Amtrak
From Railroad Depot
| Amtrak | |
|---|---|
| |
| Reporting marks | AMTK AMTZ |
| Locale | Continental United States, as well as routes to Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal |
| Dates of operation | 1971 – present |
| Headquarters | Washington D.C. |
Amtrak (AAR reporting marks AMTK and AMTZ) is the brand name of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, created on May 1] 1971, as the United States' intercity passenger train system. "Amtrak" is a combination of the words "American" and "track".
Amtrak is a quasi-governmental agency; all of its preferred stock is owned by the federal government. The members of its board of directors are appointed by the President of the United States, and are subject to confirmation by the United States Senate. Some common stock is held by the private railroads that transferred their passenger service to Amtrak in 1971. Though Amtrak stock does not pay dividends and is not routinely traded, a small number of private investors have purchased Amtrak stock from its original owners.
Amtrak employs over 19,000 people. The nationwide network of 22,000 miles (35,000 km) of routes serves 500 communities in 46 states of the United States, with some of the routes serving communities in Canada. In fiscal year 2006, Amtrak served an estimated 25 million passengers, a company record.[1]
[edit] References
- ↑ National Railroad Passenger Corporation News Release, Amtrak Ticket Revenue Tops $1.37 Billion Setting a New Record, October 26, 2006
