As part of the stimulus spending spree, Amtrak gets $1.3 billion, and high speed rail projects will receive $8 billion. This investment in infrastructure and new projects shows that the Obama administration and the new Congress are committed to rail and transit. (Having a president who lived in Chicago, with its plentiful mass transit, probably had something to do with this newfound enthusiasm for trains and buses.)

As I wrote two years ago, the quality and quantity of rail service is a regional concern, and it takes federal authority (and money) to get the trains moving the right direction.

American Public Transportation Association President William W. Millar points out that in addition to the spending on projects, the stimulus also provides incentives for passengers.

“We are very pleased that Congress, for the first time, has made the transit commute benefit equal to the parking benefit, which is currently $230 per month. This action will provide a tax-free way for employers to encourage their employees to use energy-efficient, fuel-saving public transportation.”

Another group, the National Association of Railroad Passengers, says that the new funding transfers the pressure for improving rail:

Governors and state departments of transportation, to expeditiously complete applications for sound rail projects;

Governors and state departments of transportation, to make appropriate use of the flexibility that lets some of the $27.5 billion in “highway” money go to passenger and freight train projects;

The Secretary of Transportation, to create a sound strategic plan about how to use the rail funds;

The Secretary of Transportation, to give applications for good rail projects prompt and favorable decisions;

Amtrak, to commit its capital funding within the required 30 days;

Amtrak, to use its funds to make clear its commitment to a truly national system with a dramatically improved resilience to, for example, Chicago winters;

Private railroads and commuter agencies, to take full advantage of the opportunities to fund important projects (including the Chicago-area CREATE project aimed at untangling congestion in the nation’s rail hub).

Amtrak needs to step up and improve the quality of service as well as the performance of arrival times. In the Midwest, Amtrak is trying to improve its image by running a promotion to get people riding the rails from Milwaukee to Chicago to watch baseball.

The importance of public perception towards trains can't be underestimated. The money is a great first start, but attitudes need to change as well. Trains have to be perceived as cool, and not just something you have to do if flying or driving is even more of a hassle.

One effective tool: providing free WiFi service in train stations and on the trains, as they are doing in the Bay Area and other places. Being able to stay productive (or even entertained) during hour-plus commutes can go a long way towards luring new passengers to ride the rails.