Joe Biden as Mr. Conductor? That lunatic?PHILADELPHIA (WRCB/AP) – The Obama Administration outlined a new plan Tuesday to develop a high-speed rail network.
Speaking in Philadelphia, Vice President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced an initial $8 billion investment to the 6 year plan to develop high speed rail in the United States.
The proposal will place high-speed rail on equal footing with other surface transportation programs and revitalize America's domestic rail manufacturing industry by dedicating $53 billion over six years to continue construction of a national high-speed and intercity passenger rail network.
If Congress approves Obama's budget, the initial rail spending would focus on developing or improving trains that travel up to 250 miles per hour, and connecting existing rail lines to new projects.
The proposal calls for developing three types of corridors:
Core Express routes with trains traveling up to 250 miles per hour;
Regional routes that will reach 125 mph and bring travelers to the Core Express corridor;
Emerging lines will travel up to 90 mph and bring commuters to the larger high-speed rail networks and intercity lines.
Among the proposed high-speed rail corridors is a line that would connect Atlanta to Chattanooga to Nashville. The line would be part of a larger route connecting Miami with Chicago.
Vice President Biden said the $8 billion dollar investment would be split into two categories; $4 billion would be dedicated to planning and developing new rail lines, stations and equipment; the other $4 billion would be used for maintaining existing lines and bringing them into compliance with new regulations.
President Obama announced during the State of the Union a plan to provide high-speed rail access to 80 percent of the nation within 25 years.
*********
None of this sounds very well-thought-out...a recurring problem with this Obama administration.
Would you even want Joe Biden as your conductor?
