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(Image source: AECOM)
BY STEVEN SPARKMAN
ANCHOR MEGAN MURPHY
Amtrak, the U.S. passenger railroad, announced an expansion that will include high-speed
trains. CNBC has more.
“Amtrak is planning northeast corridor improvements that would make it possible to go from New
York to Philadelphia in 37 minutes. It’s part of a new $150 billion improvement plan.”
The plan calls for more than a decade of improvements and upgrades to Amtrak’s existing services
before construction begins on the high speed lines. But since Amtrak is partially funded
by Congress, there may be some funding hurdles. Or as Fox News puts it:
“Amtrak already $1.34 billion in the red, but that’s not stopping the government-owned
agency from fast-tracking a new plan to spend more taxpayer money.”
But anchors at New York stations seemed fond of the railroad. WABC focused on the travel
times — like cutting the New York to DC travel time by more than half.
“The 438-mile-long rail line could handle trains going 220 miles per hour. ... Amtrak’s
Acela trains travel about 84 miles per hour. They’re nice, too.”
Anchors on WNYW said, while high-speed Amtrak trains are still in the distant future, it’s
time for the U.S. to catch up to Europe and Asia.
“We’re jamming into airports which were built 30, 40 years ago. The cost of gasoline
is sky high. If we could go up and down the eastern seaboard, wouldn’t that be phenomenal?”
Amtrak says the plan won’t be completed until 2040 — more than two decades behind
California’s first planned high-speed line.