[United States Government Manual] [June 01, 2002] [Pages 473-475] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION (AMTRAK) 60 Massachusetts Avenue NE., Washington, DC 20002 Phone, 202-906-3000. Internet, www.amtrak.com. Board of Directors: Chairman John Robert Smith Members Sylvia de Leon, Michael Dukakis, Linwood Holton, Amy Rosen, (vacancy) Member ex officio (Secretary of Transportation) Norman Y. Mineta Officers: President and Chief Executive Officer George D. Warrington Executive Vice President, Operations E. S. Bagley, Jr. Vice President, Labor Relations Joseph M. Bress Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Arlene Friner Officer Vice President, Human Resources Lorraine A. Green Vice President, Business Diversity Gerri Mason Hall Vice President, Government Affairs Joseph H. McHugh, Acting Executive Vice President, Marketing, Sales, and Barbara J. Richardson Brand Management Vice President, Capital Infrastructure and Richard R. Sarles Equipment [[Page 474]] Executive Vice President and General Counsel and Alicia M. Serfaty, Senior Vice President-Law and Corporate Acting Secretary [For the National Railroad Passenger Corporation statement of organization, see the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 49, Part 700] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 46 States, over a system of approximately 22,000 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 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 2001, Amtrak transported 23.5 million people with 60,000 passengers traveling via Amtrak per day. In addition, under contracts with several transit agencies, Amtrak carried over 61 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). [[Page 475]] For further information, contact the Public Affairs Department, Amtrak, 60 Massachusetts Avenue NE., Washington, DC 20002. Phone, 202-906-3860. Internet, www.amtrak.com. ------------------------------------------------------------------------