US High Speed Rail Association Sets Conference in L.A. on June 17-18

National, California High Speed Rail Plans Take Center Stage

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May 13, 2010, 12:55 ET

LOS ANGELES, May 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Leaders from the US High Speed Rail Association (US HSR), legislators, and other business and civic leaders from throughout California will gather in Los Angeles to discuss the future of the nation's high speed rail system. US HSR – the only non-profit organization in America focusing entirely on advancing a state-of-the-art national high speed rail network – is hosting High Speed Rail 2010 to give state business leaders a closer look at plans, processes, pathways and potential for a high speed rail system in California and other parts of the U.S.

When:	June 17, 2010: 8 am to 6 pm
	June 18, 2010: 8:30 am to 5 pm

Where:	Hilton Universal City
	555 Universal Terrace Parkway, Universal City, CA

Who:	US High Speed Rail Association President Andy Kunz joins California and federal political and legislative leaders, business people, activists, urban planners and designers, real estate developers, and leading academics.

	NOTE: Kunz and Thomas Hart, US HSR vice president/government affairs are available ahead of and during the conference for media interviews.

Why:	For three decades the movement for high-speed rail (HSR) in America has been plagued by false starts and slow progress – but the tide is quickly turning. In 2009, President Obama announced the allotment of $8 billion in federal funds to develop HSR projects across the nation, and made $2.3 billion available for California earlier this year. The state, through the California High Speed Rail Authority, has ambitious plans to develop a $43 billion system connecting the Bay Area with San Diego. The first phase would connect Los Angeles and Anaheim to San Francisco by 2020. In light of these developments, it is now clear that the era of high speed rail transportation in America is fast approaching. This conference explores the issues – and opportunities – of high-speed rail.