DES MOINES - Gov. Chet Culver brought back a bit of nostalgia and hope for the future to passenger rail advocates Wednesday aboard a special three-car "Iowa Unlimited" train that carried with it the prospects for high-speed rail eventually linking Chicago and Omaha, Neb.

"We've never been this close. It's never looked this positive," Culver told reporters who rode with him on a 120-mile, 13-city excursion from Des Moines to Council Bluffs to promote the prospects for expanded passenger rail service in Iowa.

"We're pushing as hard as we can to get this done as quickly as we can," said the governor, who held out hope for service from Chicago to the Quad-Cities and possibly even Iowa City to begin by the end of 2010.

The state is eyeing federal stimulus dollars to help pay for the line. Iowa lawmakers set aside money this past session to try to make the rail line a reality, and Culver's I-JOBS infrastructure plan includes $3 million for passenger rail in Iowa.

"It gave a real clear signal that we're serious in Iowa about our commitment to light rail and high-speed rail," Culver said.

Derrick James, Amtrak's senior officer for government affairs, said if all the federal and state funding for Illinois and Iowa to rebuild track and buy railway cars could be approved in the next year or so, "we're looking at maybe two to three years from that point when service can start."

The Iowa governor said he met with Amtrak officials in Washington, D.C., this month to discuss rail prospects, and will attend a July 27 rail summit with other Midwest governors in Chicago to discuss region rail service plans.

Wednesday's train tour kicked off at an old Rock Island Railroad Depot in downtown Des Moines. The last time a Rock Island Rocket pulled out of the station with passengers was in 1970, said Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie.

"Here we are today, dreaming of the future as we sort of take a look back nostalgically," Cownie said.

Culver said Iowa officials are working closely with Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and are planning a summit in the coming weeks to talk about possible rail service between the states.

President Barack Obama's support could give the project a boost. While visiting Newton in April, Obama urged a greater investment in mass transit.