BBC News – US vice¹ 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新闻 – 美国副总统拜登宣布计划，借贷给铁路运营商美国全国铁路客运公司（美铁）24.5亿美元，以扩大服务，进行升级换代。

Amtrak's plans include expanding high-speed trains between Washington DC and Boston. The vice president said "America needs to go big on infrastructure²" investment.

美铁的计划包括扩充华盛顿特区和波士顿之间的高速列车。副总统说：“美国需要加大基础设施”投资。

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

美国的铁路基础设施落后于其他许多发达国家，特别是在高速列车方面。

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%.

新型列车的初始速度将达到时速160英里，但有能力提高到时速186英里。美铁期望新型列车2021年开始上线运行。新型列车将多出三分之一的座位，载客量增加40%。

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

“我们需要这样的投资，以保持这个地区乃至整个国家继续前行，并创造新的就业岗位。”拜登说。

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.

美国的东北走廊包括华盛顿，纽约城和波士顿，是该国最繁忙的路线网之一。美铁2015年录得沿线1170万的乘车人数 – 是其有记录以来的最高值。

"The Northeast corridor is a national economic engine that carries a workforce³ contributing $50bn annually⁴ to the national GDP," said New Jersey⁵ Senator Cory Booker.

“东北走廊是全国经济引擎，承载着每年为国家国内生产总值贡献500亿美元的劳动力队伍。”新泽西参议员布克说。