AMTRAK Station Named for Simulus 'Sheriff' Biden is $5.7 Million Over Budget

(By Stephen Dinan, The Washington Times) - As a thank-you to its most famous customer, Amtrak is renaming the train station in Wilmington, Del. after stimulus "sheriff" Vice President Joseph R. Biden - after the project received $20 million in stimulus money, and came in $5.7 million over the initial announced budget.

Spokesmen for Mr. Biden, who said he personally fought for stimulus money for Amtrak, didn't respond to messages Wednesday or Thursday.

But Amtrak said it alone made the decision to rename the station in honor of the vice president. The company also said its own budget projection was always greater than the $32 million the White House announced back in 2009 - though Amtrak itself has listed the $32 million cost that year, later raising it to $37.7 million.

"The Wilmington station is owned by Amtrak, and Amtrak on its own made the determination to name the station," said spokeswoman Danelle Hunter.