[DOCID:186873tx_xxx-79]
From the Government Manual Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Page 480-481]
[[Page 480]]
NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION (AMTRAK)
60 Massachusetts Avenue NE., Washington, DC 20002
Phone, 202-906-3000. Internet, www.amtrak.com.
Board of Directors:
Chairman Tommy Thompson
Members Sylvia de Leon,
Michael
Dukakis,
Linwood
Holton, Amy
Rosen, John
Robert Smith
Member ex officio (Secretary of Transportation) Rodney E. Slater
Officers:
President and Chief Executive Officer George D. Warrington
Chief Financial Officer Arlene Friner
President, Amtrak Intercity Ed Walker
President, Amtrak Northeast Corridor E.S. Bagley, Jr.
President, Amtrak West Gilbert O. Mallery
Executive Vice President Barbara Richardson
Senior Vice President and General Counsel James Lloyd
Vice President and Counsel, Business Diversity Wanda Hightower
and Strategic Initiatives
Vice President, Freight Railroad Affairs Lee Bullock
Vice President, Government Affairs Sandra J. Brown
Vice President, High Speed Rail Development David J. Carol
Vice President, Human Resources Lorraine A. Green
Vice President, Labor Joseph M. Bress
Vice President, Procurement Michael Rienzi
Vice President, Service Operations Anne W. Hoey
[For the National Railroad Passenger Corporation statement of
organization, see the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 49,
Part 700]
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The National Railroad Passenger Corporation was established to develop
the potential of modern rail service in meeting the Nation's intercity
passenger transportation needs.
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 an average of 212 trains per day, serving over 540
station locations in 45 States, over a system of approximately 24,500
route miles. Of this route system, Amtrak owns less than 1,000 track
miles in the Northeast Corridor (Washington-New York-Boston; New Haven-
Springfield; Philadelphia-Harrisburg), and several other small track
segments throughout the country.
Amtrak owns or leases its stations and owns its own repair and
maintenance facilities. The Corporation employs a total work force of
approximately 23,000 and provides all reservation, station, and on-board
service staffs, as well as train and engine operating crews. Outside the
Northeast Corridor, Amtrak has historically contracted with 14 privately
owned railroads for the right to operate over their track and has
compensated
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each railroad for its total package of services. Under contract, these
railroads are responsible for the condition of the roadbed and for
coordinating the flow of traffic.
In fiscal year 1999, Amtrak transported over 21 million people
approximately 5.5 billion passenger miles. In addition, under contracts
with several transit agencies, Amtrak carried over 48 million commuters.
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 that have resulted in more
efficient and cost-effective operations. Currently, in the face of
ongoing budget constraints, new service will only be added if a State
agrees to share any losses associated with the new service or if the new
service demonstrates satisfactory market support.
Amtrak began operation in 1971 with an antiquated fleet of equipment
inherited from private railroads; some cars were nearly 30 years old.
Since then, the fleet has been modernized and new state-of-the-art
single- and bi-level passenger cars and locomotives have been added.
Ridership is steadily rising, and Amtrak is finding it increasingly
difficult to meet the demands of increased travel patterns with its
limited passenger fleet. To ease these equipment constraints, the
Corporation is working to identify innovative funding sources in order
to acquire additional passenger cars and locomotives.
Although no rail passenger system in the world makes a profit,
Amtrak has made significant progress in reducing its dependence on
Federal support, while at the same time improving the quality of
service. Every year Amtrak moves closer to increasing the ratio of its
earned revenue to total costs, even though its Federal appropriations
decrease. Amtrak's appropriation for the current fiscal year is
approximately 50 percent below that for fiscal year 1978 (in constant
dollars).
For further information, contact the Public Affairs Department, Amtrak,
60 Massachusetts Avenue NE., Washington, DC 20002. Phone, 202-906-3860.
Internet, www.amtrak.com.
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