Delaware pols quick with high-speed rail pitch

Vice President Joseph Biden is famously a big fan of Amtrak, even to the point of giving a national shout-out to his favorite conductor during the festivities for his inauguration as vice president.

The train love has apparently rubbed off, given how quick off the mark the state’s three men on Capitol Hill – Sens. Tom Carper and Chris Coons, and Rep. John Carney – were in hopping on some news from Florida.

The Florida Supreme Court ruled today that Florida Gov. Rick Scott could turn $2.4 billion the feds want to give the state to build a high-speed rail link between Tampa and Orlando. The Tea Party hates high-speed rail, and so does Scott, apparently.

Send the spurned bucks north, the First State trio said.

“Here in the First State and throughout the Northeast Corridor we know that rail, particularly high-speed rail is a critical part of our economy,” their joint statement said.   They named several possible uses for rail aid, including a new station for Newark, or a third track connecting Wilmington and Newark, with SEPTA service extended to the campus town.

Here’s the Associated Press’ take on the Florida doings.