History of Amtrak in Timeline

Amtrak, formally the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, is the primary provider of intercity passenger rail service in the United States. It operates routes in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. states, as well as three Canadian provinces. The name Amtrak is a combination of the words 'America' and 'track'.

1916: Rail Travel Dominance in 1916

In 1916, 98% of all commercial intercity travelers in the United States moved by rail, and nearly 42 million passengers used railways as primary transportation.

1940: Rail Travel Decline by 1940

By 1940, railroads held 67 percent of commercial passenger-miles in the United States, with passenger-miles having fallen by 40% since 1916, from 42 billion to 25 billion.

1945: Rail Traffic Surge During WWII in 1945

In 1945, aided by troop movement and gasoline rationing during World War II, the railroad's market share surged to 74%, with a massive 94 billion passenger-miles.

1950: Post-War Decline in 1950

By 1950, passenger travel percentages of the overall market share fell to 46%.

1957: Railroad Deficits in 1957

Railroad passenger service deficits reached $723 million in 1957, threatening financial viability for many railroads.

1958: Passenger Route-Miles Fall in 1958

In 1958, passenger service route-miles fell from 107,000 miles.

1961: Doyle Report Proposal in 1961

In 1961, the Doyle Report proposed that the private railroads pool their services into a single body.

1965: High Speed Ground Transportation Act of 1965

The federal government passed the High Speed Ground Transportation Act of 1965 to fund pilot programs in the Northeast Corridor.

1967: Mail Diversion in 1967

In late 1967, the diversion of most United States Post Office Department mail from passenger trains to trucks, airplanes, and freight trains deprived those trains of badly needed revenue.

1968: Similar Proposals in 1968

Similar proposals to the Doyle Report were made in 1965 and 1968 but failed to attract support.

1969: Proposals in Congress in 1969

In late 1969, multiple proposals emerged in the United States Congress, including equipment subsidies, route subsidies, and a quasi-public corporation to take over the operation of intercity passenger trains.

June 21, 1970: Penn Central's Train Discontinuation Filing on June 21, 1970

On June 21, 1970, the Penn Central, the largest railroad in the Northeastern United States, filed to discontinue 34 of its passenger trains.

October 1970: Rail Passenger Service Act Passed in October 1970

In October 1970, Congress passed, and President Richard Nixon signed into law the Rail Passenger Service Act, leading to the creation of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (NRPC).

1970: Railroads Decline to Join NRPC in 1970

In 1970, of the 26 railroads still offering intercity passenger service, only six declined to join the NRPC.

1970: Passenger Route-Miles Fall in 1970

In 1970, passenger service route-miles fell to 49,000 miles, which was the last full year of private operation.

1970: Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970 Established Amtrak

The Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970, which established Amtrak, specified that the corporation would not be an agency or establishment of the United States Government.

1970: Amtrak Founding

There was no specific event on this date in this context.

January 28, 1971: Final Route List on January 28, 1971

On January 28, 1971, the final list of routes was produced, adding 5 additional routes to the November 30 draft.

May 1, 1971: Amtrak Begins Operations on May 1, 1971

Amtrak began operations on May 1, 1971, continuing 184 of the 366 train routes that operated previously and relocating a pair of Santa Fe trains to Union Station beginning with the first Amtrak departures.

1971: Amtrak Commences Operations

In 1971, Amtrak commenced operations with $40 million in direct federal aid, $100 million in federally insured loans, and a somewhat larger private contribution.

1971: Amtrak Leases Passenger Cars in 1971

In 1971, Amtrak leased around 1,200 passenger cars from private railroads. In mid-1971, Amtrak began purchasing some of the equipment it had leased, including 286 EMD E and F unit diesel locomotives, 30 GG1 electric locomotives and 1,290 passenger cars. Initially the equipment retained the paint schemes and logos of their former owners.

