Georgia and Tennessee are applying for a $34 million federal grant to continue the development of a high-speed rail service from Atlanta to Nashville.

Georgia Department of Transportation officials said Monday that the money would help speed up development of the train system. The funds would come from the Federal Railroad Administration under the U.S. High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail program created by Congress last year.

Tennessee and Georgia already got $14 million in federal funds last year to develop plans for the Atlanta-to-Chattanooga leg of the rail service. Under a plan submitted by the states, the rail service could eventually stretch from Chicago to Florida through Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia.

Tags: Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia Department of Transportation, federal grant, high speed rail, Nashville, Federal Railroad Administration, U.S. High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program