and service of 8 round trips per day at was recommended. The option was discarded because it wouldn't attract enough riders to cover operating costs. NLX supporters hope to receive funds from the Federal Railroad Administration which requires new train projects to show they will operate at a surplus each year, unlike the Federal Transit Administration that funded the Hiawatha and Northstar lines in the Twin Cities. Trains would also operate at a surplus at , but higher capital costs and only a modest reduction in travel time made that option look less attractive. The study used the diesel-powered Talgo XXI as a reference, which has poor acceleration above . Planning for the line received a big boost at the end of September 2008 when U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters announced that the federal government would contribute $30 million to passenger rail projects across the country. The contribution included $1.1 million for the Northern Lights Express. On September 9, 2011, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced a grant of $5 million to fund environmental and engineering studies for the project. On March 18, 2013, the Environmental Assessment was completed and released on the Minnesota Department of Transportation website. In 2015 a press conference revealed an updated look at the NLX plan. The train would operate at and use the Siemens Charger locomotive instead of the Talgo. This proposal included 6 stations served by 4 daily trains in each direction. Tier 2 studies of the line would continue until 2017. As of June 2019, the project had failed to secure funding. However in February 2020, a proposal was made to grant $40 million in funding for the project. Early 2022 saw momentum to acquire funding for the line. As part of the proposed 2022 state bonding bill, Governor Tim Walz earmarked $16.1 million for safety, capacity, and infrastructure improvements in the corridor, and if passed would receive a federal match of $80 million. Supporters have pointed out that Northern Lights Express would be eligible for funds appointed to Amtrak–State projects under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, with Northern Lights Express able to receive priority as a shovel ready project. Representatives Mary Murphy and Liz Olson co-sponsored two bills in the Minnesota House that would allocate $85 million for the project, activating the remaining $320 million from the Department of Transportation. Senator Jerry Newton announced they would sponsor companion bills in the