The US State Bond Commission has approved $260m in funding to upgrade high-speed rail services running through Connecticut and western Massachusetts.
The project involves upgrades, new stations and the double-tracking of 25 miles of the 62-mile rail corridor line.
The 11-stop, 64-mile New Haven-Hartford-Springfield line is expected to cost $800m-$1bn.
The intercity rail service, expected to arrive in 2016, will have stops along Meriden, Wallingford and Berlin.