Amtrak's Survival Story

This article gives a history of Amtrak over the past 38 years. Originating with the signing of the Rail Passenger Act in 1970, Amtrak was formed out of the unwanted pieces of intercity passenger service formerly operated by the large freight lines. Some 200 trains ceased operation immediately, as lines were dropped or consolidated. The Arab oil embargo of 1973 helped cement support for subsidizing passenger rail operations. The 1976 Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act, which created Conrail, gave Amtrak ownership of the Northeast Corridor (NEC) running between Washington, D.C., and Boston, Massachusetts. The 1997 Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act required the railroad to reach self-sufficiency by 2002, a goal that could not be met, but which it is still aiming to achieve by working closely with state and regional transportation planners and enhancing capacity and service on profitable routes like the Northeast Corridor. A timeline dating back to 1989 accompanies the article.