Under the Amtrak Improvement Act of 1978, President Jimmy Carter directed the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) to undertake a formal study of Amtrak’s route system in an attempt to “put Amtrak on a more stable financial footing and to discontinue services that have large operating losses without providing substantial public benefits.”

The continuing oil crisis prompted Americans to try
Amtrak in 1979, leading to the highest ridership and
revenue numbers in company history up to that time.

Section 4 of the Act directed the U.S. DOT, in cooperation with Amtrak, to develop recommendations for an Amtrak route system "…which will provide an optimal intercity railroad passenger system, based upon current and future market and population requirements, including where appropriate portions of the Corporation's existing route system.” There was especial concern on the part of the U.S. DOT over the increase in total route miles served by Amtrak. Between fiscal years 1972 and 1978, they increased by 14 percent, from 23,376 to 26,570 miles. Some of these new routes had been experiments to gauge the demand for rail service in particular regions.

In reevaluating the route system, the Act directed the U.S. DOT to consider the role of rail passenger service in furthering energy conservation; the transportation needs of areas lacking adequate alternate forms of transportation; and the impacts of frequency and fare structure alternatives on ridership, revenues and expenses. President Carter and Secretary of Transportation Brock Adams believed that routes with the lowest revenue-to-cost ratios had to be eliminated to improve the fiscal health of the overall passenger rail system. Adams noted, “We live in a time of Federal fiscal restraint…I believe that implementing the system that I recommend in this report will be of significant assistance in meeting the President's budget and anti-inflation goals…”

Initial route cuts as discussed in a preliminary report issued in 1978 proved a lightning rod for controversy at a series of public meetings held in 51 cities that summer. These forums were convened by the Rail Services Planning Office (RSPO) of the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), which had been established by the federal government in the late 19th century to regulate railroads.

The U.S. DOT recommended the elimination of the
Southwest Limited, successor to the Super Chief.

Recounting the details of those meetings, the U.S. DOT wrote: “More than 4,200 respondents, including representatives of governments, public interest associations, business organizations and concerned citizens, provided oral or written testimony at the public hearings.” These same groups would remain vocal for the next year as the U.S. DOT progressed from preliminary to final recommendations, and those in favor of retaining existing services, or even expanding them, would pressure their Congressional representatives to avert service cuts in their communities. According to the RSPO, “Public reaction, both favoring and opposing Amtrak, was strong…There seems to be little "middle ground" on the Amtrak issue.”

In the final report issued in January 1979, the U.S. DOT laid out five alternatives that ranged from a “system of short-distance, daytime services in corridors originating in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles…a minimal service system…operated without significant capital investment and at a much reduced deficit,” to one that added “new interregional and intraregional services as well as modifications to existing routes that would require substantial capital expenditures.”

As in the preliminary report, Secretary Adams endorsed Alternative C, a compromise option that cut routes with the lowest ridership and revenue recovery. He believed this alternative, while 43 percent smaller than the existing system in terms of route-miles, preserved the national/interregional service model put forth under the original Passenger Rail Service Act of 1970. It also represented a “prudent use of Federal funds” and allowed Amtrak to “concentrate resources on those routes which have the greatest promise.” The U.S. DOT pointed out that the recommended route structure would serve “22 of the nation's 25 largest population centers, 39 of the largest 50 cities and 40 states.” Over five years, Adams asserted that Alternative C would save approximately $1.4 billion in total federal appropriations to Amtrak.

The U.S. DOT's Amtrak route system map, Alternative C.

Ridership and revenue recovery numbers were paramount in shaping the alternatives, and the U.S. DOT took into account factors that might positively impact future ridership. For example, routes using modern Amfleet equipment had experienced visible ridership increases; thus, the government increased ridership projections for long-distance routes expected to utilize new bi-level Superliner cars, the first of which were delivered in 1979. Ongoing airline deregulation was expected to result in lower airfares, so analysts tried to assess how airline competition might affect the rail system, particularly for long-distance routes.

In the case of the Chicago-Seattle North Coast Hiawatha and Empire Builder, which respectively took southern and northern routes across the upper tier of the country, access to alternative transportation modes weighed heavily in the decision to retain the Empire Builder and terminate the North Coast Hiawatha.

The new Superliner cars were expected to increase
ridership on long-distance routes.

The southern route, serving more populous cities, was paralleled by an interstate and also had frequent intercity bus and commercial air services. On the other hand, the northern route “experienced substantial weather problems due to its extreme climate and the fact that the route is served only by a two-lane highway with difficult alignment…40 percent of the patrons who rode the Empire Builder during 1978…made trips for which no adequate alternative service would have been available.” Special consideration was also given to routes serving tourist destinations, such as national parks, that promoted economic development.

Over the spring and summer of 1979, Congress and the public grappled with the proposed cuts, which included routes such as the Lone Star (Chicago-Dallas/Houston), Montrealer (Washington-Montreal) and Mount Ranier (Seattle-Portland). The rationale for the cuts was called into question as the United States underwent the “second” oil crisis, triggered by the Iranian Revolution and high inflation. Amtrak ridership subsequently soared, and 1979 ended up being the best year on record up to that time. Representative Albert Gore, Jr. of Tennessee proposed a motion, later defeated, to delay action on the cuts for one year, saying, “The gas crisis is not temporary: we are going to need these trains.”¹

The cover of the Oct 1, 1979
national timetable warned
of possible service cancellations.

The air of uncertainty was reflected in the national timetables produced during these months. In a special edition issued on October 1, 1979, trains such as the Cardinal (Washington-Chicago) included a highlighted note reading: “Continued operation of [this train] is subject to Congressional action and/or State funding support.” Members of Congress moved to save routes serving their communities, often in response to constituent protests. These included trains such as the Montrealer, Cardinal and Southwest Limited (Chicago-Los Angeles).

Among the discontinued long-distance routes were the North Coast Hiawatha; Champion (New York-St. Petersburg/Miami); National Limited (New York-Kansas City); and Floridian (Chicago-St. Petersburg/Miami). On the flip side, some new routes were approved, including the Desert Wind (Los Angeles-Las Vegas-Ogden) and the Ann Rutledge (Chicago-St. Louis-Kansas City). Ultimately, taking into account the route eliminations and additions, Amtrak’s total system route miles fell by approximately 14 percent, and stations served declined from 571 to 525.

In addition to laying out the proposed route map, the final report detailed policy recommendations to make Amtrak more efficient and better able to carry out its mandate to operate a national intercity passenger rail system. Secretary Adams endorsed three-year authorizations for the company to “provide an atmosphere of stability” and allow it to better plan for long-term projects. He also commended Amtrak, then undergoing a reorganization overseen by President and CEO Alan Boyd, for “concerted management actions…to achieve improvements in the areas of fares, cost control, equipment utilization and productivity.” Brock suggested ending service regulations imposed by the ICC to give Amtrak greater operational flexibility.

Reflecting on the changes and challenges of those years, Alan Boyd concluded: "Congress in 1979 gave Amtrak more than simple guidelines and standards, as important as they are. It gave Amtrak a transfusion of hope and confidence…The end result is a route system where some trains with high costs, low ridership and circuitous routings were dropped. Other trains, linking promising markets, were added. For the first time in its difficult life, Amtrak has a chance now of prospering and growing from a secure base. Amtrak can claim its permanent and ever more crucial role in our national transportation system."

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¹ “Effort to save all cuts in Amtrak routes fails,” Bangor [Maine] Daily News, July 25, 1979.

In addition to the above links, works consulted include:

Annual Reports  for fiscal years 1978-1980, National Railroad Passenger Corporation.

United States Department of Transportation, Final Report to Congress on the Amtrak Route System As Required by the Amtrak Improvement Act of 1978; (Washington, DC, 1979).

Rail travelers in the Northeast received exciting news in the summer of 1988 when Amtrak and the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) announced a plan, known as the West Side Connection or Empire Connection, to consolidate all intercity passenger rail services in New York City at Pennsylvania (Penn) Station.

Amtrak President and CEO W. Graham Claytor, Jr.
gives a speech to mark the consolidation
of Amtrak service in New York City at Penn Station.

Since 1971, Amtrak had operated from two facilities in America’s largest city: Penn Station and Grand Central Terminal. Trains operating over the busy Northeast Corridor and points as far south as Miami and New Orleans used the former, while trains headed to northern and western destinations such as Buffalo, Montreal and Toronto used the latter. The trains traveling over the corridor between New York, Albany and Buffalo were collectively known as the Empire Service in reference to the state’s well-known nickname. In 1988, approximately 100 daily Amtrak trains, carrying 5.5 million passengers a year, used Penn Station, while Grand Central accommodated 18 daily trains with 1 million annual riders.¹

The existence of the two complexes dates to the early 20th century when passenger rail service into the city was controlled by two great rivals, the New York Central (NYC) and Pennsylvania (PRR) railroads. Penn Station, opened to the public in fall 1910, provided the PRR with its first direct link to the island of Manhattan via two tunnels beneath the Hudson River, thereby eliminating a ferry ride from the PRR terminal at Exchange Place in Jersey City, N.J.

Grand Central Terminal, completed in 1913 by the NYC, replaced an earlier station erected in the 1870s. Growth in rail traffic—both commuter and long distance—coupled with city laws against the use of steam engines, had convinced the NYC to construct the new terminal. Taking advantage of improved electric power systems and the possibility for real estate investment around the new station, the NYC chose to bury the tracks, rail yard and concourses at an average of 30 feet below street level.

Amtrak’s consolidation at Penn Station was expected to result in improvements to operations and finances. Passengers from upstate New York and the Hudson River Valley would no longer have to transfer between stations, and Amtrak would only have to maintain and staff one facility. In a July 1988 New York Times article, Amtrak stated that the added convenience of a seamless transfer was expected to attract an additional 120,000 passengers in the first year of operation.²

Amtrak vice presidents gather aboard the first Turboliner to
operate over the West Side Connection from Albany to
New York Penn Station.

The Amtrak-NYSDOT plan took advantage of a strategic freight line, shuttered in 1982, that ran approximately 10 miles up the west side of Manhattan and crossed to the mainland in the Bronx; from there, the line connected with the existing tracks used for northbound service. The rail line was expected to be easy to obtain since it was then owned by Conrail, a freight railroad formed by the federal government from the remnants of seven bankrupt companies. The roadbed would be rehabilitated to support passenger service, but there were two obstacles to address at either end.

To take the line into Penn Station, a tunnel had to be constructed close to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. At the northern tip of Manhattan, the steel turntable Spuyten Duyvil Bridge, built in 1900 to span the Harlem River, needed repairs before it could be put back into service. Following the closure of the freight line, the bridge had been left in an open position to permit waterborne traffic. Total costs for the West Side Connection were initially estimated at $85 million with NYSDOT contributing 40 percent and Amtrak assuming the remainder.³

Work wrapped up by spring 1991, and on April 7th, operations began over the West Side Connection. Across Midtown, the last day of service at Grand Central was described in an Associated Press article: “Mournful railroad porters and train buffs snapped photographs in a flurry of flashes and then bid farewell to Albany-bound Train 271 at about 8:30pm….Moments before pulling out of the terminal, engineer Jim Sweeney leaned out of his locomotive and hoisted a sign reading, ‘Last Amtrak Train Out of Grand Central Station. April 6, 1991.’”⁴

The system timetable issued on April 7, 1991
featured the new West Side Connection.

For Amtrak, the West Side Connection was a fitting achievement marking the company’s 20th anniversary. In celebration, the cover of the system timetable issued on April 7, 1991 featured a sleek Turboliner gliding along the Hudson and under the George Washington Bridge, with the Manhattan skyline fading into the distance. A company advertisement declared: “Now that we’ve made cross-town transfers a thing of the past, we’re your best connection through New York.”

