RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina will use a $47.5 million federal grant to purchase a rail line needed to advance planned high-speed passenger train service between Raleigh and Richmond, Virginia.

The money will let the state transportation department buy rail from CSX Corp. from Raleigh north to Warren County, near the Virginia line.

North Carolina and Virginia have been working on the high-speed plan for nearly 30 years.

The rail service envisioned would include passenger trains that could go 110 mph between Raleigh and Richmond.

Virginia struck a deal last year to buy the CSX rail corridor from the state line north to near Petersburg.