1971: Amtrak Founded

In 1971, Amtrak was founded as a quasi-public corporation to operate many U.S. passenger rail routes. Amtrak receives a combination of state and federal subsidies but is managed as a for-profit organization.

1971: Common Stock Issued

In 1971, common stock was issued to railroads that contributed capital and equipment to Amtrak.

1971: Formation of Amtrak Criticized

In 1971, the formation of Amtrak was criticized as a bailout serving corporate rail interests and union railroaders, rather than the traveling public.

March 1972: Alternate Routing Adopted in March 1972

In March 1972, an alternate routing was adopted in New York for trains serving Central Station.

1972: Amtrak Ridership in 1972

Amtrak's ridership increased to 16.6 million in 1972.

1972: Amtrak Carried 15.8 Million Passengers in its First Full Year

In 1972, its first full year of operation, Amtrak carried 15.8 million passengers.

1973: Coast Starlight Success by 1973

By 1973, the Los Angeles-Seattle Coast Starlight was successful, resulting in an increase to daily service.

1974: Fortune Magazine Exposes Mismanagement in 1974

In 1974, Fortune magazine exposed the manufactured mismanagement within NRPC.

1974: Amtrak expected to break even by 1974

Officials expected that Amtrak would break even by 1974, but those expectations proved unrealistic.

1975: Amtrak Color Scheme by 1975

By 1975, the official Amtrak color scheme was painted on most Amtrak equipment.

1975: Initial Profit Projection in 1975

In 1975, John A. Volpe believed the 27 routes would make a $24 million profit.

April 1, 1976: Amtrak Acquired Majority of NEC on April 1, 1976

On April 1, 1976, Amtrak acquired the majority of the Northeast Corridor (NEC) following the passage of the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976.

February 1978: Amtrak Headquarters Moved in February 1978

In February 1978, Amtrak moved its headquarters to 400 North Capitol Street NW, Washington D.C.

1978: Amtrak Standard Stations Program Launched in 1978

In 1978, Amtrak launched the Amtrak Standard Stations Program which proposed to build a standardized station design across the system.

1981: Amtrak's ridership stagnated

Amid uncertain government aid from 1981 to about 2000, Amtrak's ridership stagnated at roughly 20 million passengers per year.

1981: Annual direct federal aid reached a 17-year high in 1981

In 1981, annual direct federal aid reached a 17-year high of $1.25 billion.

1982: William Graham Claytor Jr. appointed to lead Amtrak

In 1982, William Graham Claytor Jr., former Secretary of the Navy and retired Southern Railway head, took the lead at Amtrak. Despite clashes over funding with the Reagan administration, Claytor maintained good relationships with key figures and used short-term debt to fund operations.

1983: Amtrak Adds New Trains

In 1983, Amtrak introduced two new trains: the California Zephyr running between Oakland and Chicago via Denver, and revived the Auto Train, a service carrying both passengers and their vehicles between Lorton, Virginia, and Sanford, Florida, along the I-95 corridor.

1986: Federal support fell to a decade low of $601 million in 1986

By 1986, federal support fell to a decade low of $601 million, almost none of which were capital appropriations.

1988: Lowest freight-rail traffic volumes since at least 1988

In 2009, coinciding with improved on-time performance for Amtrak, there was a general economic downturn that resulted in the lowest freight-rail traffic volumes since at least 1988.

1991: Empire Connection tunnel opened

In 1991, the Empire Connection tunnel opened, consolidating all New York Amtrak services at Penn Station.

October 1992: Amtrak Tests X 2000 High-Speed Train

In October 1992, Amtrak began testing the X 2000 high-speed train leased from Sweden, conducting test runs until January 1993.

January 1993: Amtrak Tests X 2000 High-Speed Train

Amtrak continued testing the X 2000 high-speed train leased from Sweden, finishing test runs in January 1993.

July 3, 1993: Siemens ICE 1 Train North America Tour

On July 3, 1993, Siemens' ICE 1 train from Germany started operating on the Northeast Corridor as part of the ICE Train North America Tour.

