Sen. Carper Supports Efforts To Increase U.S. High Speed Rail

WASHINGTON – Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), a long-time advocate of expanding the nation’s high speed rail system, commended President Obama today for unveiling his plan to make high speed rail a reality in America.

The closest thing the United States has to high-speed rail is Amtrak’s Acela service between Washington, D.C. and Boston. Sen. Carper, himself a regular Amtrak commuter between Wilmington, Del., and Washington, D.C., said today:

“Reliable and fast rail transportation is necessity to divert large amounts of traffic from our roads and skies. When done right, high speed rail can be the most fuel-efficient, most environmentally friendly, and fastest mode of transportation for traveling a few hundred miles or less. This is especially true when we link passenger rail to city transit systems.

“Unfortunately, the United States has fallen far behind many other developed nations in expanding our passenger rail services. 

“That’s why I strongly supported the $8 billion provided for high speed rail by the new American Recovery & Reinvestment Act. This is an important down payment on the federal commitment to make rail travel a practical and accessible alternative to driving and flying.”