United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1999-07-09 monographic deposited born digital 31 p. GA 1.13:RCED-99-181 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-RCED-99-181 P0b002ee180386bb7 f:rc99181 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-RCED-99-181 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-RCED-99-181 RCED-99-181 Financial management Railroad transportation operations Cost control Federal aid to railroads Strategic planning Program graduation Losses Letter Report RCED Since its creation in 1971, Amtrak has accumulated massive financial losses, with recent losses averaging more than $800 million per year. To help Amtrak sustain operations and make needed capital investments, the federal government has provided Amtrak nearly $23 billion in financial assistance since 1971. In this report, GAO discusses (1) Amtrak's overall financial performance in fiscal year 1998, (2) the prospects for Amtrak to meet its financial goals for operating self-sufficiency outlined in its most recent strategic business plan, and (3) the extent to which current and anticipated federal funding and recently enacted legislative reforms aimed at helping Amtrak better control its costs are likely to help improve its financial condition. Basically, GAO found that Amtrak's overall losses increased in fiscal year 1998 after several years of improvement. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-RCED-99-181/html/GAOREPORTS-RCED-99-181.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-RCED-99-181/pdf/GAOREPORTS-RCED-99-181.pdf GAO/RCED-99-181 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-RCED-99-181 Letter Report GAO/RCED-99-181; Intercity Passenger Rail: Amtrak's Progress in Improving; Financial management Railroad transportation operations Cost control Federal aid to railroads Strategic planning Program graduation Losses