In Philadelphia, VP Biden Touts Investment in America's Railroad Insfrastructure
By Mark Abrams
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Vice president Joe Biden was in Philadelphia today to tout the first new electric locomotive put into service on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor.
Speaking to a crowd at 30th Street Station, Biden was effusive in his praise of the "Cities Sprinter" high-tech locomotive, the first to be added to the passenger rail fleet in more than 25 years.
Addressing the crowd after touring the locomotive, Biden stressed that investment in rail bolsters the nation's economic future.
"We've got nine high-population corridors that we've demonstrated improvement can absorb all the ridership that is needed," Biden said. "Those corridors exist, the capacity is there. What are we waiting for?"
Biden says it's also time for high-speed rail service, with trains running at speeds of 225 miles per hour, especially in the Northeast Corridor between Washington and Boston.