National Railroad Passenger Corporation in the United States

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation provides intercity rail passenger service in the United States.

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) was created
by the Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970, as amended (49 U.S.C. 241),
and was incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia to provide a
balanced national transportation system by developing, operating, and improving
U.S. intercity rail passenger service.

Amtrak operates approximately 300 trains per day, serving over 500 stations
in 46 States, over a system of 21,800 route miles. Of this route system, Amtrak
owns about 530 route miles in the Northeast and several other small track
segments elsewhere in the country.

Amtrak owns or leases its stations and owns its own repair and maintenance
facilities. The Corporation employs a total workforce of approximately 19,000
and provides all reservation, station, and onboard service staffs, as well as train
and engine operating crews. Outside the Northeast Corridor, Amtrak may enter
into contracts with privately or publicly owned railroads to operate over their
track. These railroads are responsible for the condition of the roadbed and for
coordinating the flow of traffic.

In fiscal year 2009, Amtrak transported over 27 million people with 74,000
passengers traveling on Amtrak per day.

Also, Amtrak runs commuter trains under contract with several commuter agencies.

Although Amtrak’s basic route system was originally designated by
the Secretary of Transportation in 1971, modifications have been made to the
Amtrak system and to individual routes hat have resulted in more efficient and
cost-effective operations. Capital funding as increased in recent years, allowing
Amtrak to make progress in bringing its etwork to a state of good repair and in
reducing debt load.

For further information, contact the Government Affairs Department, Amtrak, 60 Massachusetts Avenue NE., Washington, DC 20002. Phone, 202–906–3918. Internet, http://www.amtrak.com.

National Railroad Passenger Corporation

In Legislation

National Railroad Passenger Corporation in the U.S. Code: Title 45, Chapter 14, Subchapter III

The current, permanent, in-force federal laws regulating national railroad passenger corporation are compiled in the United States Code under Title 45, Chapter 14, Subchapter III. It constitutes “prima facie” evidence of statutes relating to Railroads (including national railroad passenger corporation) of the United States. The reader can further narrow his/her legal research of the general topic (in this case, Rail Passenger Service of the US Code, including national railroad passenger corporation) by chapter and subchapter.