New York governor announces state rail plan

NEW YORK, March 9 -- New York governor David Paterson and other officials announced on Monday the release of the 2009 New York Rail Plan, which provides the first comprehensive update of the state's rail strategy in 22 years.

The 20-year, 10.7-billion-dollar plan, which was announced at the Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak station, includes high-speed passenger train service between Niagara Falls, massive waterfalls on the Niagara River, and Albany, capital of New York state.

The state's proposal outlines priorities for funding consideration from the 9.3 billion dollars dedicated to high-speedrail in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, according to a news release from Paterson's office.

Supporters of high-speed trains said improved passenger train service would boost the struggling upstate economy.

"Rail transportation is critical to efficiently moving people and goods throughout New York State," the press release quotes Paterson as saying. "We have prioritized investments to improve intercity passenger rail service and strengthen our freight rail system, while helping to promote the State's economy and protect the environment by reducing energy use, emissions and congestion on our highways and runways."

The 2009 New York State Rail Plan spells out a comprehensive strategy for supporting freight and intercity passenger rail service. It calls for expanding freight rail usage and increasing the speed and reliability of passenger rail service across the NewYork state. Improved passenger and freight rail service supports energy and environmental goals by moving people and goods more efficiently and taking vehicles off congested roadways, according to the press release.