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The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is considering up to 15 "preliminary alternatives" to improve rail service along the Northeast Corridor, with options ranging from minor upgrades to providing 220-mph service between Boston and Washington, D.C.

Also under review is a proposed new service from Long Island, N.Y., to New England.

The FRA outlined details of the 15 options in its new report, "NEC FUTURE: A Rail Investment Plan for the Northeast Corridor, Preliminary Alternatives." The report includes no cost estimates.

The goal of NEC FUTURE is to develop a plan to prepare the 457-mile corridor for growth in commuter and intercity rail ridership through the year 2040.

The 15 preliminary alternatives will be evaluated and narrowed down over the year to a smaller set of "reasonable alternatives" and, ultimately, developed into a preferred investment program as the plan advances, FRA officials said in the report's introduction.