"A High-Speed Derailment"

"Representative John Mica of Florida, the senior Republican in line to take the reins of the House Transportation Committee in January, is unhappy with the way the Obama administration awarded $10 billion in federal stimulus funds for high-speed rail projects. ...

Mr. Mica said he would like to redirect the rail money to the Northeast corridor, which he described as possibly the only place in the country with enough population density to financially support high-speed train service.

As it turns out, he might just be in luck: several newly elected Republican governors from states that received rail funds have indicated that they don’t want the money. (Michael Cooper of The Times detailed Republican opposition to high-speed rail prior to the election.) "

John Collins Rudolf reports for the New York Times Green blog November 4, 2010.