Commuter Rail: Could Amtrak be the answer?

Click title for link to story in Jacksonville paper. Is Amtrak the answer we've been looking for to bring commuter rail to Jacksonville and other Florida cities? Amtrak to receive nearly $15 billion in additional funding: WASHINGTON - A nearly $15 billion Amtrak bill passed the House today as lawmakers rallied around an alternative for travelers saddled with soaring gas prices. The bipartisan bill, which passed by a veto-proof margin of 311-104, would authorize funding for the national passenger railroad over the next five years. Some of the money would go to a program of matching grants to help states set up or expand rail service. Besides the $14.9 billion provided for Amtrak and intercity rail, an amendment to the bill would authorize $1.5 billion for Washington's Metro transit system over the next 10 years.http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/bal-amtrak0611,0,2335081.story