Amtrak's new plans

(Reuters) - On Monday Amtrak announced a $151 billion improvement plan that will transform rail travel in the Northeast. The rail company acknowledged it will need substantial financial support from both state and federal governments to make its ambitious plan a reality.

Amtrack predicts that super-fast train trips along the East Coast will be a reality by 2040. 

Travel times from New York to either Washington or Boston - both about 300 km in distance - will be slashed to 94 minutes, the report said. Current travel times from New York to Philadelphia on Amtrak's sleek Acela trains are 1 hour, 15 minutes. A trip between New York and Washington currently takes 2 hours, 45 minutes and New York to Boston takes 3 hours, 41 minutes, according to Amtrak's website.

"The NEC (Northeast Corridor) region is America's economic powerhouse and is facing a severe crisis with an aging and congested transportation network" Amtrak's President Joe Boardman said in a statement.

Starting in the 2020s, the hyper speedy "NextGen" trains will replace Acela trains, which were first introduced in 2000, Kulm said.

Amtrak also said it will build new tunnels connecting New York to New Jersey under the Hudson River..

And now, please ask questions to get the following answers


1. a $151 billion improvement plan
2. on Monday
3. rail travel in the Northeast
4. substantial financial support
5. from both state and federal governments
6. to make its ambitious plan a reality.
7. by 2040. 
8. 94 minutes
9. 1 hour, 15 minutes
10. a severe crisis
11. Because it has an aging and congested transportation network
12. in the 2020s
13. Acela trains
14. new tunnels
15. New York to New Jersey



adapted from Reuters