Amtrak

Amtrak
Name	Amtrak
Type	Government-owned corporation
Founded	1 May 1971
Headquarters	Washington Union Station, Washington, D.C.
Area served	Contiguous United States; also Vancouver and Toronto in Canada
Key people	Stephen Gardner (CEO)
Industry	Rail transport
Services	Inter-city rail
Routes	21,400 miles (34,000 km)
Fleet	See #Rolling stock
Ridership	22.9 million (FY 2023)
Revenue	$3.4 billion (FY 2023)
Website	https://www.amtrak.com

Amtrak, formally the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, is the United States' primary provider of intercity passenger rail service. It was created by an act of Congress in 1970 and began operations on May 1, 1971, to take over the passenger services of the country's financially struggling private railroads. Today, it operates a vast network connecting hundreds of destinations across the contiguous U.S. and to cities in Canada, such as Toronto and Vancouver.

History

The company was established by the Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970, signed into law by President Richard Nixon, in response to the steep decline of privately operated passenger trains. On its first day of service, it consolidated the operations of 20 predecessor railroads, including the Penn Central Transportation Company, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, and the Southern Pacific Railroad. Early challenges included inheriting aging equipment and contentious relationships with the freight railroads whose tracks it uses. Significant milestones include the introduction of the Acela high-speed service in the Northeast Corridor in 2000 and the passage of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008, which mandated greater funding and planning for a national system. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 provided the largest investment in passenger rail since its creation.

Services

It operates more than 300 trains daily over a 21,400-mile network. Its services are categorized into long-distance routes, state-supported corridors, and the high-speed Acela and Northeast Regional services in the busy Northeast Corridor. Notable long-distance trains include the California Zephyr between Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area, the Empire Builder to the Pacific Northwest, and the Crescent to New Orleans. State-supported partnerships, like the Capitol Corridor in California and the Hiawatha Service between Chicago and Milwaukee, provide vital regional connections. It also operates Amtrak Thruway motorcoach services to extend rail access.

Rolling stock

Its fleet consists of locomotives and passenger cars acquired from its inception, through major orders in the 1990s and 2000s, and with new equipment now entering service. The primary locomotive types include the GE Genesis series and the newer Siemens Charger diesel engines, while the Acela and the new Avelia Liberty trainsets are electric. Long-distance services utilize bi-level Superliner cars and single-level Viewliner cars for eastern routes. For shorter corridors, it operates a large fleet of Amfleet and Horizon coaches, which are being replaced by new Siemens Venture cars as part of a national fleet renewal program.

Operations

Its operations are heavily dependent on the infrastructure of host freight railroads, primarily BNSF Railway, Union Pacific Railroad, CSX Transportation, and Norfolk Southern Railway, outside the owned Northeast Corridor. This relationship is governed by federal statutes. Major maintenance facilities are located in Beech Grove, Indiana, and Bear, Delaware. The Northeast Corridor, the busiest stretch, is its only largely owned infrastructure, running from Washington, D.C. through Philadelphia and New York City to Boston. Safety and operations are regulated by the Federal Railroad Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.

Fares and funding

As a government-owned corporation, it does not operate as a for-profit entity and requires federal and state subsidies to maintain its network. Annual appropriations from the United States Department of Transportation cover operating shortfalls and capital investments. Ticket revenue typically covers a portion of operating costs, with a higher ratio on the Northeast Corridor services. Fares utilize a dynamic pricing model, and various discounts are offered. Significant capital funding comes from federal programs like the Federal Railroad Administration's grant programs and recent legislation such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

See also

* History of rail transportation in the United States * VIA Rail * Brightline * List of Amtrak routes * High-speed rail in the United States

Category:Amtrak Category:Railway companies established in 1971 Category:Government-owned companies of the United States