Amtrak

File:Amtrak logo.png

Amtrak is the name of an intercity passenger train system created on May 1, 1971 in the United States. Amtrak is an independent for-profit corporation, however its board is entirely controlled by the United States government through presidential appointment and Senate confirmation. Some Amtrak stock is outstanding, though it is not actively traded and is generally considered to be worthless. The name Amtrak is a combination of the words AMerica, TRAvel and tracK; the official name of the public corporation that owns Amtrak is the National Railroad Passenger Corporation. The chairman of Amtrak is David Laney, a presidential appointee. The current President of Amtrak is David Gunn.

Overview

In its original conception, Amtrak owned no track and was not truly a railroad. Rather, Amtrak trains used the existing network of freight rail systems and relieved private freight rail companies of their previous legal obligation to provide passenger rail service. For the most part, this scheme still exists today, but certain dense passenger lines, such as the Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C. and Boston via New York is largely Amtrak's own railroad. (This line essentially was transferred to Amtrak from the Penn Central Railroad, which had gone bankrupt and was getting out of the railroad business, in the 1970s.) Interestingly, the segment of this line between New Rochelle, New York and New Haven, Connecticut is not owned by Amtrak but by Metro North Railroad; the segment in Massachusetts is owned by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. NJ Transit, MARC, and SEPTA trains run over parts of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor as well.

Amtrak owns 730 route miles of track including 17 tunnels consisting of 29.7 miles of track and 1,186 bridges (including the famous Hell Gate Bridge) consisting of 42.5 miles of track in its network of 22,000 miles of routes. This rail network serves 500 communities in 46 of the United States, with some of these routes serving communities in Canadian provinces along the United States border. The states which are not served by Amtrak trains are Alaska, Hawaii, South Dakota, and Wyoming. However, Wyoming is served by Amtrak's Thruway Motorcoaches. As a general rule, even-numbered routes run north and east while odd numbered routes run south and west. However, some routes, such as the Pacific Surfliners, use the exact opposite numbering system, which they inherited from the previous operators of similar routes, such as the Santa Fe Railroad.

Amtrak operates 425 locomotives (351 diesel and 74 electric), 2,141 railroad cars including several types of passenger cars including 168 sleeper cars, 760 coach cars, 126 first class/business class cars, 66 dormitory/crew cars, 225 lounge/café/dinette cars, and 92 dining cars. Many are Superliner I and II models. Baggage cars make up the remainder of the fleet. 20 Acela trainsets currently provide high-speed rail service along the Northeast Corridor between between South Station in Boston and Union Station in Washington D.C. Amtrak also code shares on Continental Airlines with their rail service between Newark Liberty International Airport and 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Wilmington, Delaware, Stamford, Connecticut, and New Haven Union Station in New Haven, Connecticut.

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A map of the Amtrak system.

Amtrak employs over 22,000 people and until recently received very little federal government funding, leading to budget crisis and recurring debates over its elimination. However, recently government funding of Amtrak has been greatly increased. In fiscal year 2001, Amtrak served more than 23.5 million passengers, and despite an overall decrease in travel, Amtrak served more than 23.4 million passengers in fiscal year 2002. Through its various commuter services, Amtrak serves an additional 61.1 million passengers per year in conjunction with state and regional authorities in California, Maryland, Connecticut, and Virginia:

A stalemate in federal subsidization of Amtrak has led to cutbacks in services and routes for the last several years. Congress has agreed to provide up to $900 million in subsidies, however Amtrak President David Gunn has insisted that Amtrak needs at least $1.8 billion to continue as an operating entity. Several states have entered into operating partnerships with Amtrak, notably California and Washington.

Amtrak operates a loyalty program called Guest Rewards, which is similar to the frequent flyer programs offered by many airlines. Guest Rewards members accumulate points by riding Amtrak and through other activities. Members can then redeem these points for free Amtrak tickets and other awards.

Freight services

Amtrak Express provides small package and less-than-truckload shipping services between more than 100 cities. Amtrak Express also offers station-to-station shipment of human remains to many express cities. At smaller stations, funeral directors must load and unload the shipment onto and off the train. Amtrak also hauled mail for the United States Postal Service as well as time sensitive freight shipments, but discontinued it in October of 2004.

On most parts of the few lines that Amtrak owns, it has trackage rights agreements allowing freight railroads to use its trackage.

Amtrak routes

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Amtrak Auto Train dining car awaits passengers next to auto carrier which will join it at rear of consist at Lorton VA in 2000. Photo courtesy of www.trainweb.com

Amtrak has a complex albeit decentralized management structure wherein individual train conductors and other staff are assigned to particular routes or stations whereas ticket sales are managed by a nationwide computer system. Each train route has a rich and complex history, which is reflected in their often colorful names.

External links

Overview

Freight services

Amtrak routes

See also

External links