Eight Midwest states are busy readying another high-speed rail project proposal in the hopes of getting a piece of the $8 billion in funding set aside by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The proposal, which is due Oct. 2, uses Chicago as a hub for a Midwestern high-speed rail system that would connect most of the major cities in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, and Missouri. The trains would travel 110 mph, compared to a current top speed of 79 mph for most Amtrak trains in the area, according to an article by NPR. more ›