Railroads Today... A Trip on Amtrak
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Ever hear the jingle "There's Something About a Train that's Magic"? Well, there is. You can make reservations at Amtrak just like with an airline. Not all trains stop at every town. If they did, it would take forever to get to the end of the line! |
Powerful Genesis Locomotive
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When Amtrak first started operating in 1971, it inherited a lot of worn-out trains which have had to be replaced with modern equipment. This is very expensive, but can last many years with proper care. Today a trip aboard Amtrakcan be quite a treat. See below!. |
Amtrak has around 23,000 employees. It owns over 400 locomotives and 2000 passenger cars. It owns most of the Northeast Corridor, which is used by 100 Amtrak trains, 1100 commuter trains, and more than 50 freight trains daily. It operates over 21,000 route miles owned by freight and commerce railroads, and must deal with issues of traffic priority. |
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Today, Amtrak travel offers full amenities on many routes, including dining, comfortable seating with good leg room, dome cars on some western routes, sleeping accommodations and even entertainment. Families traveling south to Florida can have their car loaded on a special Amtrak train in Virginia outside of Washington, DC, and climb aboard comfortable passenger cars while the engineer does the driving! You can check schedules and arrival status at their web site, www.amtrak.com. |
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Photos © courtesy of Amtrak® |
If you follow current events, you will be aware that Amtrak's future depends on government policy. A national passenger train system needs Federal funding, and that is a matter of continued policy debate.
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