THE AMTRAK STORY

Throughout the 140 years that the American railroads offered passenger service to the public, no date can match in importance that of May 1, 1971, when the congressionally mandated National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) came into being. Nor has any single date in the 23 years since had such significance. Sluggishly, the legislation creating Amtrak worked its way through Congress, and was signed with little enthusiasm by President Nixon. Amtrak has lived much of its 23-year life on a precipice, quite often leaning toward extinction. No one, it seems, can make passenger railroading profitable. Yet Amtrak--a contraction of "American" and "track"--has become increasingly efficient at a time when alternatives to automobiles and airplanes are needed. Most Americans agree that Amtrak provides an essential public good that is worthy of continued subsidies. No longer is the debate whether America ought to have a national rail-passenger system, but rather how Amtrak is to obtain a reliable, consistent and perennial source of funding.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/091138216X
• Corporate Authors:

  Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation

  1809 Capitol Avenue, Suite 200
  Omaha, NE  United States  68102
• Authors:
  • Wilner, F N
• Publication Date: 1994

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 158 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternatives analysis; Equipment; High speed rail; History; Labor relations; Passenger service; Profitability; Railroad commuter service; Railroad equipment industry
• Identifier Terms: Amtrak
• Subject Areas: History; Operations and Traffic Management; Passenger Transportation; Railroads; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00715425
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 091138216X
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 30 1996 12:00AM