Virginia is getting $44.3 million to fund required engineering and environmental studies of the railroad tracks between Richmond and Washington, all with the goal of eventually running high-speed train service between the cities.

This is the second big federal grant Virginia’s received for high-speed rail this year. In January, Virginia learned it would receive $75 million in federal stimulus funds to build a third railroad track over 11.4 miles between Powell’s Creek in Prince William and Arkendale in Stafford, a key capacity issue for operating high-speed trains from Richmond to DC. (And helping Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express passengers avoid train gridlock in the meantime).

In this funding round, Virginia was also given $1.2 million to complete preliminary engineering for a new Appomattox River railroad bridge.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood discussed the high-speed rail funding announcement on his Fast Lane blog today. The U.S. Department of Transportation is distributing $2.4 billion for 54 high-speed rail construction and planning projects in 23 states.

Click here to see a list of all the 2010 projects.