September 1993: X 2000 revenue service ended

In September 1993, revenue service of the X 2000 train between Washington, D.C. and New York City concluded.

1993: Thomas Downs succeeded Claytor as Amtrak's fifth president

In 1993, Thomas Downs became Amtrak's fifth president, succeeding Claytor. The goal of operational self-sufficiency remained.

1995: Amtrak on the brink of a cash crisis in 1995

By 1995, Amtrak was on the brink of a cash crisis and was unable to continue to service its debts.

1997: Congress authorized $5.2 billion for Amtrak in 1997

In 1997, Congress authorized $5.2 billion for Amtrak over the next five years – largely to complete the Acela capital project – on the condition that Amtrak submit to the ultimatum of self-sufficiency by 2003 or liquidation.

1997: Amtrak Receives Tax Refund

In 1997, Congress included a provision in the Taxpayer Relief Act that resulted in Amtrak receiving a $2.3 billion tax refund, resolving their cash crisis. However, Congress also instituted a "glide path" to financial self-sufficiency.

1997: Congress releases Amtrak from labor prohibition

In 1997, Congress released Amtrak from a prohibition on contracting for labor outside the corporation and its unions, opening the door to privatization.

1998: George Warrington became the sixth president

In 1998, George Warrington became Amtrak's sixth president, with a mandate to make Amtrak financially self-sufficient. The company tried to expand into express freight shipping.

March 9, 1999: Acela Express Plan Unveiled

On March 9, 1999, Amtrak revealed its plan for the Acela Express, a high-speed train for the Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C., and Boston. Significant upgrades were planned to support the higher-speed electric trains.

1999: Most recent contract signed in 1999

The most recent contract signed in 1999, was mainly retroactive.

2000: Amtrak's ridership stagnated

Amid uncertain government aid from 1981 to about 2000, Amtrak's ridership stagnated at roughly 20 million passengers per year.

2000: Inauguration of the high-speed Acela

In late 2000, the inauguration of the high-speed Acela generated considerable publicity and led to major ridership gains.

2000: No Event

There was no specific event in the text on this date.

2002: Buy-Out Offer Declined

In 2002, holders of common stock declined a buy-out offer by Amtrak.

2002: David L. Gunn replaced Warrington as seventh president

In early 2002, David L. Gunn replaced Warrington as the seventh president of Amtrak. Gunn shifted away from the goal of short-term self-sufficiency.

2003: Amtrak failed to achieve self-sufficiency by 2003

Amtrak made financial improvements but did not achieve self-sufficiency by 2003.

2004: Delays due to heat

In 2004, 30,000 delay minutes were attributed to increased heat causing a total of over 1.7 million U.S. dollars, of total heat related delay cost.

2004: Cutbacks in services and routes due to stalemate in federal support in 2004

In 2004, a stalemate in federal support of Amtrak forced cutbacks in services and routes as well as the resumption of deferred maintenance.

2005: Amtrak's carbon dioxide equivalent emissions per passenger were 0.411 lbs/mi in 2005

In 2005, Amtrak's carbon dioxide equivalent emissions per passenger were 0.411 lbs/mi (0.116 kg per km).

2005: Congress appropriated about $1.2 billion for Amtrak in fiscal 2005

In fiscal 2005, Congress appropriated about $1.2 billion for Amtrak, $300 million more than President George W. Bush had requested.

2005: Gunn was fired

Late in 2005, Amtrak President David Gunn was fired amidst disagreement over a Bush administration plan to privatize and partially state-own parts of the national passenger rail system.

2006: Amtrak received just under $1.4 billion in 2006

In 2006, Amtrak received just under $1.4 billion, with the condition that Amtrak would reduce (but not eliminate) food and sleeper service losses. Thus, dining service was simplified and now requires two fewer on-board service workers.

2006: Amtrak sought congressional funding

In late 2006, Amtrak unsuccessfully sought annual congressional funding of $1 billion for ten years.

