The FRA requested that five local rail-labor leaders attend each regional workshop to provide input on practical development plans toward creating a cohesive national intercity and high-speed passenger rail network.

The workshops, says the FRA, will be instrumental in developing the interim guidance report the FRA is required to issue -- under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 -- before the $8 billion in grant funds can be distributed.

Each workshop will be led by FRA Administrator Joe Szabo or Deputy Administrator Karen Rae.

Attendees will have an opportunity to share experiences, raise concerns, provide insights, and make recommendations on several key issues and questions, as well as hear those of colleagues and representatives from a regional perspective, said the FRA.

Each workshop, scheduled from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., will proceed as follows:

•Introduction - 10 minutes

•Overview of FRA strategic plan and next steps - 30 minutes

•Amtrak presentation - 15 minutes

•Q & A - 35 minutes

•Regional presentation - 30 minutes

•Break - 15 minutes

•Working group break-out - 1 hour

•Wrap-up - 15 minutes

Following are workshop locations:

Southeast Corridor, May 20

Renaissance Charlotte Suites Hotel

2800 Coliseum Dr., Charlotte, N.C.

Florida Corridor, May 21

Marriott Orlando Airport

7499 Augusta National Dr., Orlando, Fla.

Pacific Northwest Corridor, May 27

Seattle Airport Marriott Hotel

3201 South 176th St., Seattle, Wash.

California Corridor, May 28

Sacramento Marriott Rancho Cordova

11211 Point East Dr., Rancho Cordova, Calif.

South Central and Gulf Coast Corridor, May 29

Marriott Houston Airport

18700 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Houston, Texas

Midwest Region, June 1

Union Station, Union Gallery (off the Great Hall)

210 South Canal St., Chicago, Ill.

Northeast Region, June 2

The Westin Philadelphia

99 South 17th St. at Liberty Place, Philadelphia

Those intending to participate should register at the following Web address, and indicate which workshop will be attended:

https://survey.deloitte.com/wsb.dll/5644/FRARegistration.htm

The FRA also will accept written comments, by June 5, regarding issues that should be addressed in the interim guidance and specific recommendations on the criteria to be used in evaluating grant applications. The FRA has created a public docket (Docket No. FRA-2009-0045) for the receipt of written comments. To comment, first visit the FRA’s Web site at:

www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/2236