Amtrak facts for kids

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, better known as Amtrak, is the main passenger train company in the United States. It runs trains in 46 of the 48 states that are connected, plus three provinces in Canada. The name "Amtrak" is a mix of "America" and "trak" (which is a fun way to spell "track").

Amtrak started in 1971. It was created to keep passenger train services going across the U.S. It gets money from both state and federal governments. Even though it gets government help, it's run like a business that aims to make a profit. Amtrak's main office is in Washington, D.C. It's led by a Board of Directors, which includes the U.S. Secretary of Transportation and Amtrak's CEO.

Amtrak's train network covers over 21,400 miles of track and has more than 500 stations. Amtrak owns about 623 miles of this track itself. The rest of the tracks are owned by other railroad companies. Some parts of the track allow trains to go as fast as 150 miles per hour!

In 2022, Amtrak carried 22.9 million passengers and made $2.1 billion. More than 17,100 people worked for Amtrak in 2021. Every day, about 87,000 people ride on Amtrak's more than 300 trains. Most passengers travel on shorter routes, usually less than 400 miles.

How Amtrak Started

Trains Before Amtrak

The Pennsylvania Railroad's Congressional train in the 1960s.

Back in 1916, almost everyone (98%) who traveled between cities in the U.S. went by train. Private companies owned and ran these passenger trains, along with their freight trains. But as cars, buses, and airplanes became more popular, fewer people rode trains. By 1940, train travel had dropped a lot.

During World War II, train travel became very busy again because soldiers needed to move around, and gas was rationed. After the war, railroads tried to make their trains fancy and fast with new "streamliners." But this didn't stop the decline for long. By the late 1950s, railroads were losing a lot of money on passenger service.

Many things caused this decline. The government built highways and airports, which competed directly with trains. Also, more Americans loved driving cars after the war. Old rules and agreements with train worker unions also made it hard for railroads to make money.

By the 1960s, the situation was serious. Many train routes were stopped. In 1967, the U.S. Post Office stopped sending mail on passenger trains, which took away a lot of money from the train companies. This led many railroads to want to stop almost all their passenger services.

Creating Amtrak

A message from Penn Central Railroad about Amtrak starting on May 1, 1971.

People started suggesting ways to save passenger train service. In 1970, a big railroad company, Penn Central, was almost out of money and wanted to stop many of its passenger trains. This made the U.S. Congress act quickly.

In October 1970, Congress passed a law called the Rail Passenger Service Act. This law created the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (NRPC), which we now know as Amtrak. The idea was for this new company to take over running intercity passenger trains. It would get money from taxpayers but would try to be a profitable business.

Here are some key parts of the plan:

• Any private railroad could join the new national system.
• The U.S. government would own special shares in the NRPC.
• Railroads that joined would give money or train cars to the NRPC. In return, they wouldn't have to run passenger trains anymore after May 1, 1971.
• Railroads that didn't join had to keep running their passenger service until 1975.

Most of the 26 railroads offering passenger service in 1970 decided to join the NRPC. The new company was first called Railpax, but just before it started, the name was changed to Amtrak.

Many people thought Amtrak would only last a short time. Some in the government thought it was a way to let passenger trains have a "last hurrah" before disappearing. Others hoped it would quickly become self-supporting. Neither of these ideas turned out to be true. Amtrak has continued because people still want to ride trains, but it still needs government support.

Amtrak's Journey Through the Years

1970s: The "Rainbow Era"

The North Coast Hiawatha train in 1971. Early Amtrak trains often had cars painted in different colors from their old owners.

Amtrak started running trains on May 1, 1971. It didn't own any tracks at first. Amtrak took over about half of the passenger train routes that existed before. This meant some major routes became only for freight trains. The reduced schedules sometimes confused staff and passengers.

At first, Amtrak leased about 1,200 of the best passenger cars from the private railroads. These cars and the locomotives still had the old companies' paint colors and logos. This led to Amtrak trains having cars with mismatched colors, which people called the "Rainbow Era." By 1975, most Amtrak equipment was painted in its own official colors.

Amtrak also faced problems with train stations. Many were old or had too many facilities from when different companies served the same cities. For example, in Chicago, trains used to use five different stations! Amtrak worked to combine services into fewer stations. In New York City, Amtrak had to use two stations until new tracks were built in 1991 to connect them.

