amtrak

In 1970, Congress organized Amtrak "to take over passenger rail services previously required to be operated by private freight railroad companies in the United States." The company's name, Amtrak, "is the blending of the words 'America' and 'track.' It is properly used in documents with only the first letter capitalized. The railroad is also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corporation."

Since their inception, Amtrak has operated dozens of routes, including both regional rail services, such as California's "Capitol Corridor" line, and transcontinental routes, such as the "Texas Eagle," which runs from Chicago to Los Angeles, via a southern route with several stops in the Lone Star State.

In 2007, Amtrak carried approximately 26 million passengers, earning approximately $2 billion dollars in revenue. Amtrak's top five stations in 2007, in terms of total ridership were New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

by Ray Salloom Are you a writer, passionate about this or any other topic? Join Blogcritics!

Original Technorati articles tagged “amtrak”

• in Travel
  Airplane Travel is So Last Century
  Will those be the words uttered by frequent travelers in the year 2030?
  by kidronlewis / on Mar 5, 2012
• in Travel
  Don’t Delay High-Speed Trains In The US
  Move on the ground at 200MPH
  by pvalerio / on Sep 17, 2010

Latest blogosphere posts tagged “amtrak”

 

• Can Holiday: National Train Day – May 11

  
  — Authority:
  Choo Choo! Its National Train Day, a holiday created by Amtrak, believe it or not. We celebrate with this 1980s Beckers Beer Train Set Can from Germany.
  1 week ago

• Norfolk Southern Plans to Rock National Train Day

  
  Northeast Railfans — Authority: 113
                Norfolk Southern will rock National Train Day with the premiere of its new television advertisement, which shows how trains connect communities and businesses to drive economic growth. The commercial, “Norfolk Southern, What’s Your Function,” will show during National Train Day, the ...
  1 week ago

• Put a Little Choo-Choo in Your Life on National Train Day May 11, 2013

  
  — Authority:
  Saturday, May 11, 2013 marks the annual National Train Day event. When man learned to walk, he longed for a method of transportation that would make his life easier. When railway transportation was incorporated into the human lifestyle, and products … Continue reading →
  1 week ago

• Bikeification Battles: Amtraks Pacific Surfliner to Require Fee/Reservation For Bikes

  
  — Authority:
  There are two ways to look at the news that Amtrak will soon require a reservation and $5 to bring a bike on board a Pacific Surfliner train. Option one: "Phew! What a relief to know there will be room for my bike on the train Im planning to catch." Option two: "Those bastards! Commuting with my bike is going to ...
  1 week ago

• Amtrak at 42: Making the Grade

  
  — Authority:
  Two cheers for Amtrak, which celebrated its 42nd anniversary on May 1. The nations only intercity passenger rail service, derided by its critics and begrudged funding by Congress, is providing improved service and reliability. But this service is lopsided, favoring the Northeast Corridor — the electrified route ...
  1 week ago

• Cruise Your Way to Big Point Bonuses with Amtrak

  
  — Authority:
  Earn 4-6 Point per Dollar Spent The opportunity to get points or miles from the specific reward program that we are currently the member is very difficult because we need to wait for the program to release out the promotion that we can take advantage of. Many point program releases the point program that does not ...
  1 week ago

• TRAIN YOURSELF TO RELAX.

  
  — Authority:
  Im stealing an old New Haven Railroad marketing slogan.New Haven Railroad advertisement courtesy New Haven Railroad Historical and Technical Association.A travelogue offered by a scribe in Erie, Pennsylvania, suggests the idea still has merit.The logical choice for a spring break trip in the midst of a mid-March Erie ...
  2 weeks ago

• Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge from Roosevelt Island Photo on...

