When an appropriations package that zeroed out high-speed rail funding passed the House and Senate last night, many observers saw it as the end of the line for the budding program.

But supporters and legislators say they are still moving full-speed ahead with the fast trains program, even though the funding sources may change. Without a direct pool of federal funding for at least fiscal 2012, rail planners will have to scramble for additional money and a program structure.

Projects in California, the Midwest and the Northeast Corridor were just getting off the ground thanks to a federal grant program that started with an $8 billion injection in the 2009 stimulus law. However, that funding has dwindled ever since, and there is concern that the lack of funding in the fiscal 2012 transportation appropriations bill may place a hold on the multi-year projects.

But Rick Harnish, executive director of the Midwest High Speed Rail Association, said he does not expect any interruptions in the projects in his area. There will still be ongoing support from Amtrak to upgrade existing lines connecting Chicago to other area cities, and Harnish said planners are already looking for other pools of money -- including highway funding -- that could be adapted for rail use.

"These projects are under way and will continue to move," Harnish said. "We're at a critical turning point."

Another option, Harnish said, would be to apply for other grant programs that have not traditionally been pools for high-speed rail. For example, he pointed to a recommendation from Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) to apply for money through the TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) livability grant program.

"Across the country, high speed rail is consistent with the TIGER grant program's objective -- to fund nationally significant transportation projects that will improve safety, spur economic development, reduce congestion through multimodal investments and create thousands of good paying jobs," Durbin said in a statement. "I will work to see that high speed rail projects in Illinois are made eligible for funding through this program."

Even Republicans, who helped engineer the death knell for federal rail funding, say there is an opportunity to move forward with the program in a way that does not depend on taxpayer dollars.

"Today's vote marks the end to President Obama's misguided high-speed rail program, but it also represents a new beginning for true intercity high-speed passenger rail service in America," Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) said in a statement. "By zeroing out high-speed intercity passenger rail funding, we are being given the unique opportunity to refocus and reform the high-speed rail program on the rail lines that will produce the most benefit for the least amount of cost."

Shuster, the chairman of the House subcommittee on rail, said he was working with Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) to advance a plan introduced this summer that would attract private companies to high-speed development in the Northeast Corridor. Mica announced last week that he was reconsidering the plan to have the federal government take back control of the service from Amtrak but would still find ways to move with private backing.

Committee spokesman Justin Harclerode said the panel would hold a hearing on the plan in the next few weeks.

Meanwhile, Amtrak plans to move ahead with its own plan to upgrade the Northeast Corridor to accommodate 220-mph trains, a 30-year, $117 billion plan backed by the rail agency. Amtrak had netted one federal grant for the upgrades to supplement the project.

A $98 billion project in California will also move forward despite recent setbacks, relying on some private investment (Greenwire, Nov. 16).

Harnish said he hoped the scramble for funding would only be short term. After all, he said, there's an appropriation every year and "just because we didn't get it in 2012 doesn't mean we won't get it in 2013."

"Our passengers are paying more for a lower quality product that's less productive," Harnish said. "We really have to shift the way [the country] does business ... and building high-speed rail is one of the things we need to do. It's absolutely essential that we get an appropriation in 2013."