive plan is being put on paper by officials from 3 states.

John Rupolo