October 2007: Senate passed S. 294, the Passenger Rail Improvement and Investment Act of 2007

In October 2007, the Senate passed S. 294, the Passenger Rail Improvement and Investment Act of 2007 (70–22), sponsored by Senators Frank Lautenberg and Trent Lott.

2007: Amtrak needed $2 billion to maintain the status quo in fiscal 2007

In Congressional testimony, the DOT Inspector General confirmed that Amtrak would need at least $1.4 billion to $1.5 billion in fiscal 2006 and $2 billion in fiscal 2007 just to maintain the status quo.

2007: Amtrak Employed 20,000 People

In early 2007, Amtrak employed 20,000 people in 46 states and served 25 million passengers annually, the highest number since its founding in 1970.

May 2008: Regional lines saw 12% year-over-year growth in May 2008

In May 2008, Amtrak saw record ridership due to rising gasoline prices. Capping a steady five-year increase in ridership overall, regional lines saw 12% year-over-year growth.

June 11, 2008: Similar bill passed the House on June 11, 2008

Despite a veto threat by President Bush, a similar bill passed the House on June 11, 2008, with a veto-proof margin (311–104).

October 16, 2008: President Bush signed Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008

On October 16, 2008, President Bush signed into law the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008. The final bill, spurred on by the September 12 Metrolink collision in California and retitled Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008.

2008: Amtrak first offered free Wi-Fi service to passengers aboard the Downeaster

In 2008, Amtrak first offered free Wi-Fi service to passengers aboard the Downeaster.

2008: Railroad Dispatching Practices Investigated

In 2008, railroad dispatching practices were investigated, leading to stricter laws regarding train priority, resulting in a 5% on-time record for the California Zephyr.

2008: Joseph H. Boardman replaced Kummant as president and CEO

In late 2008, Joseph H. Boardman took over as Amtrak's president and CEO, replacing Alexander Kummant.

2008: State Supported service lines funded entirely by state governments since 2008

Since 2008, State Supported service lines, which provide service on corridor routes of less than 750 miles, have been funded entirely by state governments.

2009: Amtrak had 14 separate unions to negotiate with as of 2009

As of 2009, Amtrak had 14 separate unions to negotiate with, including 24 separate contracts between them. This makes it difficult to make substantial changes.

2009: Amtrak's on-time performance increased

In 2009, Amtrak's overall on-time performance rose to 84.7% from 74.7% in fiscal 2008.

2010: Amtrak stated backlog of needed repairs in 2010

Amtrak stated in 2010 that the backlog of needed repairs of the track it owns on the Northeast Corridor included over 200 bridges, most dating to the 19th century, tunnels under Baltimore dating to the American Civil War era and functionally obsolete track switches which would cost $5.2 billion to repair.

2010: Free Wi-Fi on Acela and Northeast Regional trains

In 2010, Amtrak offered free Wi-Fi on the Acela and the Northeast Regional trains on the NEC.

2010: Amtrak farebox recovery was 79% in 2010

In 2010, Amtrak's farebox recovery (percentage of operating costs covered by revenues generated by passenger fares) was 79%, the highest reported for any U.S. passenger railroad.

2010: Senate approves bill to provide $1.96 billion to Amtrak

In 2010, the Senate approved a bill to provide $1.96 billion to Amtrak, but cut the approval for high-speed rail to a $1 billion appropriation.

2010: Wicker Amendment allows firearms in checked baggage

With the passage of the Wicker Amendment in 2010, passengers are allowed to put lawfully owned, unloaded firearms in checked Amtrak baggage, reversing a decade-long ban.

May 7, 2011: Amtrak Celebrated 40th Anniversary

On May 7, 2011, Amtrak commenced its 40th-anniversary celebrations, which coincided with National Train Day. Festivities were held across the country.

May 2011: Amtrak Celebrated 40th Anniversary

In May 2011, Amtrak commenced its 40th-anniversary celebrations with festivities across the country. A commemorative book and documentary were created, and locomotives were repainted.