  
  — Authority:
  Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge from Roosevelt Island Photo on Flickr. Via Flickr: Travel Photography in NYC Day 2 is now live. photography.alexsablan.com/travel-photography-nyc-day-two/
  2 weeks ago

• Travel Photography – NYC Day Two

  
  — Authority:
  Travel Photography in New York City My Amtrak vacation continued in New York City. After visiting DC, and after loving my first day in New York City, the next day began with a clear sky and a brisk chill in... Originally written by Alex on AlexSablan.com - Photography . Original post can be found at Travel ...
  2 weeks ago

• After the Pacific Surfliner – Adventures in Los Angeles via Metro Gold Line

  
  — Authority:
  A short summary… After a trip to Santa Barbara for a business meeting I headed back to Los Angeles on the 1:50pm departure of the Pacific Surfliner from Goleta, California. While waiting the Coast Starlight tore by at 79mph, which was pretty cool. After the trip back to Los Angeles, upon arriving at Los Angeles [...]
  2 weeks ago

• The Acela Does Not Make Money

  
  — Authority:
  Trains magazine columnist Don Phillips is an unabashed enthusiast for passenger trains. Yet his latest column lashes out at Amtrak for repeatedly misrepresenting the Acela–the closest thing Amtrak has to a high-speed train–as profitable. Amtrak Acela train entering the Washington, DC station. Flickr photo by Steve ...
  2 weeks ago

• The death of rail advocate John Mills

  
  — Authority:
  Gene Poon reports the sad news on another site. I believe I met Mr. Mills once and he certainly had a wonderful mind for good transportation and passenger rail service. I am sorry to see him go and glad that he will not have to endure the slow undoing on Amtrak at the hands of political bullies whose only interest is ...
  2 weeks ago

• Extra Amtrak Guest Rewards Partner Offers

  
  — Authority:
  Earning Points Has Never Been This Easy Life has to go on and Amtrak is having so much opportunity to get new partners everyday to join its member and guest reward point promotion to let the member to use and earn free points. At the matter of fact Amtrak Guest Reward Point is very tempting since the points can be ...
  3 weeks ago

• Wanderus Site Lets You Research And Book Bus And Rail Travel

  
  — Authority:
  Filed under: Business , North America , United States , Transportation , Budget Travel If youre a traveler, then youre a Kayaker. Not a paddler, but a devotee of Kayak.com, the airline (and hotel and rental car) search engine that makes booking the lowest fares a breeze. If youre a traveler, then youve also ...
  3 weeks ago

• Boston Bombers Were Planning to Attack New York Next

  
  — Authority:
  According to a new report, authorities suspect that the Tsarnaev brothers were planning on launching another attack in New York. Via Ynet: US authorities learned that the Tsarnaev brothers, who were behind the bombing at the Boston Marathon last week, were planning to carry out another attack in New York once ...
  3 weeks ago

• Rewired

  
  — Authority:
  A few upsides from taking the train between Boston and NYC: legroom; one less flight; and having an opportunity to browse and advance copy of Ethan Zuckerman’s pending book: Rewire: Digital Cosmopolitans in the Age of Connection .
  3 weeks ago

• Double Your Amtrak Points Today

  
  — Authority:
  Amtrak Points Promotion April 2013 Traveling with Amtrak very often? Well, make it a bountiful spring by registering with Amtrak Double Points Double Day on Amtrak Travel now just like what the mother’s day promotion at Amtrak . Currently, Amtrak passengers and the Amtrak Guest Rewards members can earn double ...
  3 weeks ago

• FRA Not Cooperating on Acela-2 | Systemic Failure

  
  — Authority:
  As a wholly-owned subsidiary of the trucking and highway interests, do you think the Federal Railroad Administration wants high speed rail to operate in the USA? Case closed. Read a great post here. FRA Not Cooperating on Acela-2 | Systemic Failure . Filed under: Amtrak , International High Speed Rail , ...
  3 weeks ago

• THE CASE FOR ENHANCED FIRST CLASS.

  
  — Authority:
  Travel and Trains asks which of the California Zephyr or Coast Starlight is the better train.Ive filed reports on an overnight Coast Starlight ride, and three days of the California Zephyr.There are reasons to recommend both trains.  Only one, though, has the Pacific Parlour Car.Imagine gazing out at that scenery ...
  3 weeks ago

• Wisconsin Talgo train story: a political disgrace

  
  — Authority:
  Disgrace for Wisconsin, nice job Oregon and Washington State. This is the “why” part of the fact that not one mile of true high speed rail will be built in the United States. It goes against the powerful corporate interests that oppose it and have all the political power. Filed under: Amtrak , Passenger Rail ...
  3 weeks ago

Comments about amtrak