SOUTH BEND — It's been nearly two months since final plans first surfaced for a new high speed rail network from Chicago to Cleveland. Now, it appears South Bend and Elkhart will likely be included on the proposed high speed line. The next question: will it actually be built?

The answer likely depends on a bid by Indiana's Department of Transportation for $2.8 billion in federal stimulus funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. An official request for the funding was filed Tuesday on behalf of nine member states in the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative.

"With the support of our counterparts in Chicago and Ohio, INDOT submitted one application that Indiana believes stands the greatest chance of being approved by the Federal Rail Administration," wrote INDOT Commissioner Michael Reed in a news release about the filing.

Ricky Thomas was one of many Tuesday hoping that filing will help put Northern Indiana back "on track" toward a faster future.

"It's a long, boring trip," said Thomas, sitting aboard a Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) train, waiting for it to leave the South Bend Regional Airport station.

Thomas takes the South Shore rail service between South Bend and East Chicago several times a week.

"You bring some cards, or some crossword puzzles, or something like that to keep you busy," he said.

"It's extremely boring," agreed Victoria Ross, of Chicago, in the next car over. "It's a long, drawn out ride."

So, what if that trip could fly by at average speeds of 80-110 miles per hour?

"I could get a lot more done," Thomas said with a laugh.

It may not be a dream any longer.

The initially proposed high speed route included stops in Gary, Plymouth, Warsaw, Fort Wayne, and Toledo using both existing and new track. But, a new "alternative route" with stops in Gary, South Bend, Elkhart, Waterloo and Toledo appears to be gaining steam.

"They looked at that southern route several years ago as part of an Indiana High Speed Rail initiative that was undertaken. I think at that time, they were opting for more of a southern route. But, it looks like both routes are now in play with INDOT again," said NICTD Director of Planning and Marketing John Parsons.

"Environmental and feasibility studies are giving full consideration to both routes now," confirmed INDOT spokesman Will Wingfield. "Our goal is fewer stops, designed to move at long distances quickly to compete with vehicle and air travel."

Would that new high speed service pull riders away from the existing South Shore service?

"We don't know what the effect might be, but we're staying open minded," said Parsons. "We're having a meeting with INDOT next week to find out what's in their proposal, and how we can get plugged in to that process."

"We don't want to harm existing passenger and freight service," said Wingfield. "That's not the goal here."

What is included on the list of goals is new development. Local leaders say even the idea of high speed rail is already starting the economic engine.

"If somebody can take rail quickly — quicker than driving a car, but less extensive than airline travel — it makes it far more attractive, and really opens up a number of opportunities," said St. Joseph County Chamber of Commerce Director of Business Growth Phil Damico.

"This is a 'with ease' option. And whenever you throw in 'with ease' with travel today, it makes your community more attractive to stop in or visit than it normally would. From a business development or attraction standpoint, that's going to be a major issue in attracting new opportunities," Damico said.

High speed rail also presents new opportunities for population growth, and that could help solve problems with shrinking revenues and rising taxes.

"If you are in a position where you can grow your tax base, that's where you want to head," Damico said.

It's enough to convince Thomas that INDOT is "on the right track." His hope now is that funding comes through soon. Until then, he'll keep riding the rails the same way he always has.

"I've got plenty of time, I can wait," he laughed.

Damico says local leaders won't wait for the rails to go down either. They plan to to start marketing the plan now in hopes of attracting new growth.

Still, it's clear competition will be fierce.

More than $50 billion in total high speed rail requests have already been submitted, with only $8 billion scheduled to be awarded this year. Additional amounts in excess of $20 billion are scheduled to be awarded over the next four years, according to The White House.

The federal government plans to award the grants by early next year.

Click here to read INDOT's application for high speed rail stimulus funding.