Ohio will get about $400 million in federal stimulus money to establish a passenger train service linking its major cities, putting the state at the center of a developing national rail system, Gov. Ted Strickland said Wednesday.

A story from the AP says, the money is part of $8 billion in stimulus grants that President Barack Obama has set aside for high-speed trains and other passenger rail projects.

Ohio is planning a 79-mph startup service that will run on existing freight tracks connecting Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati beginning in 2012.

It figures to be a marquee stimulus project, billed as a jobs creator in an important swing state where Strickland, a Democrat, is facing re-election.

About 6 million people live along the 255-mile Ohio train route, making it one of the most heavily populated corridors without rail service in the Midwest _ a major selling point that state transportation officials made in their October stimulus application.

Amtrak released a study in September predicting that a restored service in Ohio would draw 478,000 riders in its first year and has the demographics needed for successful operations, including population density and a concentration of colleges and universities.

Amtrak hasn't estimated fares for Ohio, but the state estimates an average ticket price for a one-way trip from Columbus to Cleveland would be $20, and $18 from Columbus to Cincinnati. Annual ticket sales are estimated at $12 million, with the state responsible for an additional $17 million operating subsidy.

Click here to read more of this story from the AP.