JP, my schedule outlined last August was overly optimistic.
Some updates:
The sale of bonds necessary to raise money for the rail upgrades to serve Iowa has been delayed until July 14th.
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-201 ... 12931.html
The Illinois Department of Transportation advertised for Statements of Interest from consultants for track survey, preliminary engineering, final engineering and field engineering of the Joliet to St. Louis 110 mph route. The advertisement was published June 28th, precisely 5 months after the federal award announcement.
http://www.dot.state.il.us/desenv/ptb/P ... 90-172.pdf
Statements of Interest are due noon, July 22nd with a contract award announcement September 7th. The initial meeting between the State and the selected consultants will be Friday, September 10th.
The schedule then allows 36 months (until September 2013) to complete the preliminary engineering, final engineering and construction.
In Wisconsin, the Canadian Pacific published their request for interest on April 1st and announced the selection of the engineering firm on April 21st. The improvements between Milwaukee and Watertown should be complete by the end of 2012.
http://www8.cpr.ca/cms/English/Supplier ... efault.htm