Officials in Ohio are competing for federal money to build a high-speed train that will run through the Ohio Valley.

Wednesday, Ohio Department of Transportation Director Jolene Molitoris met with Vice-President Joe Biden to lean what the rules for the competition will be.

After the meeting, Molitoris indicated that Ohio is in "good shape" to get a piece of the $8 billion in economic stimulus money allotted for high-speed and inter-city rail projects.

"We think we're a central force and kind of a lynch pin into really making this a success for our country," Molitoris said.

The Ohio Department of Transportation wants to get trains running on existing state-owned tracks between Pittsburgh and Columbus. Currently, only freight trains travel those rails.

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MAP: Ohio Hub Proposed Corridors and Stations

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The idea is to get passenger trains up and running by 2014, then perhaps make the push to high-speed rail.

Molitoris said not only would the Ohio Hub railway connect Steubenville to Pittsburgh and the Eastern Coast Corridor, but it could spur new economic growth. This Friday, Molitoris said a group of investors will acquire the Colorado Railcar Co. and bring it to Ohio.

"We have a chance to start a whole new manufacturing industry right in the state of Ohio," Molitoris said.

The federal government will make the applications for high-speed rail available in two weeks. States have until the end of the summer to complete the applications and a decision is expected to be made this fall.

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