美國投資25億美元擴展高鐵

BBC News – US vice president Joe Biden has announced plans to lend railway operator Amtrak (National Railroad Passenger Corporation of the USA) $2.45bn to expand services and make upgrades.

BBC新聞 – 美國副總統拜登宣佈計劃，借貸給鐵路運營商美國全國鐵路客運公司（美鐵）24.5億美元，以擴大服務，進行升級換代。

Amtrak's plans include expanding high-speed trains between Washington DC and Boston. The vice president said "America needs to go big on infrastructure" investment.

美鐵的計劃包括擴充華盛頓特區和波士頓之間的高速列車。副總統說：“美國需要加大基礎設施”投資。

Rail infrastructure in the US lags many other developed countries, particularly in terms of high-speed trains.

美國的鐵路基礎設施落後於其他許多發達國家，特別是在高速列車方面。

The new trains, which Amtrak expects to begin running in 2021, will have initial speeds of up to 160mph, but will be capable of speeds up to 186mph. The new trains will have one-third more seating, increasing capacity by 40%.

新型列車的初始速度將達到時速160英里，但有能力提高到時速186英里。美鐵期望新型列車2021年開始上線運行。新型列車將多出三分之一的座位，載客量增加40%。

"We need these kinds of investments to keep this region - and our whole country - moving, and to create new jobs," said Mr Biden.

“我們需要這樣的投資，以保持這個地區乃至整個國家繼續前行，並創造新的就業崗位。”拜登說。

America's Northeast corridor, which includes Washington, New York City, and Boston is one of the country's busiest route networks. Amtrak recorded 11.7 million riders along that route in 2015 - its highest number on record.

美國的東北走廊包括華盛頓，紐約城和波士頓，是該國最繁忙的路線網之一。美鐵2015年錄得沿線1170萬的乘車人數 – 是其有記錄以來的最高值。

"The Northeast corridor is a national economic engine that carries a workforce contributing $50bn annually to the national GDP," said New Jersey Senator Cory Booker.

“東北走廊是全國經濟引擎，承載着每年爲國家國內生產總值貢獻500億美元的勞動力隊伍。”新澤西參議員布克說。