In 1976, Amtrak got a big boost. After several northeastern railroads went bankrupt, Congress allowed Amtrak to buy most of the Northeast Corridor (NEC) tracks. This main line, running from Washington, D.C. to Boston, became Amtrak's most important asset. It helped Amtrak make money, but the cost of keeping it up was huge, so Amtrak's government funding increased.

Even though it didn't become financially independent, Amtrak did well in rebuilding train travel. Things like fuel shortages and airline strikes made trains more appealing. Amtrak's ridership grew from 16.6 million in 1972 to 21 million in 1981.

1980s and 1990s: Building Up

An EMD AEM-7 train on the Metroliner route in 1987. An EMD F40PH engine leading the California Zephyr in 1995.

In 1982, William Graham Claytor Jr., a former head of Southern Railway, became Amtrak's leader. He helped improve the high-speed Metroliner Service between Washington and New York. Travel time was cut to under 3 hours, which made more people choose Amtrak for trips along that route.

Amtrak also added new trains, like the California Zephyr between Oakland and Chicago. It also brought back the Auto Train, a special service that carries both passengers and their cars. This train helps people avoid driving on busy Interstate 95 between Virginia and Florida.

During the 1980s and 1990s, major train stations in Baltimore, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., were updated. In New York, the Empire Connection tunnel opened in 1991, allowing all Amtrak trains to use Penn Station. Despite these improvements, Amtrak's ridership stayed around 20 million passengers a year, partly because government funding was uncertain.

In the early 1990s, Amtrak tested fast trains from Europe on the Northeast Corridor. This helped them plan for their own high-speed train. In 1999, Amtrak announced the Acela Express, a new high-speed train for the Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C., and Boston. Tracks were improved and electrified to allow for faster speeds.

2000s: Growth in the 21st Century

A GE Genesis diesel engine leading the Cardinal train in 2006.

Ridership grew in the early 2000s, thanks to improvements on the Northeast Corridor and higher gas prices for cars. The new high-speed Acela train, launched in 2000, brought a lot of attention and more riders.

By 2002, it was clear that Amtrak couldn't become fully self-sufficient. Congress continued to provide funding. David L. Gunn, who became president in 2002, argued that no form of passenger transportation in the U.S. is truly self-sufficient, as highways and airports also get government money. He focused on fixing old equipment and tracks.

Later, Amtrak leaders continued to argue for keeping a national rail network, saying that getting rid of long-distance routes would be like selling off national parks. In 2007, Amtrak served 25 million passengers, its highest number since it started.

An Acela train in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, in 2011.

In 2011, Amtrak announced the "Gateway Program," a huge project to build new tunnels under the Hudson River and improve tracks near New York City. This will help double the train capacity in one of the busiest parts of the Northeast Corridor.

From 2011 to 2012, Amtrak celebrated its 40th anniversary. They published a book, made a documentary, painted six locomotives in old Amtrak colors, and had an Exhibit Train tour the country.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Amtrak kept running as an essential service. They required face coverings and limited how many tickets they sold. Many long-distance routes ran less often for a while.

In 2021, President Joe Biden announced a big plan for infrastructure. Amtrak's CEO then shared a proposal called "Amtrak Connects US" to expand train service to many new cities across the country. Most long-distance routes returned to daily service in May 2021.

How Amtrak Operates

New York City's Penn Station, Amtrak's busiest station.

Chicago Union Station, Amtrak's busiest station outside the Northeast Corridor.

Train Routes

Amtrak has trains in 46 of the 48 connected U.S. states and Washington, D.C. (Wyoming and South Dakota only have connecting bus services). Amtrak's services are divided into three main types:

• Northeast Corridor (NEC) service: Short trips on the busy NEC between Boston and Washington, D.C.
• State-supported service: Shorter trips (under 750 miles) outside the NEC, with help from state governments.
• National Network service: Medium and long-distance trips (over 750 miles) that get federal funding.

Amtrak also runs commuter trains for other agencies in Maryland, Connecticut, and Southern California.

Trains on the Northeast Corridor and between Philadelphia and Harrisburg use electricity from overhead lines. For the rest of the system, trains use diesel engines. Some routes have trains many times an hour, while others, like the Sunset Limited, run only three days a week. If a city isn't on a train line, Amtrak often provides bus connections called Amtrak Thruway routes.

