[United States Government Manual]
[May 30, 1997]
[Pages 613-614]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 613]]

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NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION (AMTRAK)

60 Massachusetts Avenue NE., Washington, DC 20002
Phone, 202-906-3000

Board of Directors:                                 

Chairman                                          Thomas M. Downs
Members                                           Gov. Thomas R. Carper, 
                                                          Daniel W. 
                                                          Collins, 
                                                          Sylvia A. de 
                                                          Leon, Celeste 
                                                          P. McLain, Roy 
                                                          M. Neel, Don 
                                                          J. Pease, Amy 
                                                          Rosen
Member ex officio (Secretary of Transportation)   Rodney E. Slater

Officers:                                           

Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer  Thomas M. Downs
Vice President, Operations                        Robert C. VanderClute
Chief Financial Officer                           Alfred S. Altschul
Vice President, Reservations, Communications,     Anne W. Hoey
        Customer and Employee Satisfaction
Corporate Secretary                               Anne M. Linnertz
Vice President, Government Affairs                Thomas J. Gillespie, 
                                                          Jr.
Vice President, Human Resources                   Lorraine A. Green
Vice President, Marketing and Sales               Richard P. Donnelly
Vice President, Planning and Development          Ronald J. Hartman
President, Amtrak West                            Gilbert O. Mallery
President, Amtrak Northeast Corridor              George D. Warrington
President, Amtrak Intercity                       Mark S. Cane
Vice President and General Counsel                Daniela R. Winkler

[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 is governed by a nine-member Board of Directors: The 
Secretary of Transportation serves as an ex officio member and Amtrak's 
Chairman/President/Chief Executive Officer serves as Chairman; three 
members (representing labor, State Governors, and the business 
community) are appointed by the President with the advice and consent of 
the Senate; two members represent commuter authorities; and two members 
are selected by the preferred stockholders. The Corporation is managed 
by its Chairman/President/Chief Executive Officer, along with the chief 
financial officer, seven vice presidents, and three presidents of 
strategic business units (SBU's).
    The three SBU's, the Northeast Corridor, the Intercity, and the 
West, were created during Amtrak's

[[Page 614]]

restructuring in the fall of 1994 in order to increase profitability. 
Each SBU has a president who has control over business decisions in his 
area. The Northeast Corridor has been successful in expanding operations 
south, through Richmond to Newport News.
    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 now owns a right-of-way of 
2,611 track miles in the Northeast Corridor (Washington-New York-Boston; 
New Haven-Springfield; Philadelphia-Harrisburg), and several small track 
segments in the East, purchased pursuant to the Regional Rail 
Reorganization Act of 1973 (45 U.S.C. 701 et seq.) and the Railroad 
Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (45 U.S.C. 801 et 
seq.).
    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 21 privately 
owned railroads for the right to operate over their track and has 
compensated 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 1996, Amtrak transported over 20 million people 
approximately 5.5 billion passenger miles. In addition, under contracts 
with several transit agencies, Amtrak carried over 33 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 does not substantially add to Amtrak's need for Federal 
assistance.
    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.
    Systemwide 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.
    There is no rail passenger system in the world that makes a profit; 
Amtrak is no exception. However, 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 further toward 
increasing the ratio of its earned revenue to total costs. As a result, 
Amtrak's appropriation for the current fiscal year is 45 percent below 
that for fiscal year 1978 (in constant dollars). One of Amtrak's highest 
priorities is to make the Corporation even more self-sufficient in the 
future.

For further information, contact the Public Affairs Department, Amtrak, 
60 Massachusetts Avenue NE., Washington, DC 20002. Phone, 202-906-3860.