Stimulus Money Requested for High-Speed Rail Projects BUFFALO (wned) - Albany has sent a laundry list of passenger train construction projects to Washington, hoping for a piece of the $8 billion set aside in the stimulus bill for high-speed rail.

The entire list totals $565 million. Locally, projects include $22 million for a new Amtrak station in Niagara Falls and $32 million for new signals along the CSX Niagara Branch, the line between Downtown Buffalo and Niagara Falls,much of which runs along the Niagara Section of the Thruway.

The Empire State Passengers Association is the lobbying voice of rail supporters in New York. President Bruce Becker says building the array of projects across the state would speed passenger service and ease Amtrak's scheduling problems

"Part of the state's proposal is to start design work for additional third-track segments across New York State that would provide additional capacity," Becker told WNED News.

Third-track is a key part of rail planning in that it separates the track used by freight trains from that used by passenger trains.

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