The most popular routes are on the NEC, like the Acela and Northeast Regional. In 2021, these trains carried 4.4 million passengers. Outside the NEC, popular routes include the California corridor trains (Pacific Surfliner, Capitol Corridor, and San Joaquins), which carried 2.35 million passengers in 2021.

The busiest Amtrak stations are New York Penn Station, Washington Union Station, Philadelphia 30th Street Station, Chicago Union Station, Boston South Station, and Los Angeles Union Station.

On-Time Performance

Being "on-time" for Amtrak means arriving within a certain number of minutes of the schedule. For short trips (under 250 miles), a train is late if it's more than 10 minutes behind schedule. For very long trips (over 551 miles), it's 30 minutes.

Most Amtrak trains outside the Northeast Corridor run on tracks owned by private freight railroad companies. These freight companies are supposed to let Amtrak trains go first. However, Amtrak has sometimes said that freight railroads don't follow these rules, causing passenger trains to wait.

After investigations, new rules were made in 2008 to give Amtrak trains more priority. This helped Amtrak's on-time performance improve a lot. For example, the Missouri River Runner went from being on-time only 11% of the time in 2008 to 95% in 2009! This also happened when freight train traffic was lower due to the economy.

Amtrak started giving "report cards" to the host railroads in 2018, grading them on how well they helped Amtrak trains stay on schedule.

Ridership (How Many People Ride)

Annual ridership by fiscal year 1971–2023.

In its first full year (1972), Amtrak carried 15.8 million passengers. Ridership has generally grown since then, reaching a record 32 million passengers in 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ridership dropped to 12.2 million in 2021. However, it has been increasing again, reaching 28.6 million passengers in 2023.

Guest Rewards

Amtrak has a loyalty program called Guest Rewards, similar to airline frequent-flyer programs. Members earn points by riding trains or doing other activities. They can then use these points for free Amtrak tickets and other rewards.

Rail Passes

Amtrak offers special passes, like the USA rail pass, which lets you take 10 trips in 30 days. There's also a California rail pass for 7 days of travel within a 21-day period.

Tracks and Stations Amtrak Owns

In 2009, an Amtrak Lake Shore Limited train backing into Chicago Union Station.

Amtrak owns about 730 miles of track, including 17 tunnels and 1,186 bridges, mostly on the Northeast Corridor. It also owns and operates several important lines:

• Northeast Corridor: Most of the track between Washington, D.C., and Boston.
• Keystone Corridor: The 104.2-mile line from Philadelphia to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where trains can go up to 110 mph.
• Empire Corridor: 11 miles of track near New York Penn Station.
• Michigan Line: 98 miles of track between Porter, Indiana, and Kalamazoo, Michigan.
• New Haven–Springfield Line: 62 miles of track between New Haven, Connecticut, and Springfield, Massachusetts.

Amtrak also owns major stations like New York Penn Station, Philadelphia 30th Street Station, Baltimore Penn Station, Providence Station, and Chicago Union Station.

How Amtrak Organizes Its Business

Amtrak divides its work into six main "service lines," like different departments in a company:

• Northeast Corridor: Runs the high-speed Acela and Northeast Regional trains.
• State Supported: Manages routes under 750 miles that states help pay for.
• Long Distance: Operates routes over 750 miles, which get federal funding.

There are also three other service lines that help fund Amtrak:

• Ancillary: Operates commuter trains for other agencies, provides bus connections, and runs special charter trains.
• Real Estate & Commercial: Manages Amtrak's properties, like leasing space in stations.
• Infrastructure Access/Reimbursable: Charges other railroads for using Amtrak's tracks and does work that other railroads or states pay for.

What's On Board

Classes of Service

The inside of a Viewliner sleeping car bedroom with the lower bed folded down. The inside of a long-distance Amfleet II coach car.