November 2011: Amtrak launched an e-ticketing system on the Downeaster

In November 2011, Amtrak launched an e-ticketing system on the Downeaster.

2011: Amtrak Announces Gateway Program

In 2011, Amtrak announced its plan to improve and expand the high-speed rail corridor with the Gateway Program. The program included new tunnels under the Hudson River and double-tracking to Newark, NJ.

2011: Free Wi-Fi on Amtrak Cascades

In 2011, Amtrak offered free Wi-Fi on the Amtrak Cascades.

2011: U.S. Congress granted Amtrak funding in Fiscal Year 2011

In Fiscal Year 2011, the U.S. Congress granted Amtrak $563 million for operating and $922 million for capital programs.

May 2012: Amtrak Celebrated 40th Anniversary

From May 2011 to May 2012, Amtrak celebrated its 40th anniversary.

July 30, 2012: Amtrak rolls out e-ticketing system nationwide

On July 30, 2012, Amtrak rolled out its e-ticketing system nationwide, which officials said improves safety and security, equipment problem reporting, and financial reporting.

December 2013: Boardman Named Railroader of the Year

In December 2013, Railway Age magazine named Amtrak CEO Joseph H. Boardman "Railroader of the Year".

2013: Amtrak had to deal with a cut in 2013 federal appropriations

In 2013 Amtrak had to deal with a year-over-year cut in federal appropriations, dropping to under $1.4 billion for the first time in several years.

2013: Bill appropriates Amtrak funding through 2013

The bill appropriates $2.6 billion a year in Amtrak funding through 2013.

February 2014: Amtrak rolls out Wi-Fi on corridor trains out of Chicago

In February 2014, Amtrak rolled out Wi-Fi on corridor trains out of Chicago.

February 2015: Amtrak Stock Ownership

As of February 2015, there were 9.4 million shares of common stock, with a par value of $10 per share, held by American Premier Underwriters (53%), BNSF (35%), Canadian Pacific (7%) and Canadian National (5%).

December 9, 2015: Boardman Announced Departure

On December 9, 2015, Boardman announced that he would leave Amtrak in September 2016.

August 19, 2016: Moorman Named Boardman's Successor

On August 19, 2016, the Amtrak Board of Directors appointed Charles "Wick" Moorman as Boardman's successor, effective September 1, 2016.

September 1, 2016: Moorman assumed role of Amtrak CEO

On September 1, 2016, Charles "Wick" Moorman assumed the role of Amtrak CEO. Moorman saw his role as a "transitional CEO".

September 2016: Boardman Left Amtrak

In September 2016, Joseph H. Boardman left Amtrak after announcing his departure in December 2015.

November 17, 2016: Gateway Program Development Corporation Formed

On November 17, 2016, the Gateway Program Development Corporation (GDC) was established to oversee rail infrastructure improvements known as the Gateway Program, a partnership of New York, New Jersey, and Amtrak.

June 2017: Richard Anderson Named Amtrak's Next President & CEO

In June 2017, it was announced that Richard Anderson, former CEO of Delta and Northwest Airlines, would become Amtrak's next President & CEO.

2017: Amtrak Absorbs Chicago Union Station Company

In 2017, Amtrak absorbed the Chicago Union Station Company, which was formerly a wholly owned subsidiary.

2017: Settlement and New Policy Adoption

In 2017, after settling for $17 million in the Washington state train crash to prevent further lawsuits, the board adopted a new policy requiring arbitration.

March 2018: Amtrak issues first report card grading host railroads

In March 2018, Amtrak issued its first report card, grading each host railroad based on its impact on on-time performance. The report card gave one A grade to Canadian Pacific and two F grades to Canadian National and Norfolk Southern.

2018: Amtrak farebox recovery increased to 94.9% in 2018

In 2018, Amtrak's farebox recovery (percentage of operating costs covered by revenues generated by passenger fares) increased to 94.9%.