Although the consolidation made travel easier for Amtrak passengers connecting to other parts of the national system, the West Side Connection also meant that Grand Central Terminal lacked long-distance trains for the first time in its history. In an article for The Philadelphia Inquirer, assistant station master Bob Smith commented: ‘“It’s a great old building…You won’t hear a conductor yell ‘all aboard’ here now…You don’t yell ‘all aboard’ for a commuter train. It’s things like that, you know? The atmosphere will be different. People going on a trip just act and feel differently than people getting on and off the same old commuter car every day. You won’t see people with baggage. You won’t have trains with names like the Lake Shore Limited…”⁵

This year, Grand Central Terminal's 100th anniversary is being celebrated with a full calendar of special events and exhibits. Amtrak is proud to have been part of the terminal’s rich history. In May 2012, Amtrak equipment, including its Exhibit Train and an Acela Express train set, made a rare appearance on Grand Central’s tracks to celebrate National Train Day and wrap up Amtrak’s year-long 40th Anniversary celebration.

Since 1983, when Metro-North Railroad took ownership of the building, it has undergone a multi-million dollar series of restorations. Grand Central is not simply a transportation hub for commuter rail, the subway and local buses, but is also a popular destination for fine dining and shopping—and an international symbol of New York.

Across Midtown, Penn Station remains the busiest station in the Amtrak national network, with almost 9.5 million passengers beginning or ending journeys there in fiscal year 2012. Approximately half a million passengers on Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road and New Jersey Transit trains pass through the complex every weekday. Including some long and short-distance trains, the Empire Service corridor offers three daily round-trips east of Niagara Falls, four east of Buffalo, six east of Schenectady and 12 south of Albany to New York.

¹“Amtrak Trains To Stop Using Grand Central,” The New York Times, July 7, 1988.

²“Travel Advisory; Grand Central Trains Rerouted to Penn Station,” The New York Times, April 7, 1991.

³“Amtrak Trains To Stop Using Grand Central,” The New York Times, July 7, 1988.

⁴“Last Amtrak Train Leaves Grand Central,” Associated Press, April 6, 1991.

⁵“Grand (But Not As) Central Today, A New York Landmark Becomes Just Another Commuter Stop. Well, Not Exactly-They Don’t Have Golden Zodiacs And Double Marble Staircases In Poughkeepsie,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, April 6, 1991.

In addition to the above links, works consulted include:

Annual Reports for fiscal years 1988-1992, National Railroad Passenger Corporation.

Delicate and fleeting, varying in color from bright pink to snowy white to white tinged with a soft pink blush, the cherry blossoms signal the start of spring in the nation’s capital. When Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo gifted 3,000 cherry trees to Washington more than a century ago, little did anyone know that they would become an international symbol of the American capital.

As winter fades and temperatures warm, residents and the media track the buds’ every move in order to predict the exact few days when the blossoms will be in peak condition, throwing a soft and showy mantle around the Tidal Basin and along the Potomac River. The multi-week National Cherry Blossom Festival includes a popular parade, parties, kite flying, Japanese cultural ceremonies, musical events and lectures.

The magic of those first weeks of spring is captured by artwork held in the Amtrak Archives. In the late 1980s, illustrator Nathan Davies, working with E. James White and Company, developed a series of stylized and imaginative travel-themed graphics for Amtrak. Showing trains in all parts of the country during the four seasons, these scenes appeared on posters, postcards and the covers of our national timetables.

In one image, a F40PH locomotive in Phase III livery leads a train southbound across the Potomac River. In the background, slightly off-center, is the domed Jefferson Memorial, while to the right is the Washington Monument. Framing the scene are heavily laden cherry trees, one of which provides a perfect home for a robin and three chicks snug in their nest. Harbingers of spring, red or orange breasted robins are some of the first birds to reappear after winter, and they proclaim their arrival with cheerful songs.

For railroad enthusiasts, the graceful arched bridge across the river might be the biggest draw, although the version in the illustration is a bit different from the actual steel Long Bridge connecting the District of Columbia and Virginia. Amtrak trains serving the south, such as the Silver Meteor and Crescent, share the bridge with Virginia Railway Express commuter rail and freight trains. In 2011, approximately 90 passenger and freight trains used the Long Bridge each day.¹

A crossing at this point in the river has existed since the beginning of the 19th century, but it wasn’t until the middle of the Civil War that a bridge capable of supporting the weight of steam locomotives was constructed to aid in the war effort. Following the conflict, the bridge was leased by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) until the rival Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), through a local subsidiary, won control of the structure in the 1870s.

Washington Union Station was built to serve all
passenger railroads entering the nation's capital.

Under what became known as the McMillan Plan, the civic and governmental core of Washington was redesigned at the dawn of the 20th century. A major aspect of this grand vision was the consolidation of rail services in one union station, thereby allowing for removal of the PRR depot and tracks from the National Mall, elimination of dangerous at-grade crossings and the creation of an imposing gateway station for the capital. As a result, four related projects were constructed after 1901: Washington Union Station, designed by famed architect Daniel Burnham; a rail tunnel beneath Capitol Hill; a modern double track crossing over the Potomac; and a rail yard in Alexandria, Va.

Costing approximately $927,000, the new 2,529 foot long steel truss bridge opened to traffic in August 1904 and had a swing draw span to allow for waterborne traffic. Interestingly, most of the components were salvaged from a former crossing over the Delaware River at Trenton, N.J. Three decades later, the PRR added overhead electric catenary to the bridge as part of its effort to electrify the mainline between Washington and New York; electrification ended at Potomac Yard in Alexandria.

Begun in 1928 and meant to cover the area between New York and Wilmington, Del., the electrification project was expanded southward after the federal government provided loans totaling more than $100 million. This latter phase was viewed by the railroad and government as a way to put laborers back to work during the Great Depression, while also producing a modern power system to benefit passenger and freight service in the densely populated Northeast. During World War II, the bridge was strengthened and parts of it replaced.

Now owned by freight carrier CSX Transportation, the Long Bridge is the subject of a joint study sponsored by the District Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration to identify short and long-term structural and capacity improvements.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

¹“D.C. receives grant to study Potomac rail bridge,” The Washington Post, December 12, 2011.

Information about the current Long Bridge and its predecessors can be found in:

Cohen, Robert. “History of the Long Railroad Bridge Crossing Across the Potomac River.” Paper posted on the website of the Washington DC Chapter, National Railway Historical Society, 2003.

Alan S. Boyd led Amtrak from 1978 to 1982.

In 1979, the recommendations of the Amtrak Reform Act of 1978 went into effect, leading to reductions in the number of route miles served by intercity passenger trains. Rather than fear change, President and CEO Alan Boyd viewed it as an opportunity to reinvigorate the company after its uncertain, and at times, tumultuous early years. Opening that year’s Annual Report, Boyd wrote: “We were left to run, work for, and maintain a patchwork system, which seemed almost beyond raising to levels of minimal efficiency.” But with the reforms, “Amtrak has acquired a new lease on life, a new route system, a new management, a new spirit of enthusiasm…in effect, Amtrak is a new business.”

Equipment such as the Amfleet cars sparked fresh interest in Amtrak from the riding public, so that in fiscal year 1979, the company carried 21.4 million passengers, the highest ridership up to that time, and saw revenues of $381.3 million. Boyd in part credited “a little timely help from the energy crisis” in encouraging Americans to look beyond their cars to fulfill transportation needs. Thanks to this increased ridership, the revenue-to-cost ratio rose more than three points to reach 41.5 percent.

The Mechanical department was hard at work to ensure that trains could handle increased passenger loads. Crews continued to convert the best of the “Heritage” cars to head end power and rebuilt 34 Metroliners. Fifty-one of the 284 planned Superliners were put into service, allowing for increased capacity and the retirement of failure-prone older equipment. In late October, the tri-weekly Empire Builder (Chicago-Seattle) was the first train to feature full Superliner service. Between New Haven, Conn. and Springfield, Mass., self-powered SPV 2000 diesel cars went into service.

By the late 1970s, plans were underway to update the Amtrak
reservation and ticketing system.

An aggressive campaign was also undertaken to rehabilitate or construct 61 stations for increased passenger comfort. Many of the depots Amtrak inherited from predecessor railroads, or had a right to use, were found to be in a deteriorated state. As passenger railroading declined in the decades following World War II, station maintenance was a low priority for railroads that shifted resources to capital projects benefitting more profitable freight operations. The new Schenectady, N.Y. depot was typical of those built by Amtrak in the late 1970s. It has the flat, cantilevered roof and clerestory windows specified in Amtrak station standards. The common architectural features of these facilities helped create a brand identity for the railroad while their modular design meant they could be easily expanded.

Due to growing ridership, the Automated Reservation and Ticketing System (ARTS) was at times overwhelmed with calls that then triggered delays and shutdowns. In response, Amtrak developed a new system with ten times the computing capacity that was able to restore an optimal two- or three-second response time. Expected to be in place within a couple of years, it would “provide train status, departure and arrival times, schedules, fare and reservation info and even tickets by mail.”

On Capitol Hill, Allan Boyd responded to criticism of Amtrak’s on-time performance and expenses by pointing out that “[Amtrak] cannot provide safe, modern, fast, convenient and reliable service—as directed by Congress—with locomotives built in the 1930s, passenger cars built in the 1940s and 1950s, trackage and roadbeds whose major characteristic is ‘deferred maintenance,’ stations which are falling apart, [and] schedules which serve major markets less than daily or in the middle of the night…”

GG1 locomotives inherited from the Pennsylvania Railroad
had been built in the 1930s and 1940s.

He then detailed federal spending on transportation since the end of World War II, noting that Amtrak had received the smallest share. Upon further discussion, Congress granted Amtrak multi-year operating and capital commitments, which Boyd praised as a way to avoid the usual “year-to-year scramble” of federal budget negotiations. Through the multi-year obligation, Amtrak could “for the first time, operate as a businesslike permanent corporation able to consider longer-range solutions to all its problems.” During the budget process, Congress set two very clear goals for the corporation: attainment of a 55 mph average system-wide speed and a 50 percent improvement in on-time performance.

Boyd also initiated a reevaluation of Amtrak’s management structure, which resulted in the creation of three groups, each headed by a Vice President: Operations and Maintenance (operations, engineering, material management, mechanical); Passenger Services and Communications (government affairs, public affairs, passenger services); and Finance and Administration (labor relations and personnel, computer services, finance). According to Boyd, “A key feature of the new structure is to join responsibility and accountability in a clear and unambiguous way…” Departments such as law, marketing and corporate planning reported directly to the President and CEO.

The reorganization came just as Amtrak addressed U.S. DOT recommendations regarding a modified national route system. In January 1979, Secretary of Transportation Brock Adams released the Final Report to Congress on the Amtrak Route System As Required by the Amtrak Improvement Act of 1978. After analyzing all Amtrak routes for costs, ridership, tourism potential, transportation alternatives and other factors, the U.S. DOT recommended a system comprised of “short-distance, daytime services in corridors originating in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles”; “a single east-west service linking [those] corridors and a basic level of north-south service” along the coasts and in the Midwest; and “an additional group of services connecting major regions of the country and providing service to major population centers.”

Viewed as a “national, inter-regional concept,” it would offer “improved utilization of the train services offered, leading to better Amtrak financial performance and improved energy efficiency…” The U.S. DOT’s vision reduced Amtrak’s route system by 43 percent to save $1.4 billion over five years. Modified routings were to be implemented by October 1, 1979; existing routes not included on the new map would be terminated. Members of Congress rejected the deep cuts, and months of negotiations followed. In the end, when accounting for all eliminations as well as the addition of some new services, Amtrak’s total route miles fell by approximately 14 percent.

Concrete ties were laid down during the Northeast Corridor
Improvement Project.

While Congress debated the proposed service cuts, work continued on the long-term Northeast Corridor Improvement Project. In 1979, crews rehabilitated 121 miles of track, including the installation of 296,000 concrete ties and 74 miles of continuous welded rail; installed 173,000 new wood ties; cleaned 55 miles of ballast; surfaced 112 miles of track for high-speed operation; replaced 10,500 ties at interlockings; and renewed 21 turnouts. During extensive work periods, some schedules were lengthened, including those of the popular Metroliner Service (Washington-New York).

Apart from discussions on proposed route reductions, Amtrak partnered with the U.S. DOT to study “potential high-frequency emerging corridors such as San Jose-Sacramento; Harrisburg-Philadelphia; and Chicago-St. Louis.” Based largely on the success of Northeast Corridor trains and the San Diegans (Los Angeles-San Diego), Amtrak planners believed that corridor services in densely populated regions presented the company with a strong potential source of growth. Boyd noted, “Experience with existing corridor operations, and all available studies, show clearly that many people are willing and eager to leave their automobile and take the train on short trips if they can be sure the service would be reliable, timely and comfortable.”

