March 13, 2009 2:14 PM

Biden Lauds Amtrak At Union Station

By
Brian Montopoli
Topics
Economy
(AP)
Vice President Joe Biden held an event at Washington's Union Station today to trumpet the $1.3 billion allocation for Amtrak in the economic stimulus package.

While in the Senate, Biden was known for his regular Amtrak trips between Washington and Wilmington, Delaware. Today he directly took on critics of outlays for the rail system on which he says he has taken 7,000 roundtrips over the years.

"Every, every, every, every passenger rail system in the world relies on subsidies," Biden said, according to CBS News White House Correspondent Mark Knoller. "We subsidize our highways and airports more than we subsidize Amtrak. So let's get something straight here. Amtrak has not been at the trough. Amtrak has been left out."

With an Amtrak locomotive providing the backdrop, the vice president said that if the northeast corridor of Amtrak were shut down, seven new lanes would need to be built on interstate 95. He added that over 28 million passengers ride Amtrak every year, including 80,000 per day.

According to Biden, $105 million of the stimulus finds will be used to replace a century-old drawbridge that goes over a Connecticut river; another $105 million will go to repair dozens of aging facilities, $82 million will go to replace and repair 68 passenger rail cars, $60 million will go to safety measures, and $21 million will be used to restore an historic train station in Wilmington.

"For too long, we haven't made the investments we needed to make Amtrak as safe, as reliable, as secure as it can be," Biden said. "That ends now. The funds in the Recovery Act for Amtrak will help create jobs and at the same time, repair and update critical needs of our nation's infrastructure."

The vice president added that the work that will be done is the right kind for America because it will "take care of needs, put people to work immediately and reap benefits for years to come."

Add a Comment
by iam4honesty March 14, 2009 2:44 PM EDT
If you have any doubt that America is light-years behind Europe take a ride on the Eurostar. We need to catch up in many areas... transportation, education, healthcare, social services. etc.
Reply to this comment
by hamiltongrad March 14, 2009 2:54 AM EDT
We need a strong and progressive rail system. I takes so little energy to move hundreds of people from one place to another, while meeting time goals. We need more trains, like from SF to LA. , and others connecting medium sized cities to each other, and their airports. Let's put more of this stim money to the future, and get people working on projects that will make us ALL better off in the next 100 years ! Good job.
Reply to this comment
by aziridine March 13, 2009 11:06 PM EDT
$105 million for a bridge? you gotta be s*hitting me! $82million for 62 rail cars? thats over a million apiece.. you gotta be s*hitting me! Gee..i wonder if Wilmington has anything to do with Joe Biden........oink oink oink...
Reply to this comment
by Challenger3967 March 13, 2009 10:37 PM EDT
Joe Biden is right on target as Amtrak has been continuously underfunded by Congress so economies of scale cannot be realized. If anything, Amtrak should have been given 20 to 25 times the amount they are receiving as very little of this money is going to expand the existing service as opposed to taking care of deferred maintenance items. California will deploy a high speed rail system approved by the voters in a bond issue last election. Their system should be up and running within 20-25 years and their existing system sets a good standard for emerging corridors around the country. Plenty of living wage union jobs to lead this country back to prosperity!!! Good work Obama and Biden!!!!
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