After federal funding for the passenger line from the Quad Cities to Chicago was denied Thursday, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn promises $45 million in state funding to make that service a reality, and he says it is a done deal.

Quinn made the announcement Saturday afternoon before a packed room at Moline Centre Station, which is to be the future Quad Cities Amtrak Station. He was joined by several state and local officials, including Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig.

Quinn said the $45 million will come out of the Illinois Capital Bill adopted last year. He said this is a big step for a QC passenger rail service and that this money will make it happen. Quinn spoke of continued investment in rail systems, and making them sustainable, in order to bring more jobs and more people to the area.

"It's a done deal. We have the money that we need in order to connect the Quad Cities directly with Chicago on a rail line, a passenger line. We want to move fast on it. This creates hundreds, about 500 or 600 construction jobs. That's another thing we want to do," said Governor Quinn.

Quinn says the service could create up to 825 jobs in the area. The Governor also said the plan is to start work on infrastructure on the tracks this year, and the rail could be up and running by early 2012.