Although the year was filled with debates about the future of Amtrak and the size of its network, Alan Boyd concluded, “There is no question now that Amtrak at last has a clearly definable future…How well we operate, how good our service is, how credible we are with the public—all will serve to measure our success.”

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In addition to the above links, sources consulted include:

National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Annual Reports for fiscal years 1978-1980.

National Railroad Passenger Corporation, “Superliners Go Into Service On Empire Builder Route,” Amtrak News, November 1979, 1.

United States Department of Transportation. Final Report to Congress on the Amtrak Route System As Required by the Amtrak Improvement Act of 1978. Washington, DC: 1979.

This month, the Carolinian (New York-Raleigh-Charlotte) celebrates 23 years of connecting the Tar Heel state with the greater Northeast. The start of service on May 12, 1990 cemented a fruitful partnership between North Carolina and Amtrak that continues today.

The current Carolinian, which links the state’s financial hub and capital, is actually an outgrowth of an earlier experimental service over the same route. Supported by a $500,000 state contribution, the trial service lasted from October 1984 until September 1985.¹ This Carolinian ran as an independent train between Charlotte and Richmond, Va., where its cars were then attached to the Palmetto (New York-Jacksonville) for through service to Washington and New York. According to newspaper accounts, hundreds of people gathered in Raleigh to see off the inaugural train. North Carolina Transportation Secretary William Roberson noted that nearly a third of the state’s residents lived close to the route, which had stops in cities such as Salisbury, Greensboro, Durham and Henderson.²

Although ridership was strong with 120,000 riders, this early version of the Carolinian ended because typical passenger trips were shorter than expected and revenues therefore did not meet projections.³ Passengers tended to travel between cities within the state rather than continue to points north, which would have boosted the train’s overall financial performance.

Over the ensuing years, the idea of a rail link between Charlotte and Raleigh did not fade from the minds of state transportation planners and rail advocates. In 1989, under the administration of Governor James G. Martin, the legislature created the Highway Trust Fund. While its primary purpose was to fund highway improvements, it also provided money for highway alternatives including intercity passenger rail services.⁴ Concurrently, a Rail Passenger Task Force submitted a plan of action for enhancing the state’s rail network, with renewed attention given to the Charlotte-Raleigh corridor. Thus, with the strong backing of the governor and legislature, North Carolina initiated the modern Carolinian service.

The Carolinian's inaugural run began at the historic Rocky Mount depot.

The revived Carolinian was similar to its predecessor in that it too was joined with the Palmetto for the northern leg of its route; but rather than connect the trains in Richmond, this maneuver was accomplished in Rocky Mount. On its independent run, the train would generally consist of a locomotive, two coaches and a café-lounge car.

On Friday May 11, 1990, a day prior to the start of revenue service, approximately 500 state, local and Amtrak officials, along with rail advocates, were invited to participate in the Carolinian’s ceremonial run. At the kick-off event in Rocky Mount, Governor Martin told the assembled crowd, “This [train] is not just rooted in history. It’s the basis for the future.” Howard Clement III, chairman of the Governor’s Rail Task Force, echoed those sentiments: “This is going to be a way of life over the next 10 years, you watch what I say.” Kelly Fletcher, Miss North Carolina, christened the train with a bottle of champagne.⁵

Throughout the day, residents of Wilson, Selma, Raleigh, Durham, Burlington, Greensboro, High Point, Salisbury, Kannapolis and Charlotte greeted the train with speeches, music and good cheer. Roughly 15 minutes were allotted for each whistle stop ceremony during which souvenirs were distributed. The Amtrak Archives holds a commemorative button from this tour; it features the train’s name embellished with a sprig of pine in a nod to the state tree.

State-owned locomotives City of Asheville (#1797) and
City of Salisbury (#1755) are used on the Piedmont service.

A year after its launch, the Carolinian began traveling the entire New York-Charlotte route as an independent train. In 1995, it was joined by the Piedmont (Raleigh-Charlotte) to augment service within the state and provide a convenient schedule for business persons traveling between North Carolina’s two largest cities. The equipment used on the Piedmont is owned by the state but operated by Amtrak, and the locomotives are known for their red, white, blue and gold paint scheme echoing the colors of the state flag.⁶ A second Piedmont train was added to the schedule in June 2010.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) undertook many initiatives to encourage and sustain ridership. Partnering with Amtrak and local governments, NCDOT oversaw upgrades to a dozen station facilities. Historic downtown depots, many built in the early 20th century, were rehabilitated according to state and national historic preservation standards, while new facilities were constructed at Kannapolis, Cary and Gastonia.

Funding for the station improvements was obtained through state and local sources as well as the Federal Highway Administration’s Transportation Enhancements (TE) program (now known as Transportation Alternatives). Of the 12 eligible activities funded under TE, two focused on historic preservation and the rehabilitation and operation of historic transportation facilities.⁷ In 2007, the National Trust for Historic Preservation recognized the NCDOT for its work, with National Trust President Richard Moe commenting, “…This program has renewed citizens’ pride in their local heritage and created a viable transportation alternative for the public.”

Amtrak and NCDOT locomotives
grace the 2013 calendar.

The NCDOT also sponsors two volunteer programs to enhance the passenger experience aboard state-supported trains and in stations. More than 100 volunteers serve as Train Hosts aboard the Carolinian and Piedmont, answering passengers’ questions about train travel and local transportation, offering advice on things to do and see at each stop and promoting rail safety. Station Hosts perform the same duties at busier stations including Raleigh, Charlotte and Greensboro.

In addition to investing in rolling stock, stations and personnel, the NCDOT manages a comprehensive program for improving railroad infrastructure such as tracks and signal systems. Since the early 2000s, these improvements have contributed to a reduction in travel time of more than 45 minutes between Charlotte and Raleigh as well as increased system reliability.

To celebrate the "long standing and progressive partnership between Amtrak and the State," the official Amtrak 2013 calendar features a beautiful view of downtown Raleigh framed by the state-owned locomotive City of Asheville (#1797) and Amtrak P-42 locomotive #120. North Carolina is one of 15 states that partner with Amtrak to provide expanded intercity passenger rail service.

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¹“Carolinian makes trial run,” [Hendersonville, N.C.] Times-News, October 27, 1984

²Ibid.

³“Amtrak, state put train back on track,” Wilmington Morning Star, May 8, 1990.

⁴Walter R. Turner, The Future is Arriving (2012).

⁵“Piedmont Passenger Train Service Returns,” The [Lexington, N.C.] Dispatch, May 12, 1990.

⁶“New train to serve Piedmont,” The [Lexington, N.C.] Dispatch, May 18, 1995.

⁷Walter R. Turner, The Future is Arriving (2012).

In a May 2013 ceremony held at the Siemens rail manufacturing plant in Sacramento, Calif., Amtrak unveiled the first of 70 new Cities Sprinter locomotives (ACS-64) ordered for use on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) between Washington and Boston and the Keystone Corridor between Philadelphia and Harrisburg. The ACS-64 will be the latest in a long line of distinguished electric locomotives, such as the GG-1 and AEM-7,  that have carried passengers in the Northeast since large sections of the rail corridor were electrified in the 1930s.

Once tested at the U.S. Department of Transportation facility in Pueblo, Colo. and on the NEC, the first ACS-64s will enter service later this year. Production will then continue through 2016 so that the existing fleet of AEM-7 locomotives, introduced between 1980 and 1988, can be retired. Parts for the new locomotives come from approximately 70 suppliers in more than 23 states.

The new Amtrak Cities Sprinter locomotives unveiled at the
Siemens plant in Sacramento, Calif.

Designed to run at speeds up to 125 mph, the dual-cab Cities Sprinters have a peak 8600 horsepower. A regenerative braking system can feed up to 100 percent of the energy generated during braking back to the power grid. Safety is paramount with enhanced crash energy management components such as crumple zones, while a microprocessor system allows for self-diagnosis of technical issues. Ultimately, this improved technology leads to a more energy efficient locomotive fleet and significant cost savings.

The Cities Sprinter locomotives are an integral component of the long-term Amtrak Fleet Strategy Plan to modernize and expand the railroad’s pool of locomotives and rolling stock. Concurrently, CAF USA is building 130 new single-level long-distance cars at its facility in Elmira, N.Y. This order includes sleepers, diners, baggage cars and baggage/dormitory cars that will replace and supplement the existing fleet, of which the oldest Heritage cars date to the 1940s.

To celebrate the introduction of the Amtrak Cities Sprinter—destined to be the new “workhorse” of the NEC—we thought it would be interesting to dig into the archives and look at its predecessors, starting with the famed GG-1.

Amtrak GG-1 #4902 leads the Broadway Limited, whose consist
included cars purchased from the predecessor railroads.

The electric GG-1 locomotives were originally commissioned by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) in the 1930s for use on its newly electrified Washington-New York and Philadelphia-Harrisburg rail corridors. Electric locomotives could accelerate more quickly than steam locomotives and hauled longer, heavier trains. Investigating its options, the PRR borrowed an electric locomotive built by General Electric for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad and liked it so much that it was used as a model for the GG-1.

By 1934, the PRR, in partnership with General Electric, Westinghouse and Baldwin Locomotive Works, had designed and constructed the first of a total 139 GG-1s. Featuring a dual cab design, the locomotive could easily operate in either direction, thereby avoiding turn-around time at the end of a run. The central placement of the cabs also provided greater safety for the crew in the event of a collision. The locomotive body, supported by two trusses, contained an oil-fired steam boiler to provide heating for the cars, while a transformer converted the 11,000 volt electrical current drawn from the catenary wires to a 600 volt level suitable for the traction motors and other components. Pantographs, which conduct the electrical current from the catenary wire, were located at both ends of the locomotive.

This 1973 timetable features GG-1
#4931 dressed in Amtrak livery.

Weighing in at 238 tons, the GG-1 had 12 motors that regularly produced 4620 horsepower, but which could be pushed to a maximum of 8500. In testing, the first GG-1—#4800—hit a top speed of 128 mph, but in regular service they were kept to speeds of 100 mph and lower. Each unit measured roughly 79.5 feet long, 10.5 feet wide and 15 feet high.

The General Electric-designed GG-1 prototype edged out a competing Westinghouse model due to its superior suspension system. According to a brochure produced by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, “The GG-1 equalization and suspension system provided a ‘dual tripod’ arrangement that insured equal static load on all driving wheels, regardless of track irregularities and curvature.”

Once the prototype was completed, the PRR called on industrial designer Raymond Loewy to finesse the GG-1’s overall appearance. In keeping with the prevailing trend towards a streamlined aesthetic emphasizing speed and movement, Loewy urged that the body be welded together rather than riveted and that the corners be rounded to produce a clean, sleek surface. Even the locomotive bell—a prime source of communication on the railroad—was hidden inside the body to maintain the GG-1’s pleasing lines.

Loewy also introduced a paint scheme that paired a gleaming, rich Brunswick Green body with five parallel gold pinstripes on the sides. At each end, the lines merged at the base of the hood, leading rail enthusiasts to refer to them as “cat’s whiskers.” The sides also included the railroad’s name flanked by the unit number.

When Amtrak began operations in 1971, the GG-1s were still in service after more than three decades. Following the merger of the PRR and New York Central Railroad in 1968, they had come under the control of the resulting company, known as Penn Central. Well built and reliable, the GG-1s were then used by Amtrak to pull trains between Washington and New York. Amtrak purchased 30 GG-1s and leased an additional two dozen; on the Northeast Corridor, they operated at speeds up to 100 mph. During the late 1970s, while the high-speed Metroliner cars underwent rebuilding, GG-1s were used in this premium service.

Paint schemes varied for the Amtrak GG-1s. The cover of a 1973 timetable issued for eastern trains featured GG-1 #4931 in a three color livery with a silver body, red hood and single blue stripes on each side in place of Loewy’s “cat's whiskers.” Much like the PRR scheme, “Amtrak” flanked by the unit number was centrally positioned on the sides. Other units were painted a simple black with white lettering.

