Feds urge southeastern states to develop rail plan

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- The head of the Federal Railroad Administration is calling on state officials to develop a shared vision of rail service along the southeast corridor.<br /> <br /> FRA Administrator Joseph Szabo spoke Friday at a Virginians for High-Speed Rail event in Richmond.<br /> <br /> Szabo challenged officials in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia to develop a plan for service along the Southeast High-Speed Rail Corridor between Washington, D.C., and Atlanta.<br /> <br /> Officials say passenger ridership has been setting record highs in the Southeast. Freight rail traffic in the Southeast also has been increasing.<br /> <br /> The Federal Railroad Administration is working with officials across the country to lay the foundation for a higher performance rail network.<br /> <br /> Szabo says regional planning could effectively yield seamless passenger rail travel all along the East Coast from Boston to Atlanta.