All Aboard!
Happy Anniversary
Welcome aboard! This May is very special for
Amtrak, as we celebrate 40 years of service. Following an act of Congress creating Amtrak, we
opened the doors for business on May 1, 1971.
Forty years later, we’re operating a national
system that comprises long-distance, corridor
and high-speed rail that connects communities,
regions and modes of transportation across the
country. Last year, we served a record 28. 7 million passengers. In addition to the passengers
we carry on more than 300 daily Amtrak trains to
more than 500 destinations in 46 states, Amtrak
facilitates the operation of commuter services,
which carry an estimated 925,000 passengers
every weekday, through a variety of agreements
with 14 commuter entities.
We have made great strides in the past
40 years. And as Amtrak grows, so does our
capacity to meet national needs such as stimulating and supporting local and regional economies; contributing to national emergency
response, congestion mitigation and emissions
reduction; and reducing our nation’s reliance on
foreign oil.
We will be kicking o; our 40th in May, and
you’ll be hearing a lot about our anniversary at
this year’s National Day Train celebrations on
May 7. National Train Day this year—our fourth
annual event—will include events at our stations
in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Chicago and
Los Angeles, celebrating the history and tradition of railroads in this country. In addition,
there will be hundreds of local events in communities across the country honoring the American
railroad. You can learn more about National
Train Day at nationaltrainday.com.
Our special 40th anniversary exhibit train,
comprising restored equipment and customized
display cars, will embark on a yearlong, cross-country journey after its public debut at the
National Train Day event in Washington, D.C.
Showcasing Amtrak’s history for our employees and the communities we serve, it will first
travel along the Northeast this summer. The
exhibit train and all of the planning around the
anniversary events are the result of extra hours
and personal e;ort put in by our dedicated
employees. It is a reflection of our desire to create homegrown celebrations that are put on by
employees and for employees, while we share
our heritage and outlook with the communities
that are so important to us. You can follow the
train’s expedition and get more information
about when it visits your community, as well as
historical information, at amtrak40th.com.
The train and what it symbolizes give us an
opportunity to tell our story, and it’s a great story
with great people who have supported this company and continue to do so. Come out and help us
celebrate 40 years of passenger rail service.
We appreciate your business and hope you’ll
join us again for your next trip. In the meantime,
please don’t hesitate to contact a member of our
crew if there’s anything we can do to make your
journey with us today more enjoyable.