Amtrak GG-1 #4935 was restored in 1977 to its original Pennsylvania Railroad livery--Brunswick green with gold "cat's whiskers". Here, crews from the Wilmington Shops pose with the engine.

Approaching its fifth decade of service, Amtrak finally retired its GG-1 fleet as the new high-speed, lightweight AEM-7 locomotives were put into service starting in 1980. The last Amtrak GG-1 ran on May 1, 1981—ten years to the day when Amtrak took over the nation’s intercity passenger rail system. New Jersey Transit continued to use GG-1s until 1983—almost fifty years after the first one was produced. On the NEC, GG-1s were also used in freight service by the PRR, Penn Central and their successor, Conrail, until 1979.

Long acknowledged as some of the finest electric locomotives ever built, the GG-1s gained a long list of admirers while still in operation. The June 1, 1977 issue of Amtrak NEWS relates the story of the “Friends of the GG-1,” a group of rail fans that raised funds to restore Amtrak-owned GG-1 #4935 to the original PRR paint scheme. Refurbishment was undertaken at the Wilmington, Del. maintenance facility.

The restored Amtrak GG-1 #4935 leads the Murray Hill 
from Washington to New York City.

The engine went into revenue service on May 15th when it led the Murray Hill between Washington and New York. On hand for the inaugural run were Amtrak President and CEO Paul Reistrup and designer Raymond Loewy. Reflecting on his original paint scheme, Loewy said: “[It gave the locomotive] a graceful expression of silent speed and power…It looks like it’s moving when it’s standing still.”

Prized pieces of railroad history, GG-1s are today found in museums across the country. Amtrak passengers aboard the Keystone Service or Pennsylvanian can catch a glimpse of GG-1 #4859 at the historic Harrisburg Transportation Center. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is also the “official” electric locomotive of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Number 4859, built in 1937, pulled the first electrically powered train between Philadelphia and Harrisburg on January 15, 1938. The Harrisburg Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society maintains the locomotive for the enjoyment of the public.

In a future post, we’ll explore the history of the E-60 and AEM-7…

Although we live in a world where near-instant communication is possible via the telephone, email, Facebook, Twitter and other social media resources, the traditional paper postcard still holds a special appeal more than 140 years after it was invented by the Austro-Hungarian post office in 1869. For many people, including young children, postcard writing and receiving remains a fun way to keep in touch with friends and share one’s adventures.

Amtrak ran extra trains to accommodate tourists headed to
Spokane, Wash. for Expo '74.

When introduced at the end of the 19th century, the postcard’s appeal was readily apparent. For a small fee, the writer could send a brief message across town or across oceans. Early postcards were really just prepaid cards that allowed for the message to be written on one side with the address on the other. As marketers and artists started filling one side with imagery, the space for the message shrank until 1902 when the British postal system developed the divided back postcard still used today. The image occupies the front, while the message and address share the back.

According to one survey of postcard art, “view cards” showing town and village scenes were the most popular among the public and collectors at the dawn of the 20th century. English humorist Jerome K. Jerome pointed out that among vacationers, some scenes were more popular than others: “The cunning and the strong secure the best cards. The weak and courteous [would] be left with pictures of post offices and railway stations.” Unless, of course, you admired railroads and sought out the depot cards with purpose.

Over the years, Amtrak has produced postcards to highlight trains, scenery along the routes, new equipment and services available on board. Postcards were primarily sold at stations and on long-distance trains, distributed as promotional items at special events or provided as a complimentary gift to sleeping car passengers.

A family takes a photo while the special Expo '74 stops at
Wenatchee, Wash. in June 1974.

One of the earliest postcards in the Amtrak Archives was made to celebrate Expo ’74 held in Spokane, Wash. from May to November of that year. The Expo focused attention on the nascent environmental movement through the theme of “Celebrating Tomorrow’s Fresh New Environment.” This seemed especially fitting as Amtrak ridership hit its highest mark to date with 18.5 million passengers. Many were new riders who gave the train a try due to the 1973-1974 OPEC Oil Embargo and resulting gasoline shortages.

The city transformed two islands in the river—covered with railroad tracks and industrial buildings—into festive fairgrounds. Ten nations, including the Soviet Union, Germany, Canada and Japan, opened exhibitions. In the “Joy of Living” pavilion devoted to exhibits about “today’s lifestyles,” fairgoers could visit the Amtrak display to learn about the new company, which had only begun operations three years earlier. In that time, Amtrak had developed a national reservations system, refurbished cars purchased from the predecessor railroads and hired and trained new employees. It had much to share with the public, many of whom didn’t know much about the nation’s passenger rail system.

The Broadway Limited at Horseshoe Curve outside Altoona, Pa.

Attendees learned about Amtrak through a mock-up of a rail car that included seating and dining areas. Amtrak employees were on hand to answer questions about accommodations, destinations and train travel in general. Over the course of six months, more than 1 million people visited the Amtrak display—approximately 20 percent of all fairgoers. Nearby, they could have viewed exhibits from Union Pacific Railroad and United Airlines. And if the dozens of pavilions were too much, visitors could take a break to enjoy live entertainment from the likes of Diana Ross, Gordon Lightfoot, Bill Cosby and Bob Hope.

Amtrak augmented its summer train schedules to accommodate an expected increase in Spokane-bound tourists. The city was already served by the daily Empire Builder (Chicago-Havre-Seattle) and thrice-weekly North Coast Hiawatha (Chicago-Billings-Seattle), but both arrived late in the evening. The latter was run daily for the duration of the fair, while the special Expo ’74, a daylight all-coach train, was introduced between Seattle and Spokane.

An EMD E9A locomotive in Phase I livery
leads the Coast Starlight.

At first, a postcard of Cinderella’s Castle doesn’t seem to fit with the others in the collection—but popular Walt Disney World is easily accessible from the historic Orlando station. The card fit into wider Amtrak efforts to market Florida travel through the Week of Wheels in Florida, Florida Carrousel and Villa Vacation packages, which generally combined Amtrak travel with car and housing rentals. Today, the Auto Train is a popular option for families wishing to visit Florida attractions because they can take their cars along for the journey and avoid notorious I-95 traffic.

Many postcards feature beauty shots of trains in very scenic locales: the Broadway Limited at famed Horseshoe Curve as fall foliage dots the hills with patches of gold, orange and yellow; the Desert Wind traveling through Cajon Pass in southern California; and the Coast Starlight along the Pacific Coast, the scene bathed in soft pinks, oranges and light purples, making it difficult to tell where sky and water begin. Encouraging wanderlust, they make you want to book a train ticket now.

Those more interested in locomotives and rolling stock will find a lot to love, as the postcards chronicle changes in the Amtrak fleet over more than four decades. EMD E9As purchased from the predecessor railroads pull the Coast Starlight and Super Chief(or possibly the Southwest Limited); both engines feature the Phase I paint scheme with the bright red hood.

Top: Turboliners were introduced on the Chicago-St. Louis route
in 1973. Bottom: This Heritage Dining car was decorated with birds
and latticework.

F40PHs in the Phase III livery feature prominently in a series of postcards produced in the late 1980s or early 1990s. One image, probably taken along the Connecticut coast, shows a train with Amfleet coach cars gliding past beach houses and gently rolling surf—beckoning the lucky recipient to join in the seaside fun. Even a Turboliner makes a postcard appearance. Based on the French ANF gas-turbine T 2000 RTG, it was capable of reaching speeds up to 125 mph. Initially introduced on the Chicago-St. Louis route in late 1973, it later spread to others emanating from the Chicago hub.

Amtrak postcards also feature train interiors such as the dining car. Against an elegant interior decorated with birds and latticework, tables draped in white linens are dressed with blue and white china. Engaged in animated conversation, well dressed men and women enjoy entrees, side salads and rolls. The blue china on the table, including the sugar bowl and bud vase, was made by the Hall China Company of Ohio and is often referred to as the “Amtrak National” pattern.

For their buyers and recipients, these postcards were just a souvenir of a fun journey or a way to say “hello” to friends and family. With the benefit of time and distance, they become for us a welcome window into our past, the small details a delight.

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Background and quotes on the history of the postcard are drawn from:

Klich, Lynda, and Weiss, Benjamin (2012). The Postcard Age: Selections from the Leonard A. Lauder Collection. Boston, MA: MFA Publications (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston).

Expo '74 photo courtesy of the National Archives, Record Group 412 (DOCUMERICA: The Environmental Protection Agency's Program to Photographically Document Subjects of Environmental Concern, 1972 - 1977).

Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman poses with one of the
new ACS-64 locomotives during the unveiling ceremony.

As Amtrak and railroad enthusiasts look forward to the introduction of the new electric Amtrak Cities Sprinter (ACS-64) locomotive, the Amtrak Archives continues its look back at the electric locomotives that helped make the Northeast Corridor (NEC) North America’s premiere high-speed rail line. Today, more than 2,200 intercity, commuter and freight trains operate over some portion of the NEC each day, and approximately 260 million intercity and commuter rail passengers rely on the corridor each year.

By the mid-1970s, the GG-1 locomotives Amtrak had purchased from the Pennsylvania Railroad were nearing the end of their useful lives; built in the 1930s and 1940s, they had pulled trains along the NEC and Keystone Corridor for more than three decades. Amtrak thus began the search for a replacement, eventually deciding on the General Electric E-60. Based on existing freight locomotives, the boxy design gave the 70 foot long unit a solid, heavy appearance. To celebrate the arrival of the E-60s, the Amtrak national timetable issued on May 15, 1975 featured an image by noted railroad artist Gil Reid. Against a vivid blue sky, E-60 locomotive #965 pulls into the Metropark station as a Metroliner Service train glides past--a vision of modern railroading in the Northeast.

The national timetable issued on May 15, 1975
featured a new E-60 locomotive.

Each of the 26 locomotives ordered weighed in at 193.5 tons and could achieve approximately 6000 horsepower. Like the GG-1, the E-60 was also a dual cab design, meaning that it could be operated in either direction for a quick turn-around. The E-60s initially bore the Amtrak Phase II livery introduced in 1975. The paint scheme featured wide red and blue bands framed by slim white stripes wrapping around the locomotive.

After taking over the nation’s intercity passenger rail system in 1971, Amtrak bought nearly 1,500 cars from a total pool of 3,000 held by the twenty railroads that had been relieved of their passenger service obligations. It also placed orders for new single-level and bi-level cars. Some of the older cars required conversion from steam power to electric head-end power. Since the company was in the middle of this process, a handful of E-60s were built with steam generators for the older equipment, while the majority included head-end power generators to work with refurbished cars and newer Amfleet equipment.

E-60 #966 and AEM-7 #901 at the Ivy City Yard in Washington, D.C.

Intended to reach speeds up to 120 mph, the E-60 actually proved too heavy, placing great stress on the rails when operating at high speeds. Therefore, it was limited to 90 mph. Consequently, Amtrak returned to its search for a more practical replacement for the reliable, but aging GG-1s. Testing various models, the company decided upon the R4c locomotive built by the General Swedish Electric Company (Allmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget, or ASEA), which became the base for the AEM-7.

The Swedish R4c, designated the X995 during testing on the NEC
in 1976, became the model for the AEM-7.

Considered lightweight at 101 tons and built to achieve top speeds of 125 mph, the dual cab AEM-7 became the mainstay of the NEC. Amtrak contracted with General Motors Corporation's Electro-Motive Division (EMD) to design and manufacture the AEM-7, and the first units have carbodies built by Budd. Amtrak eventually purchased 54 of the locomotives, which were produced from 1978 to 1988. Each has 7000 horsepower and measures roughly 51.5 feet long and 12.5 feet high. Among railroad fans, the locomotive is affectionately known as a “Swedish meatball” or a “toaster” due to its country of origin and compact, boxy design. The first AEM-7s bore the Amtrak Phase III livery unveiled in 1979—joined red, white and blue stripes of equal width.

AEM-7DC #921 leads a Northeast Direct  train across the
Gunpowder River in northeastern Maryland.

The introduction of the AEM-7s allowed Amtrak to retire the GG-1s. While some of the heavy E-60s were sold to other railroads at that time, the remaining units continued in service, operating primarily on long-distance trains between New York and Washington and Clocker trains between New York and Philadelphia, until the last E-60s were retired in 2003. Amtrak donated an E-60 to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in 2004, making it one of the few to be preserved.

