Mineta: Plan would rebuild Northeast Corridor

The federal government would assume control of the network of tracks and equipment that make up Amtrak's Northeast Corridor and rebuild them under the Bush Administration's proposal to reform Amtrak. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta has been touting the plan, called the Passenger Rail Investment Reform Act, in a nationwide campaign this week. He said he will submit the proposal when Congress reconvenes in April. At a news conference in Massachusetts, Mineta said the plan would help to make the Northeast Corridor a "world-class example of modern passenger rail travel." He said federal investment in the repair and rebuilding of the corridor's infrastructure would allow Amtrak to focus on "running the trains on time." In Detroit, Mineta said the Bush Administration's proposal to establish 50-50 federal matching grants for state investments in passenger rail infrastructure is "the key to revitalizing passenger rail travel in America."