2018: Amtrak's median on-time performance was 74.5%

In 2018, Amtrak's median on-time performance was 74.5% between 2018 and 2023.

2019: Amtrak Carried a Record 32 Million Passengers

In fiscal year (FY) 2019, Amtrak carried a record 32 million passengers.

April 15, 2020: William Flynn Named Amtrak President and CEO

On April 15, 2020, Atlas Air Chairman, President, and CEO William Flynn was appointed as the Amtrak President and CEO.

September 30, 2020: Amtrak reports 16.8 million passengers for fiscal year ending September 30, 2020

For the fiscal year ending on September 30, 2020, Amtrak reported 16.8 million passengers, a decline resulting from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

October 2020: Amtrak Reduced Long-Distance Routes

In October 2020, Amtrak reduced most long-distance routes to three weekly round trips due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

December 2020: Anderson Retired from Amtrak

In December 2020, Richard Anderson retired from Amtrak as a senior advisor.

2020: Amtrak planned to expand

As Amtrak approached profitability in 2020, the company undertook planning to expand and create new intermediate-distance corridors across the country.

2020: Amtrak's 2020 host report card

In 2020, Amtrak's host report card gave Canadian Pacific and Canadian National an A, BNSF and CSX a B, Union Pacific a C+, and Norfolk Southern a D−.

2020: Amtrak's on-time performance reached a high of 80%

In 2020, Amtrak's on-time performance reached a high of 80%.

March 2021: Amtrak Connects US Proposal

In March 2021, Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn outlined a proposal called Amtrak Connects US, aiming to expand state-supported intercity corridors. Amtrak also announced plans to return 12 of its long-distance routes to daily schedules.

May 2021: Long-Distance Routes Restored to Daily Schedules

In late-May 2021, Amtrak restored most of the 12 long-distance routes to daily service.

September 2021: Hurricane Ida Floods Northeast Corridor

In September 2021, the remnants of Hurricane Ida flooded the Amtrak Northeast Corridor running from Boston to Washington D.C. and caused it to shut down for an entire day.

2021: Amtrak Employees in Fiscal Year 2021

As of fiscal year 2021, Amtrak had more than 17,100 employees.

2021: Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed in 2021

In 2021, the 117th United States Congress passed and President Joe Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which directly appropriated $66 billion for rail over a five-year period.

2021: Amtrak Reports a Decrease in Ridership

In FY 2021, Amtrak's ridership decreased to 12.2 million passengers reported.

2021: Amtrak passenger numbers in fiscal year 2021

In fiscal year 2021, the NEC services accounted for 4.4 million of Amtrak's 12.2 million passengers. The California corridor trains accounted for a combined 2.35 million passengers in fiscal year 2021.

March 2022: Amtrak Modified Routes Due to Omicron Variant

From January to March 2022, Amtrak modified and/or suspended many routes again due to a resurgence of the virus caused by the Omicron variant.

2022: Amtrak Reports an Increase in Ridership

In FY 2022, Amtrak saw an increase to 22.9 million passengers.

2022: Amtrak Ridership and Revenue in Fiscal Year 2022

In fiscal year 2022, Amtrak served 22.9 million passengers and had $2.1 billion in revenue.

February 2023: Heavy snowfall and debris disrupt train services

In February 2023, heavy snowfall and debris on tracks caused major disruptions from delays to cancellations.

2023: Average Amtrak Employee Annual Salary

As of 2023, the average Amtrak employee annual salary was $121,000 per year.

2023: Amtrak's median on-time performance between 2018 and 2023 was 74.5%

Between 2018 and 2023, Amtrak's median on-time performance was 74.5%.

2023: Amtrak's 2023 host report card

In 2023, Amtrak's host report card gave Canadian Pacific Kansas City an A, CSX and Canadian National a B+, BNSF a B, Norfolk Southern a B-, and Union Pacific a C-.