In the early 2000s, 29 AEM-7s were converted to AC power under a partnership between Amtrak and Alstom. The latter designed and built the propulsion and auxiliary power systems, and Amtrak prepared the carbodies and trucks to include painting and the installation of new cables and cab control consoles. The end result was remanufactured units that required less maintenance, provided greater reliability and had the ability to haul longer trains.

AEM-7 #902 undergoes repairs at the Wilmington, Del.
shops.

Concurrent with these improvements to the AEM-7, Alstom was also building the HHP-8 locomotive. These 15 units were needed to supplement the AEM-7 fleet following the completion in 2000 of the Northeast High-Speed Rail Improvement Project, a program to electrify the New Haven-Boston portion of the NEC. Based on the design of the Acela Express power car, the HHP-8 can achieve a top speed of 135 mph. It has 8000 horsepower and features regenerative braking, meaning that energy generated during braking is returned to the power grid for greater efficiency.

For a new generation of rail fans, the AEM-7 became the face of a rebuilt and enhanced Northeast Corridor, which resulted from the multi-year, federally funded Northeast Corridor Improvement Project. Working with the Federal Railroad Administration, Amtrak improved infrastructure such as tracks, bridges and power systems to increase top speeds and cut trip times between Washington and Boston.

If the GG-1 represented the initial electrification of the rail lines between New York and Washington and Philadelphia and Harrisburg, the AEM-7 was a worthy successor for a new era. Today, the AEM-7 fleet has logged in excess of 200 million miles and will be retired as the new ACS-64 locomotives come online through 2016.

As Amtrak entered the 1980s, President and CEO Alan Boyd declared, “[Amtrak] has achieved maturity…[we are] now positioned as a vital, well-managed business enterprise competing in commercial transportation markets…[and] have made dramatic changes from those early, frustrating years operating antiquated equipment over deteriorated rails.”

Older cars were converted from steam power to electric head-end
power at the Beech Grove, Ind. shops.

To back up his assertion, Boyd pointed to a handful of positive indicators: on time performance was up 20 percent over the previous fiscal year, equipment reliability—thanks to the delivery of new locomotives and rolling stock—was at one of its lowest out-of-service ratios ever and operating revenues were up 14 percent over the previous year. Following the 1979 route-restructuring, Amtrak operated a system with approximately 24,000 route miles and 525 stations.

The introduction of modern equipment was especially important in improving the public’s view of Amtrak. After 1975, ridership gains were attributed to routes with new, stainless steel Amfleet cars; during 1980, bi-level Superliner equipment replaced older cars on the San Francisco Zephyr (Chicago-San Francisco), Southwest Limited (Chicago-Los Angeles) and Desert Wind (Ogden-Los Angeles).

The Crescent received
all-electric equipment in 1980.

In the east, remanufactured all-electric cars were introduced on routes such as the Crescent (New York-New Orleans) and Lake Shore Limited (New York/Boston-Chicago). Many of these older Coaches, Sleeping cars and Diners had been converted from steam power to electric head-end power. A converted 12-car set saved the company approximately $250,000 a year in fuel, maintenance and yard support costs. Within a year, all Amtrak rolling stock purchased from the predecessor railroads would be converted to head-end power.

Building on the success of the Amfleet equipment, Amtrak ordered an additional 150 cars of this design. While the exterior shells were similar, the new cars had one vestibule,  larger windows and interiors outfitted for long-distance service. Manufactured by the Budd Company of Red Lion, Pa., the $150 million order included 125 Coaches and 25 food service cars that became known as Amfleet II equipment. Production also continued on the AEM-7 electric locomotives, whose delivery finally allowed for the retirement of the revered GG-1s operating in the Northeast.

Demand for passenger rail service resulted in the creation of five new state-supported routes in California, Illinois, Missouri, Oregon and Pennsylvania, for a total of 15 state-supported routes across the nation. Changes to the Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970 made it easier for states to fund services and test the market. The new legislation required states to only fund 20 percent of the operating losses during the first year, with that amount increasing to 50 percent in the second year.

Initiated routes included the Pennsylvanian (Philadelphia-Pittsburgh), Prairie Marksman (Chicago-Peoria) and the Willamette Valley Express (Portland-Eugene). The 1980 Annual Report also noted that applications for nine other state-supported routes were pending, but that “a major obstacle to initiating these services is the Corporation’s limited car fleet, which is almost fully utilized on existing routes.”

The Willamette Valley Express breaks through a paper banner at
Portland during its inaugural run on August 2, 1980.

A milestone in transportation planning occurred in October 1980 with the opening of a new $3 million rail station along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) at Baltimore-Washington International Airport. Considered the nation's "first intercity air-rail-ground transportation" facility, it allowed for easy transfers between various transportation modes while also offering ample parking.

Amtrak also renegotiated interline agreements with bus carriers such as Greyhound and Trailways. Due to these cooperative efforts, passengers could purchase train-bus through tickets in one easy transaction at numerous Amtrak or bus ticket outlets. Overall, interline agreements with bus, steamship and airline companies gave Amtrak access to 87 markets not directly served by passenger rail.

A major rebuilding project came to fruition at the Beech Grove, Ind. maintenance shops. After purchasing the facility from Penn Central in 1975, Amtrak undertook a five year, $22 million upgrade program that advanced the overall efficiency of the shops, reduced energy consumption and allowed for equipment overhauls to be performed in-house.

Before workers at Beech Grove started to install new exterior
components on a converted HEP car, it was thoroughly cleaned with
an acid-wash.

Work also continued on the $2.5 billion Northeast Corridor Improvement Project (NECIP) launched in 1977. In 1980, crews installed more than 236,000 concrete cross ties with the automated track laying system (TLS); laid 37 track miles of continuous welded rail; cleaned 129 track miles of ballast; and replaced or rehabilitated 120 switches. In the North River tunnels connecting New Jersey with Manhattan, built in the early 20th century, approximately 700 pre-fabricated track panels and more than five track miles of continuous welded rail were installed. Up in the air, Amtrak crews replaced 58 miles of catenary wire.

Although the NECIP would produce a modern railroad in one of the nation’s most populous and congested regions, lengthened schedules and delays due to frequent work periods caused passenger miles to drop by 4.3 percent. Fortunately, by year’s end, slow orders affecting track on the NEC were reduced from 98 miles to 30 miles. The completion of track work to permit top speeds of 110 mph in more areas also meant that “the average speed (including stops) of Metroliners was raised from 58.7 mph in April to 62.0 mph in October.” Delivery of faster AEM-7 locomotives also permitted significant schedule reductions on some trains.

The intermodal BWI rail station
opened in October 1980. 

To better organize scheduling for all trains—intercity, commuter and freight—on the NEC, Amtrak established a new Train Planning and Scheduling Unit “to coordinate the operation of the 1,335 trains of all types which use the Corridor each weekday.” Advances in computer modeling contributed greatly to this effort. 

The NECIP prompted Amtrak real estate experts to take a fresh look at the development opportunities for stations and adjoining properties. In the Annual Report, the company noted: “In 10 separate [NEC] locations, [Amtrak] is working with local governments and private industry to develop these properties commercially…Amtrak will continue to get full financial benefit as the properties become more valuable. At the same time, the improvement will result in more convenience for rail riders and a better physical environment to attract additional patronage.” In Philadelphia, Amtrak investigated redevelopment of 30 acres of air rights north of 30th Street Station.

In the Midwest, Amtrak gained additional trackage by purchasing the 12 miles between Michigan City and Porter, Ind. from Conrail, thus extending the 83 mile Michigan City-Kalamazoo line Amtrak acquired in 1976. In an effort to improve schedules outside of the NEC, Amtrak began negotiations with the freight railroads to allow higher speeds for passenger trains and also set up a program “to assist state and local governments in grade crossing safety improvements, particularly where such schedule improvement can thereby be achieved.”

At almost a decade old, “Amtrak,” reflected Alan Boyd, “is a sound business…[that] quite literally represents a multi-billion-dollar national investment—in locomotives, passenger cars, stations, track, reservations systems and facilities spread from one end of the country to the other…The expenditures of the past decade have laid the groundwork, and today Amtrak is a viable rail passenger system ready to shoulder a larger role as America grapples with its transportation problems of the 1980s and beyond.”

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In addition to the above links, sources consulted include:

National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Annual Reports  for fiscal years 1979-1980.

Railroading has long been considered a “family affair” in which multiple generations of a family might work in the same craft, or take on positions across a variety of fields. Building on this sense of community, Amtrak began holding a series of “Family Days” celebrations in cities across the country, starting with Washington, D.C. in February 1979. The events quickly blossomed into opportunities to invite the public to learn about the company and show off new equipment. At events held in larger stations, it was not uncommon to receive 30,000-40,000 visitors over two days.

Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley (at podium) kicks off Amtrak Family
Days in Los Angeles with Amtrak President Alan Boyd (far left).

Amtrak, established by an act of Congress in 1970, had much to be proud of as it neared a decade of service. Assuming the passenger rail obligations of 20 railroads, it created the country’s first truly national passenger railroad, stretching from one coast to the other. But with a national system there also came challenges as the company labored to create an organizational framework; hire and train employees; upgrade and standardize rolling stock and station facilities; institute a comprehensive national reservations system; and craft an advertising campaign to inform the public about its services.

One of the most visible changes for travelers was in the equipment, all of which initially had been purchased or leased from the predecessor railroads. The newest cars dated to the mid-1960s, but many had already seen decades of regular service. Mechanical and electrical overhauls were needed on roughly a third of the fleet, as were refurbishments to the interiors.

Attendees in Detroit explore old and new equipment.

Amtrak leased and ordered a variety of new equipment in the 1970s, including the gas turbine Turboliners, based on a French design; single-level Amfleet cars, primarily for use on eastern routes; and bi-level Superliners intended for western trains. New locomotives ordered included the diesel SDP40F and F40PH, as well as the electric E-60 used on the Northeast Corridor. The arrival of this new equipment allowed Amtrak to begin retiring some of the oldest units, thereby lowering the average age of the locomotive and rolling stock fleets while increasing reliability. At many of the Family Days celebrations, old and new equipment was displayed side-by-side so that attendees could see the stark difference in their condition and passenger comfort. 

In Michigan Central Station's main hall, attendees enjoyed dance,
gymnastics, singing and mime performances by local youth.

Following the first celebration in the nation’s capital, the Family Days took on a similar format. Amtrak employees and their families were invited to an equipment preview on Saturday morning, after which the event opened to the general public. Attendees could stop by the Amtrak booth to pick up brochures about routes and vacation packages. At Los Angeles Union Station, personnel from the local reservations office set up “an eye-catching booth…using large display boards that were decorated with posters, signs and promotional materials…personnel on duty even took train reservations which were later shuttled to the Central Reservations Office for insertion into the computer.” Amtrak’s enthusiastic employees were truly the best ambassadors to market its services. Other booths were manned by passenger rail advocates, departments of transportation, Operation Lifesaver and vendors of food and railroadiana.

To increase awareness for Family Days and ensure that there were activities for adults and kids, Amtrak often partnered with local groups to provide live music and entertainment. In Detroit, the waiting room of Michigan Central Station was decorated with “a towering balloon sculpture,” which provided the perfect backdrop for “youngsters from the city that presented programs of mime, roller skating, gymnastics, modern dance, singing and other skills.” Arts and crafts shows were also popular. In Los Angeles, one of the palm-filled courtyards was transformed into an outdoor art museum, while in Detroit, three of the exhibiting artists were chosen as candidates “to paint a large mural which will be installed over the ramp that leads to trackside.”

Excursion rides on modern, new equipment such as the Turboliner were always popular.

Giveaways usually included balloons, buttons and paper engineer’s caps for kids. An article in Amtrak NEWS about the LA event recalls: “The Amtrak and Trailways balloons and engineers’ caps distributed by the Santa Fe [Railway] led to a friendly rivalry between all three as to which had the best exposure in the crowd.” Meanwhile, adults could sign up to win free train travel.

