“Illinois Governor Pat Quinn joined United States Department of Transportation secretary Ray LaHood (who’s from Peoria) and Senator Dick Durbin on a special Amtrak train in Joliet on their way to Normal. They met to ride on a rebuilt stretch of track which carried their train at a top speed of 111 miles per hour (MPH).”

http://gridchicago.com/2012/illinois-high-speed-rail-project-hits-a-milestone-at-111-miles-per-hour/

http://www.idothsr.org/

Other states high-speed rail news.  (Texas, California, and ect.)

http://www.ble-t.org/highspeedrail/

http://www.ble-t.org/pr/pdf/RAIL_BLETProposal_2C.pdf  (map)