KIRKWOOD, Mo. — The governors of Florida and Wisconsin may not want high-speed rail money, but Missouri governor Jay Nixon said he does. He said Missouri will apply for nearly $1 billion more frrom those federal railroad funds refused by other states. The application will have two parts, she said. One will immediately upgrade the Union Pacific track between St. Louis and Kansas City that is used by Amtrak passenger trains between the two cities. The upgrades would allow Amtrak trains to go up to 90 miles an hour on the track. That will create more than 1,300 jobs in Missouri over the next few years. Part two would be another $600 million used to plan and design a true high-speed line across Missouri, and to buy land along the new right-of-way. Nixon also said he’ll continue to work with Illinois on finding funds to develop high-speed rail between St. Louis and Chicago.
Thursday, March 31, 3 p.m.