For those lucky enough to get a ticket, Amtrak arranged excursion rides using the most modern equipment. From Los Angeles, a Superliner-equipped train headed to Glendale and back, while in Detroit, visitors could check out an RTG Turboliner on the way to Wayne Junction.

Visitors walk through the cab of a F40PH locomotive.

The highlight of any Family Days celebration was most likely the equipment displays, which were strategically arranged to allow visitors to compare the existing older cars and locomotives with brand new rolling stock. In Los Angeles, an old steam-powered coach was contrasted with a coach, diner and sleeping car that had been converted to modern electric head-end power. Further down the platform, an ex-Santa Fe Railway café-lounge-observation car was compared against a gleaming new Amfleet dinette, while an ex-Santa Fe Hi-Level transition coach-dormitory found its modern counterparts in a Superliner coach, diner and sleeping car. The latter was an especially apt grouping since the popular Hi-Levels served as the model for the new bi-level Superliner equipment that first entered service in October 1979. For those more interested in motive power, SDP40F and F40PH locomotives were also on view.

Visitors at Los Angeles could also see a variety of historic and modern buses, such as a double deck 1929 Gray Lines sight-seeing bus, a Grumman flexible transit bus and a Los Angeles Regional Transit District bus. A growing interest in intermodalism would land a painting of Los Angeles Union Station on the 1981 Amtrak calendar. Against the background of the glorious Art Deco station and its soaring tower, two Amtrak trains—with Amfleet and Superliner equipment—framed a collection of intercity and local transit buses.

The inaugural Lake Cities (left) breaks through a ribbon as it pulls into
Detroit's Michigan Central Station during Family Days.

Events in Detroit and Indianapolis centered around the introduction of new services: the Lake Cities (Chicago-Detroit-Toledo) and Hoosier State, respectively. Crowds cheered as the Lake Cities, using Turboliner equipment, “arrived promptly at 12:20 [Sunday] and sliced through a red, white and blue ribbon stretched across the tracks” by U.S. Representative Carl Pursell and Detroit Deputy Mayor Richard Simmons. The Hoosier State, which began operating a few days before the Family Days event in October 1980, marked the return of passenger rail service to the city following the discontinuance of the National Limited the previous year.

Although Family Days ceased by the mid-1980s, their spirit lives on in a new Amtrak tradition: National Train Day. Inaugurated in 2008 and celebrated each May, National Train Day marks the way that trains—intercity passenger, commuter and freight—drive the nation’s economy and connect us to one another. Attendees enjoy displays of historic and modern equipment, live entertainment, fun kids’ activities and train rides.

Do you have any Family Days memories? Share them with us!

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Sources consulted include:

National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Fiscal Year 1980 Annual Report.

----, “Detroit Family Days Attract 30,000 Visitors,” Amtrak News, August 1980, 1-3.

----, “Record Crowds Jam Station For Los Angeles Family Days,” Amtrak News, September-October 1980, 1-2.

----, “Indianapolis Host Family Days, 12,000 Attend Equipment Show,” Amtrak News, November 1980, 4.

Upon assuming the operation of the nation’s intercity passenger rail system in May 1971, Amtrak faced an obvious need to upgrade its locomotive and rolling stock fleets, which had been purchased or leased from the predecessor railroads. According to early annual reports, the newest cars Amtrak initially purchased had been built for the Union Pacific Railroad in the mid-1960s, but many others had been in service for decades and required cosmetic and mechanical system overhauls.

Superliner I cars were assembled by Pullman Standard at a plant
in Hammond, Ind.

Among the cars Amtrak purchased were 73 well-maintained bi-level cars from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. On average 10 years old, these popular “Hi-Levels” would influence the design of new Amtrak bi-level cars that entered the development and design phase in 1973. Engineering firm Louis T. Klauder & Associates won a request for proposals to work with Amtrak on the car specifications.¹

According to a 1982 article in Trains Magazine, during the specification writing, various ideas were put forth that in the end were not adopted. These included “a master tape deck for music, with individual car selection…a magazine rack by each water cooler; an illuminated message display…at each end of the car; [and] a sit-down conversation lounge on the lower level of each coach…”² Other ideas such as lower-level passage ways and stairways at each end of the cars were dismissed early on since they took away from revenue space.

Interior shell of a Superliner I coach.

Pullman Standard won the contract that, as amended, called for production of 102 coaches, 48 coach-baggage cars, 25 café/lounge cars, 70 sleepers and 39 diners. Manufacturing took place at a plant in Hammond, Ind., with the first units expected for delivery by mid-1977. The construction process was chronicled in the pages of Amtrak NEWS, the company’s monthly employee newsletter. A February 1977 article pointed out that the “bi-level cars will be the first new equipment in Amtrak’s history that will have been designed and built to its own requirements from the rail up.” New single-level Amfleet cars manufactured by the Budd Company had gone into service starting in 1975, but their design was closely based on the earlier Metroliners produced for the Pennsylvania Railroad.

Amtrak mechanical and electrical engineers with specialties in brake systems, car body mechanics (including couplers and suspension systems) and electrical, air conditioning, temperature control and waste disposal systems advised the principal design team as specifications for the bi-levels were drawn up. This helped ensure that Amtrak mechanical personnel charged with maintaining and repairing the equipment would be comfortable with all aspects down to the smallest details. The design office under Director of Design Raul Bravo also worked on specifications for an accessible bedroom to be located on the lower level of the sleeping cars.

A welder works on the underside of a Superliner.

Once the first car body was completed, Pullman Standard undertook a variety of tests to confirm it was consistent with specifications. Testing focused on collision post strength to evaluate the strength of car ends; compression resistance in the event of an accident; water-tightness to guarantee no moisture entered through joints; and evaluations of trucks, brakes and car clearance. Luckily, the first car passed its tests without the need for significant design revisions.

Although intended to enter service by summer 1977, the delivery of the initial cars was delayed by more than a year due to a 27 week strike by the United Steelworkers at the Pullman Standard plant. In the meantime, Amtrak undertook other initiatives in preparation for the arrival of the bi-levels.

The Superliners were the first cars built
entirely to Amtrak specifications.

Employees were encouraged to enter a contest to name the new cars. The top choice, “Vistaliner,” was suggested by two people: Sales Representative Doug Deaton of Battle Creek, Mich. and Mark Walburn, a junior engineer in Washington, D.C. The name recalled earlier streamlined Vista-Dome cars whose walls of windows allowed for panoramic views of the passing scenery. As a prize, Deaton and Walburn received free train trips for their families and themselves.

Other suggestions that rated highly included “Amcruiser,” “Vistalevel,” “USA Cruiser,” “Astroliner” and “Bi-liner.” Unfortunately, after a precautionary copyright search, it was determined that none of these entries could be used because they were held by other corporations. Ultimately, Needham, Harper & Steers, the Manhattan-based advertising agency used by Amtrak, developed the name “Superliner.”

National Operations staff worked to create a training and development plan for on-board service employees, and the mechanical department assembled maintenance manuals and spare parts lists. On-board service managers visited the design department to examine interior mock-ups and try out the seating while the design team explained its choice of materials.

Amtrak also moved forward with efforts to ensure that existing maintenance facilities were capable of servicing the Superliners. Of particular importance was the Chicago 12th Street yard south of Union Station, the origination point for Superliner-equipped trains with destinations such as Seattle, Oakland and Los Angeles. Following their purchase from Conrail in 1976, the 12th and 16th Street yards underwent a five-year modernization program that included upgraded electrical systems and installation of additional servicing and storage tracks.

Early interiors employed a brown, beige and gold color scheme.

Amtrak finally accepted the first Superliner in October 1978, and it was used for the training of on-board service and maintenance crews. Built to be pulled at speeds up to 100 mph, the cars measure 85 feet long (to the ends of the couplers), approximately 10 feet wide and 16 feet high. Similar to the Amfleet cars, the stainless steel exteriors feature fluting that gives them a sleek, aerodynamic appearance. A reporter for Amtrak NEWS described the cars’ “subdued” color scheme of browns, beiges and greys, noting that “seat upholstery is inspired by designs of the Southwestern Indians.” Interiors were carpeted on both floors and side walls to dampen sound and provide a quiet atmosphere.

Five Superliner I configurations were produced, although they have been modified over time:

• Coach: Upper level contains 62 seats in a 2x2 configuration, while the lower level had 15 (currently 12) seats, restrooms and mechanical equipment.
• Coach-Baggage: Similar to coaches, but lower level seating area replaced by compartment for checked baggage and upper level originally configured with higher-density seating.
• Dining Car: Upper level contains 18 tables seating 72 passengers, as well as a central serving area for the service attendants. Downstairs, the fluorescent-lighted, air-conditioned, all-electric kitchen originally had convection and microwave ovens, grill, toaster, coffee maker and warming table.⁴
• Sleeping Cars feature various accommodations:
• Roomette (originally Economy Bedroom) with two reclining seats that convert to a comfortable bed; an upper berth folds down from above. Roomettes are located on both upper and lower levels.
• Family Bedroom: Each room has a large sofa with two individually reclining sections. At night, the sofa converts to a bed, and an upper berth folds down from above. A reclining seat and a jump seat convert to two children’s berths.
• Bedroom (originally Deluxe Bedroom): Upper and lower beds are similar to the Family Bedroom, but the Deluxe Bedroom also contains a private washroom with shower. A sliding partition allows select bedrooms to be combined into a suite.
• Accessible Bedroom: Designed for wheelchair users, each has two beds and an accessible washroom that can accommodate the turning radius of a wheelchair.
• Sightseer Lounge: On the upper level, tall wrap-around windows allow unimpeded views of the surrounding landscape, and there are informally arranged swivel chairs and love seats. Downstairs, there is a café and table seating.

Playful drawings of Superliner equipment were used on
menus in 1979.

Coaches were the first Superliners produced, followed by diners and sleeping cars. By late 1979, Amtrak had received approximately 60 of the 284 cars and expected to accept eight new cars a month.  At an official Superliner unveiling ceremony held in Chicago on October 11, Amtrak President Alan Boyd enthused, “We at Amtrak think that our Superliners will mean as much to long-distance rail travel as the jumbo jets did for the airliners.” Members of the press boarded a display train with Superliner equipment; F40PHs on each end allowed for push-pull operation to create convenient photo and video opportunities.

The Empire Builder (Chicago-Seattle) was the first train to feature full Superliner service, with inaugural trains making their debut at the end of October. To mark the occasion, “Champagne was offered to adult passengers…and buttons and other souvenirs were distributed.” Earlier in the month, promotional trains with Superliner coaches, a diner and a sleeping car had covered the entire route, stopping at each Amtrak-served community to show off the new face of long-distance train travel. Visitors could tour the cars and learn about accommodations. At St. Cloud, Staples and Detroit Lakes in Minnesota, the display train welcomed approximately 5,000 enthusiastic visitors despite cool temperatures. After the Empire Builder, the first trains to receive Superliner equipment were the Desert Wind (Ogden, Utah-Los Angeles) and San Francisco Zephyr (Chicago-Oakland).

The Superliner-equipped California Zephyr glides alongside the Colorado River, c. 2000.

The final car in the 284-unit Superliner order arrived in 1981—representing a six year, $313 million capital investment on the part of the company. In that year’s Annual Report, the Superliners were touted as “the most appealing [train cars] in the world.” Increased capacity—Superliner coaches sat 77 passengers compared to 48 in older equipment, and sleepers accommodated 44 passengers versus 22 in the cars replaced—and better reliability were considered “key to the 11 percent ridership growth on long-distance trains” in fiscal year 1981.

Due to the success of the original Superliner equipment, which proved popular with customers and boosted Amtrak’s image as a modern, progressive railroad, the company placed a $340 million order for 140 additional cars in 1991. Constructed by Bombardier at plants in La Pocatiere, Quebec and Barre, Vt., the order included 38 coaches, 47 transition sleeper/dormitory cars, 25 lounge cars, 30 dining cars, 49 sleeping cars and 6 deluxe sleeping cars (the upper level contained all Bedrooms, instead of a mix of Roomettes and Bedrooms).⁵ The cars were intended to add capacity and replace Heritage equipment on the Capitol Limited (Washington-Chicago), Auto Train (Lorton, Va.-Sanford, Fla.) and City of New Orleans(Chicago-New Orleans).

