经济学人:纽约交通 铁路线影响经济(2)

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　　Damage caused by Hurricane Sandy in 2012 has not yet been repaired. 2012年“Sandy”飓风造成的破坏至今都没有修复。

　　Another storm, a tunnel crack or a high-speed derailment would be catastrophic. 而当另一次风暴降临之时，遂道崩塌或高速列车出轨都将是灾难性的。

　　Richard Barone of the Regional Plan Association, a think-tank, puts it bluntly: “We're operating on borrowed time.” 区域规划协会智囊团的一员Richard Barone直截了当地说：“我们在透支未来。”

　　The NEC is, however, the only part of Amtrak that turns a profit. 然而，东北走廊却是美国铁路客运公司的唯一利益来源。

　　Amtrak is an odd entity², a commercial service which has its board appointed by the president and receives funding from Congress. “美铁”是一个古怪的实体，它具有商业服务性，其中的董事会由总统任命并接受国会的拨款。

　　Since the funding comes annually³, Amtrak struggles to have a multi-year capital plan. 由于有了每年一次的资金拨款，“美铁”试图制定本来要数年才能完成的资本计划。

　　With a repairs backlog⁴ estimated at $28bn, and tunnels and track needing upgrades all over the region, it cannot do much beyond basic maintenance. 维修积压的工程估约28亿美元，整个地区的隧道轨道需要升级，除了基本的维护之外，公司没有多余的资金做其他项目。

　　Congress is said to be increasing Amtrak funding to $1.5bn this year, $105m more than last year. 今年国会决定给“美铁”增加资金至15亿美元，比去年多了1.05亿美元。

　　That is pretty small beer where railway tunnels under rivers are concerned. 可是，这笔资金对于水下铁轨的工程来说是微不足道的。

　　The proposed Gateway⁵ tunnel, a new $24bn rail link between Newark, New Jersey⁶ and New York City under the Hudson river, would help to ease pressure on the network. 这项拟定的盖特韦隧道项目，是在哈德逊和下建起连接纽瓦克，新泽西和纽约市的一条轨道，耗资240亿美元，这个项目将会减轻整个交通运输网负担。

　　Last year the federal government agreed to split the cost with New York, New Jersey and Amtrak. 去年联邦政府同意与纽约，新泽西和纽瓦克分摊工程费用。

　　But little federal money has been spotted⁷ yet. 然而至今，还没有收到联邦政府承诺的资金。

　　Meanwhile, the subway is still operating on a 1930s signal system; Eastside Access, a plan to bring some LIRR riders to Grand Central station, is delayed;  同时，地铁仍然还使用着20世纪30年代的信号系统；Eastside Access——本来计划将长岛铁路乘客送往中央火车站的项目将被延迟；

　　the bus terminal needs a complete overhaul⁸; the area's three major airports are at capacity. 公交车终点站需要全面地翻修，这个地区的三个主要机场也需要全面开工。

　　But getting big projects built in New York is a costly⁹, lengthy¹⁰ enterprise thanks, in part, to expensive labour and over-regulation. 然而在纽约建造大型项目是一项耗资巨大、时间长的打算，在一定程度上是因为昂贵的劳动力和过度的监管。

　　The Second Avenue subway, the first new line in decades, cost $5.5bn for four miles of track and three new stations. 地铁第二大道——数十年来第一条新型线路将会在四英里铁轨及三个新建火车站方面将花费5.5亿美元。

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