President-elect Obama took a train to his inauguration this January. He seems to be infatuated with rail travel. Vice-President Joe Biden also loves trains. He boasted he has taken over 7000 train rides to Washington. Now that They are in office, the US Government is committing $1.5 billion to improve Amtrak train service over the next two years. This comes to about a $26 taxpayer subsidy for every ticket to be sold during that time period. I guess they both had toy train sets when they were kids.
Obama boosts Amtrak funding
Northeast to get half of $1.3 billion grant
WASHINGTON - New England travelers should benefit from faster, more frequent and safer train travel with an extra $1.3 billion pumped into the long-struggling Amtrak, half of it directed to the Northeast Corridor between Boston and Washington, the Obama administration announced yesterday.
Amtrak, never a favorite of the Bush administration or Republican Congresses, has struggled to retain critical federal subsidies in recent years. But the $787 billion stimulus package recently signed by President Obama will allow the system to renovate trains and stations, improve safety systems, and provide more passenger capacity, administration officials said. (excerpt) read more at boston.com
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