Transition Sleepers include a mix of crew dormitory rooms
and passenger Roomettes.

The Superliner II order added a sixth car type, the transition sleeper/dormitory. As its name indicates, it acts as a transition between bi-level and single-level passenger cars. Most of these cars have a mixture of crew dormitory rooms and passenger Roomettes on the upper level; crew work space on the lower level; and public restrooms and showers on both levels.

The order for the “Superliner II” cars was later increased to 195 units and all were delivered to Amtrak by 1996. As of 2012, approximately 245 Superliner I cars were still in service and about 180 Superliner II cars were in use across the national system. Five of the Santa Fe Hi-Levels, the cars that inspired the Superliners, also remain in service on the Amtrak network. These Heritage cars, now known as Pacific Parlour cars, were refurbished in the 1990s for use as lounges for sleeping car passengers on the Coast Starlight (Los Angeles-Seattle). The Superliners, in turn, served as the basis for design of the bi-level cars used in California corridor service. Although dimensions are similar to the Superliners, these new units feature additional seating and two sets of doors on the lower level for quicker boarding and detraining.

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¹Weinman, Michael and Raymond Cavanaugh. “How to Design a Superliner,” Trains Magazine, August 1982.

²Ibid.

³“Amtrak food is prepared the old-fashioned way,” The [Fredericksburg, Va.] Free Lance-Star, October 6, 1977.

⁴“Amtrak Superliners to start Chicago-Seattle run Oct. 28,” Eugene Register-Guard, October 14, 1979.

⁵“Amtrak buying new long-distance cars,” Gainesville [Florida] Sun, April 23, 1991.

Additional Works Consulted

National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Annual Reports for fiscal years 1973-1981 and 1991-1996.

Articles from Amtrak NEWS:

“Corridor Takeover, New Equipment Highlight Amtrak’s 1976,” January 15, 1977, 1-3.

“Cooperative Engineering Efforts Result In Superior Bi-level Cars,” February 15, 1977, 4-5.

“Name The Bi-level Contest Winners Picked,” June 1, 1977, 2.

“On-board Managers Named,” June 15, 1977, 7.

“Pullman Strike Settled,” May 1978, 10.

“First Superliner Car Accepted,” November 1978, 1 and 11.

“Superliner Diner,” August 1979, 3.

“Superliners Go Into Service On Empire Builder Route,” November 1979, 1.

“Superliner Press Preview,” November 1979, 6.

“Superliner on Desert Wind, Zephyr; 403(B) Activity In Several States,” July 1980, 1-2.

“Superliner Update,” July 1980, 10.

Unlike many station stops along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) that were established more than a century ago, the Baltimore Washington International Airport-Thurgood Marshall Airport station is a recent addition, opening for service on October 26, 1980. In fiscal year 2013, it ranked as the twelfth busiest station in the Amtrak national network.

The BWI Airport-Thurgood Marshall Airport station is served by
Amtrak and MARC trains.

Among U.S. passenger rail stations, BWI Airport-Thurgood Marshall Airport holds the special distinction as the first facility built specifically to link rail and air systems, an important milestone in intermodal transportation planning. Local residents from as far south as Washington, D.C. and as far north as Perryville, Md. can reach the station via Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) rail, while residents of the greater Northeast have access by Northeast Regional and Acela Express trains.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) studied the idea of constructing a rail station on the airport grounds in 1969, but nothing immediately came of the concept, most likely due to the ongoing upheavals in the Northeast’s passenger rail network as symbolized by the bankruptcy of the Penn Central Railroad. Over the next decade, the federal government would step in to oversee the reorganization of the region’s freight and passenger rail systems, a process that gave birth to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation—better known as Amtrak—and Conrail, its freight-oriented equivalent.

The Pennsylvania Railroad electrified the southern leg
of the NEC in the 1930s.

With these new companies in place, attention turned to upgrading and improving rail infrastructure, particularly the vital NEC between Washington and Boston. On the southern leg below New York City, the last major investments had taken place in the early 20th century when the Pennsylvania Railroad straightened the right-of-way, constructed soaring viaducts to separate the railroad from ground-level traffic, and later electrified the line.

A renewed push for the new BWI Rail Station came in the years leading up to the country’s bicentennial in 1976, during which people were expected to travel up and down the East Coast to attend commemorative programs and events. The bicentennial was specifically mentioned by Maryland Senator J. Glenn Beall, Jr. when he wrote U.S. Secretary of Transportation William T. Coleman in early 1975 asking that a rail station be added to the NEC near the airport.¹

Beall noted in his letter, “The strategic location of BWI between Washington and Baltimore with the terminal only 1.5 miles from the main rail line makes this site ideal for a rail station.”² Shuttle buses would move passengers between the airport and station. The senator believed a new station at the airport supported bicentennial planning efforts because it would allow air travelers to head directly for Washington Union Station, then undergoing a transformation to serve as the National Visitors’ Center. Additional support for the project was voiced by others in the Maryland Congressional delegation, including Senator Charles McC. Mathias, Jr. and Congresswoman Marjorie Holt.

The BWI Rail Station was built close to growing Baltimore
Washington International Airport and major highways.

Amtrak did not immediately back the proposed station, as a new five to ten minute stop would impact train schedules up and down the NEC. Amtrak spokesman Jerry Friedheim wrote Senator Beall: “While we agree that [the idea] has merit, we do not believe that Amtrak is the agency that can most effectively operate such a connection.”³ The company, then only four years old, was mindful of its mandate to operate an intercity passenger rail system, and the BWI connection seemed a better candidate for commuter rail service. At the end of 1975, Congress approved $1.5 million for a “modest” facility as part of the 1976 appropriations spending bill, but this amount was later doubled.⁴ Although envisioned as a bicentennial project, the BWI Rail Station would not move forward until 1978.

In the intervening years, Amtrak finally gained trackage of its own. Under the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (known as the 4R Act), Congress authorized funds for Amtrak to purchase the majority of the 457 mile NEC from Conrail. Used by intercity, commuter and freight carriers, an average 960 trains ran over the NEC each day, including 120 Amtrak trains. In addition to track, Amtrak obtained stations, maintenance shops and rail yards as well as other property.

Building on the transfer of the corridor, the 4R Act also funded a five year, $1.75 billion program—known as the Northeast Corridor Improvement Project (NECIP)—for upgrading railroad infrastructure. Improvements to tracks, stations, electrical systems, signals and other components were expected to modernize the railroad for the next generation and reduce trip times, thereby strengthening intercity passenger rail as an alternative to driving or flying.

The federally funded Northeast Corridor Improvement Project
allowed Amtrak to undertake needed upgrades to the rail line
between Washington and Boston.

Just as the NEC through Maryland was being rebuilt, work progressed at the airport to increase capacity. Dedicated by President Harry Truman in June 1950 and first known as Friendship International Airport, the facility was purchased by the state from the city of Baltimore in 1972. In 1979, as the rail station was under construction, the state concluded a $70 million project to double the size of the air passenger terminal.

In the August 1978 edition of employee magazine Amtrak NEWS, an article stated that construction was to begin that fall on a “2,850-square-foot [station] building…designed for projected passenger usage in the 1980s, incorporating modern ticketing facilities, a passenger lounge and a vending area.”⁵ The station was built to modern accessibility standards as set out in the Amtrak Standard Stations Program guidelines. Under an agreement with the state, Amtrak oversaw construction of the depot, high-level platforms, overhead bridge and track. Maryland provided the land, adjoining parking lot and road access. Future maintenance and operations costs would be shared between the state and Amtrak.

More than 400 people attended the station dedication, which included speeches and a reception.

The official ribbon-cutting took place on Thursday, October 23, 1980—a “cool but sunshiny day”—before a crowd of approximately 400 persons representing the federal, state and local governments, Amtrak and the airlines. The Severna Park High School Band serenaded guests with musical selections, followed by the dedication at five minutes past noon.

Among the speakers was Senator Mathias, who noted, “This is an excellent example of cooperation between the federal and state governments and local agencies in pursuit of an energy-efficient method for moving people.”⁶ Mathias’ statement was timely, as fiscal year 1979 had proved to be the best ridership year to date for Amtrak, due in part to the continuing energy crisis that encouraged Americans to look beyond their cars to fulfill transportation needs.

Listening to Bill Norman, Amtrak Vice President of Marketing, the company’s stance towards the station had also changed. He told the crowd: “The linking of rail passenger service with this major international airport should significantly contribute toward increasing our train ridership not only in the Washington-Baltimore corridor, but throughout the Atlantic seaboard as well.”⁷ The sentiment echoed growing calls from the U.S. DOT urging for greater coordination between Amtrak, commuter rail, intercity bus and local transit systems.

Sketch of the BWI Rail Station from an early brochure.

Following the speeches and good wishes, the crowd enjoyed refreshments, including sandwiches and pastries, as well as celebratory champagne, provided by the airlines.⁸ Attendees could tour the modern cast-concrete depot and then board a bus to see the new airport terminal. An added treat was an invitation to visit the historic Baltimore Inner Harbor, which had become a model for waterfront redevelopment studied the world over.

Regular passenger rail service began three days later. Train schedules were negotiated through a joint effort of Amtrak and Maryland’s State Aviation and State Railroad administrations. The initial timetable included ten Amtrak trains, such as the Colonial (Boston-Newport News) and Chesapeake (Washington-Philadelphia), but not the premium, high-speed Metroliner Service. Four Conrail commuter trains also stopped each weekday.

Ridership via Amtrak and MARC grew in the late 1980s when BWI Airport became an USAir/Piedmont Airlines hub, and again in the late 1990s as Southwest Airlines expanded its presence. In response, one morning northbound Metroliner Service train began stopping at the station in April 1987, and additional Metroliner Service and regional trains were added in subsequent years.  The station also became a popular MARC stop used by residents in the western Baltimore suburbs, with connections available via local transit and state commuter bus lines.

Station personnel pose for a photo following the dedication.

Fast forwarding three decades, more than 710,000 Amtrak passengers used the BWI Airport-Thurgood Marshall Airport station last year, and it was served by an average 60 daily trains.⁹ The state of Maryland is currently laying the foundation for future upgrades. Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the state received $9.4 million in federal funds to provide engineering work and environmental studies to advance construction of a new depot, platforms and pedestrian-access improvements. The grant will also support efforts to construct a fourth track in the area to allow for the more efficient movement of Amtrak and MARC trains.

Today, the BWI Airport-Thurgood Marshall Airport station no longer holds the distinction of America’s sole "air-rail-ground transportation complex," as it has been joined by four similar facilities. Since 1990, the Pacific Surfliner has served the Burbank-Airport Metrolink station adjacent to the Bob Hope Airport. Travelers can walk to the air terminals or hop on a shuttle bus. Newark Liberty International Airport station opened to the public in Fall 2001 to provide a link to Amtrak and New Jersey Transit. The AirTrain monorail connects the station and the airport terminals. South of Milwaukee, the modern brick and glass Milwaukee-General Mitchell International Airport station opened in early 2005. A free shuttle bus provides transportation to and from the air passenger terminal. That same year, the Oakland-Coliseum station opened on the Capitol Corridor route. Passengers can walk to the nearby BART station to catch the AirBART shuttle to Oakland International Airport.

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¹James D. Dilts, “Beall seeks BWI rail station to handle bicentennial crush,” The Baltimore Sun, May 8, 1975.

²Ibid.

³Ibid.

⁴“BWI rail station to be built with federal grant,” The Baltimore Sun, November 17, 1975.

⁵National Railroad Passenger Corporation, “Board Approves Corridor Air/Rail Facility, Beech Grove Program, St. Louis Station,” Amtrak NEWS, August 1978, 1.

⁶National Railroad Passenger Corporation, “Nation’s First Air-Rail-Ground Terminal Dedicated At Baltimore International Airport,” Amtrak NEWS, November 1980, 6-7.

⁷Ibid.

⁸Ibid.

⁹The rail station gained its current name after the airport was renamed in honor of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, a Maryland native, in 2005.

In total, 130 single-level Viewliner II cars will be manufactured at the CAF USA plant in Elmira, N.Y.

