Obama Proposes $53 Billion So Trains Can Go Slower Than They Did 100 Years Ago

In the early 20th century steam-powered trains routinely traveled at 100 mph or more for long stretches.  Today most stretches of track are limited to 79 mph and that won't change with this huge expenditure:

President Barack Obama is calling for a six-year, $53 billion spending plan for high-speed rail, as he seeks to use infrastructure spending to jump-start job creation.

An initial $8 billion in spending will be part of the budget plan Obama is set to release Monday. If Congress approves the plan, the money would go toward developing or improving trains that travel up to 250 mph, and connecting existing rail lines to new projects. The White House wouldn't say where the money for the rest of the program would come from, though it's likely Obama would seek funding in future budgets or transportation bills.

I doubt this will go far. At this point I don't see the GOP getting behind a massive expenditure for for a technology that offers relatively limited benefits. Train travel is not the way of the future, even if they can speed it up a bit.