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Summary

On April 8, as mandated by the FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act we issued our report to the Committees on Appropriation on any and all user fees paid by Amtrak to freight railroads, irrespective of funding source, for access to the right-of-way and any incentive payments paid related to on-time performance. Amtrak does not pay a market based "access fee" for use of a host freight railroad's track. Instead, pursuant to the Railroad Passenger Service Act of 1970, Amtrak is only required to pay host railroads for the incremental cost associated with its track usage. During fiscal year 2009, Amtrak paid $115 million in track usage payments to owning freight railroads which accounted for roughly 3.3 percent of their total operating expense. 

Portions of the attached briefing contains business confidential information that is protected from public disclosure under 5 U.S.C. 552 and redacted pursuant to Section (b)(4) of the Freedom of Information Act.