Amtrak offers different ways to travel:

• First Class: Only on the Acela train. Seats are bigger, and a car attendant brings you a hot towel, a free meal, and drinks. First Class passengers can also use special lounges at bigger stations.
• Sleeper Service: Private rooms on long-distance trains, like "roomettes" or "bedrooms." These include attendant service and hot meals on most routes. At night, the rooms turn into sleeping areas with beds. Showers are available, and you get free juice, coffee, and bottled water. Sleeper passengers can also use lounges at some stations.
• Business Class: Offered on Acela, Northeast Regional, and some other trains. It's the standard class on Acela. Business Class usually has more legroom and free non-alcoholic drinks. Seats recline and have tray tables, footrests, reading lights, and power outlets.
• Coach Class: This is the standard service on most Amtrak trains. Seats recline and have tray tables, footrests, reading lights, and power outlets. On long-distance trains, coach cars have fewer seats for more legroom and leg rests. Some trains have a "quiet car" where you can't talk loudly or make phone calls.

Wi-Fi and Electronic Services

Amtrak started offering free Wi-Fi on some trains in 2008 and expanded it across the country. By 2014, most Amtrak passengers had Wi-Fi access. However, the service can sometimes be slow or unreliable because it uses a cellular network. Routes that go through deserts or mountains often don't have Wi-Fi because there aren't many cell towers.

Amtrak also launched an e-ticketing system in 2012. This system helps Amtrak know who is on the train in real-time, which improves safety and security.

Baggage and Cargo Services

A Viewliner II baggage car at New London in 2016.

You can bring carry-on bags on all Amtrak routes. Some trains have special baggage cars where you can check larger bags at certain stations. Since 2010, passengers are allowed to put unloaded firearms in checked Amtrak baggage.

Amtrak also has a cargo service called Amtrak Express. It ships small packages and other items between many stations that handle checked baggage. This cargo travels in the same baggage cars as luggage.

Amtrak is popular with people who like to travel with their bikes. Unlike airlines, most Amtrak trains have bike racks, so you don't have to take your bike apart. You usually need to reserve a spot for your bike, which costs a small fee.

Environmental Impact

Amtrak's Impact on the Environment

Trains are generally more energy-efficient than airplanes and cars. For every mile a passenger travels, Amtrak trains use 30–40% less energy than commercial airlines and cars. Electric trains on the Northeast Corridor are even more efficient. They can even send energy back to the power grid when they brake!

However, diesel trains, which Amtrak uses on most of its routes, produce more greenhouse gases than electric trains. Also, more stops along a route can lead to higher emissions.

How the Environment Impacts Amtrak

Amtrak's tracks and other structures can be damaged by natural events over time. For example, increased rainfall due to climate change can cause water damage. Hotter, drier weather can cause tracks to buckle, meaning they bend out of shape.

In September 2021, a hurricane caused flooding on the Northeast Corridor, shutting it down for a whole day. Heavy snowfall in February 2023 also caused major delays and cancellations. When tracks buckle from heat, trains have to slow down, which causes delays and means fewer trains can run in a day.

Public Funding

Amtrak gets money every year from the federal and state governments to help pay for its operations and improvements.

History of Funding

Amtrak started in 1971 with some direct government money and loans. Officials hoped Amtrak would make enough money to cover its costs by 1974, but that didn't happen. Government aid actually grew to $1.25 billion by 1981.

In the 1980s, government funding was cut in half. Amtrak had to borrow money to keep running. By 1995, Amtrak was almost out of cash. In 1997, Congress gave Amtrak $5.2 billion over five years, mostly for the Acela project. But they said Amtrak had to become self-sufficient by 2003 or it would be shut down. Amtrak improved financially but didn't reach full self-sufficiency.

In the 2000s, arguments over funding continued. In 2008, Congress passed a bill that gave Amtrak $2.6 billion a year through 2013.

Amtrak points out that in 2018, it covered 94.9% of its operating costs with money from passenger fares. This is a high percentage for a U.S. passenger railroad.

Amtrak has argued that it needs more money to replace old train equipment, as it costs more to keep repairing old trains than to buy new ones. However, its budget is often decided year-by-year, which makes long-term planning difficult.

In 2021, the U.S. Congress passed a big infrastructure bill. This law gave Amtrak $22 billion upfront and authorized even more money to expand passenger rail service to new areas.

Leadership

Amtrak is led by a Board of Directors. This board includes the U.S. Secretary of Transportation and Amtrak's CEO. There are also eight other members chosen by the President and approved by the Senate. These members serve for five years.

Current Board Members

Train Incidents

A view from above of the 1987 Maryland train collision.

Like any transportation system, Amtrak trains have been involved in accidents. Here are some of the major incidents:

See Also

In Spanish: Amtrak para niños