Amtrak invited press and media representatives to Elmira, N.Y. in late October to tour the manufacturing facility where CAF USA is building the railroad 130 new single-level long-distance cars. CAF USA, the American subsidiary of Spanish railway manufacturing firm Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, S.A, won the $298 million contract in July 2010. Leading the tour were Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman, CAF CEO Andrés Arizkorreta, and Tom Carper, member of the Amtrak Board of Directors. According to CAF USA, more than 400 employees were hired to perform manufacturing and final assembly jobs, and parts have been sourced from more than 120 suppliers in 25 states. Boardman commented, "Amtrak is a major driver in the rebirth of an American rail manufacturing and supplier base that is strengthening our national economic health."

CAF USA hired more than 400 people to work on
the Viewliner II order.

Known as Viewliner II, the stainless steel cars are modeled after the single-level Viewliner I cars built for Amtrak in the mid-1990s. The order includes 25 Sleeping cars, 25 Dining cars, 55 Baggage cars and 25 Baggage/Dormitory cars. Most cars will be deployed on eastern routes including the Lake Shore Limited, Cardinal and Silver Service, but the Baggage cars will be used across the country.

A CAF USA employee working on a car interior.

This new equipment is a key component in the Amtrak Fleet Strategy Plan addressing the long-term need for rolling stock and locomotives. Its arrival will allow Amtrak to retire older Heritage equipment dating from the mid-20th century. The new cars will also supplement the existing fleet to support growth across the national passenger rail system, improve financial and on-time performance and foster a more modern, progressive image for the railroad. After one of each type of car is field tested over the winter, the first units should enter revenue service in summer 2014. The full order is expected to be delivered by late 2015.

Each car measures approximately 85' long, 14' high and 10.5' across at the widest point. Capable of moving at speeds of up to 125 mph, the Viewliner II cars will be interoperable with the Viewliner I, Amfleet II (long-distance), Horizon and remaining Heritage cars, as well as all Amtrak electric and diesel road locomotives.

The Sleeping cars include 11 Roomettes, two Bedrooms and one Accessible Bedroom. Interior components, which are installed in a modular system, are being manufactured separately by RailPlan. Unlike the Viewliner I design, the Roomettes do not include toilets; passengers will share two restrooms and a shower at one end of the car. The Dining cars seat 46 and include full-service galley kitchens; carts that roll on and off the cars allow for easier stocking via a side door. Bicycle racks have been added to the Baggage cars. Overall, the cars offer passengers modern interiors, improved lighting and more efficient air conditioning and heating systems.

Superliner cars were too tall for some tunnels in
the Northeast.

Amtrak leadership laid the foundation for the original Viewliner program in 1982. Although the Heritage equipment, some of which dated to the 1940s, had been overhauled and converted from steam heat to electric head end power, company planners knew that most of these units would reach the end of their useful lives by the 1990s. In 1979, Amtrak had introduced the bi-level Superliners, but at 16' high, they were simply too tall for many of the older tunnels in the Northeast.

An interdepartmental task force composed of representatives from the Equipment Engineering, Maintenance, On-Board Services, Operations, Marketing and Planning departments was assembled to develop a “design concept that could be used for various car types [including] coaches, sleepers, diners, lounges, baggage cars and bag dormitory cars.”¹ The group decided on two rows of windows so that lower and upper berths in the Sleeping cars have their own window. The extra windows have the effect of making the interiors seem more spacious and also provide wonderful views of the passing scenery.

In response to passenger surveys cited by the Marketing department, each room included a toilet and sink.² William Norman, Amtrak Executive Vice President, later commented on the Sleeping car design: “[We] really looked at this car from the perspective of the passenger in trying to determine what the passenger wants, what the passenger needs in order to have the most satisfying kind of experience.”³

Budd manufactured the car shells for the prototype Viewliners.

Taking into account these major ideas, the Equipment Engineering department proceeded with preliminary design for Sleeping, Dining and Baggage cars that would measure 85’4” long over the couplers and 14’ high. One standardized stainless steel car shell was developed that with minor modifications could accommodate all car types. It is widest at the belt rail—10’6” across—and then tapers towards the roof. Keeping with the idea of standardization, the fiberglass interior components came in modular units. In Sleeping cars, this meant that rooms did not share a common wall, thereby cutting down on noise and vibration to produce a quieter environment.

A side opening measuring 84" wide allowed workers to slide components into the car for installation. Rather than having multiple workers operating in the tight confines of the car, the modular units could be assembled off-site and easily slid into place. Norman pointed to another benefit of this modular system: “If we run into a major problem with one of the [Sleeping car] rooms, we can replace the whole room…[allowing] flexibility in our maintenance.”⁴ The car design maximized revenue space by placing major systems such as air conditioning, toilet waste, water tanks and air brake valves below the floor.

At the Beech Grove, Ind. shops, Amtrak employees installed
the modular sleeping compartments.

Once Amtrak completed work on the drawings and specifications, it solicited quotes from manufacturers to build three prototype units: two Sleeping cars and one Dining car. The Budd Company, which had produced the popular Amfleet cars in the mid-1970s, won the contract to manufacture the car shells, while Fiber Source of Salt Lake City made the interior modules. Amtrak installed system components from various companies in order to test designs and parts.

The prototype Sleeping cars featured 17 rooms (14 Roomettes, two Bedrooms and one Accessible Bedroom) that together accommodated 34 passengers—far more than the 22 typical of old 10-6 Heritage Sleeping cars. When the Viewliner Sleeping cars later went into production, two of the passenger Roomettes were eliminated to provide a shower facility and a room for the Sleeping Car Attendant.

Prototype interiors incorporated a "burgundy and
sand" color scheme .

Budd sent the completed shells to the Beech Grove, Ind. shops between September 1985 and early 1986.  Amtrak employees then installed the interior modules, wiring and car systems. Following a period of extensive testing during which the cars were subjected to temperatures as high as 130F and as low as -30F, the prototypes were finally ready for use on revenue trains.

The cars were assigned to various routes starting in early 1988. Amtrak actively solicited feedback from passengers, On-Board Services personnel and maintenance crews. A flyer informed passengers that “You are travelling during a time when Amtrak is testing the sleeping car of the future…Modifications to the prototype are ongoing and may require that the Viewliner be substituted with another sleeping car.”

As the cars moved around the national system, Amtrak held special receptions so invited guests could see the equipment up close. After touring a Sleeping car, a reporter for the Chicago Tribune noted: “The innovative design elements inside the…sleeper are readily apparent and impressive…the cramped feeling of the old low-level cars was eliminated…[and] every bedroom and compartment essentially is a story and a half high.”⁵

Amtrak initially planned to order up to 600 cars at a cost of $720-$900 million, but company finances delayed the first purchase until late 1992. Morrison Knudsen won a $100 million contract to build 50 Viewliner Sleeping cars, with Amtrak retaining options for up to 222 additional units.⁶

The Sleeping cars as built feature various accommodations:

• Roomette with two reclining seats that convert to a comfortable bed; an upper berth lowers from the ceiling. A toilet and sink with fold-down covers act as the staircase to access the upper berth.
• Bedroom: Each room has a large sofa that converts into a bed, while an upper berth folds down from above. A chair sits opposite the sofa next to the window. The room also includes an enclosed bathroom with shower. A sliding partition allows the two Bedrooms to be converted into a suite.
• Accessible Bedroom: Designed for wheelchair users, each has two beds and an accessible washroom with shower that can accommodate the turning radius of a wheelchair.

Although designed for two adults, both the Bedrooms and the Accessible Bedroom can also accommodate a small child.

Prototype Viewliner Sleeping car no. 2300; Note the central
panel allowing access to the interior.

Morrison Knudsen, which later spun off its transit car manufacturing unit as a new corporation—American Passenger Rail Car Company (Amerail)—delivered the first cars to Amtrak in fall 1995. The car bodies were built at Morrison Knudsen’s Chicago plant but assembled at its facility in Hornell, N.Y.⁷ As of 2012, all these cars were still in active use. The three prototype cars were removed from service in the early 2000s since they had some test components that were not included in the final production units. In 2011, the prototype Dining car was refurbished and returned to service.

Explore additional images of the prototype Viewliner I cars and the Viewliner II assembly line.

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¹Engelhardt, Charles J. (1986). Amtrak’s Prototype Car Program: An Update. Washington, D.C.: National Railroad Passenger Corporation.

²Ibid.

³Alfred Borcover, “Amtrak introduces new sleeper car,” The Chicago Tribune, Dec. 27, 1987.

⁴Ibid.

⁵Ibid.

⁶“Company News; Morrison Knudsen Awarded Amtrak Contract” The New York Times, Dec. 4, 1992.

⁷Ibid.

On the first weekend in November, Amtrak is running a special train called the “Autumn Express” that will travel through southeastern Pennsylvania and northeastern Maryland. Gazing out the windows, passengers will enjoy a dazzling show of fall foliage in rich oranges, yellows, golds and reds.

In addition to traveling over the Amtrak-owned Northeast Corridor and Keystone Corridor, the train will make a special trip up the historic Port Road Branch along the Susquehanna River, a rail line that has not had regularly scheduled passenger service since 1978. In addition, on-board narration will describe the landscape and landmarks along the route.

Since the early days of railroading, special trains such as the “Autumn Express” have traditionally been commemorated with souvenirs such as buttons, hats and printed programs. Combing through the Amtrak Archives, we decided to take a look at some of the commemorative tickets issued over the years.

This vibrant orange card was distributed to guests invited for the maiden run of new Amfleet equipment between Washington and Philadelphia on August 3, 1975. It features a blue ink drawing of the tubular cars, with trailing lines indicating movement at high speed. The first of the new single-level Amfleet cars went into revenue service four days later. This ticket not only guaranteed a spot on the train but could also be kept as a memento of this special trip.

Manufactured by the Budd Company, the Amfleet cars are based on the design of the popular Metroliners and were intended to replace older equipment purchased from the predecessor railroads. Covered in ridged stainless steel, the cars can achieve a top speed of 125 mph. The Amfleet cars came in five configurations: short- and long-distance Coaches and Cafe, Dinette and Club cars. Early advertisements touted the cars’ “dual temperature control system…plush carpeting…and wider, more comfortable reclining seats to relax in.”

As part of the nation’s bicentennial celebrations, a unique “American Freedom Train” toured the country in 1975 and 1976. Pulled primarily by restored steam locomotives, its display cars contained exhibits with items including a dress worn by Judy Garland in the Wizard of Oz and a piece of moon rock. The train covered all 48 contiguous states and was visited by more than seven million people.

One of the borrowed locomotives, ex-Southern Pacific (SP) no. 4449, needed to be returned to Portland, Ore., following the conclusion of the “American Freedom Train” tour in Miami. At the suggestion of the organizers, Amtrak agreed to pull a special revenue train led by no. 4449 from Birmingham, Ala. to Portland.

The round-end Dome Observation car was popular 
with passengers.

The locomotive had run in revenue service from 1941 until 1957, when it was donated to the city of Portland and placed on static display. In 1974, it was restored for use on the “American Freedom Train” and given a patriotic red, white and blue paint scheme. Today, it is the only surviving example of a SP GS-4 class, streamlined 4-8-4 type steam locomotive and is maintained by the non-profit Friends of SP 4449.

The Amtrak "Transcontinental Steam Excursion" train traveled 3,655 miles, arriving at its destination on May 1, 1977, the sixth anniversary of the start of Amtrak operations. It stopped in 61 cities and carried approximately 9,700 passengers who usually boarded for short segments—this vintage style commemorative ticket was for the leg between Yuma, Ariz. and Los Angeles. Round-end Dome Observation car no. 9310, which brought up the rear of the train, proved a popular gathering spot. According to an article in the May 15, 1977, issue of Amtrak NEWS, people came from as far as New Zealand to participate in this rare American steam railroading experience. Along the route, rail fans stopped to take photos and video of the train and record the sound of the steam locomotive. In 2009, SP no. 4449 led another Amtrak-operated excursion across the country from Portland, Ore. to the Train Festival in Owosso, Mich.¹

The inaugural special of thePioneer (Seattle-Salt Lake City) ran from June 4-6, 1977, followed by the start of revenue service on the 7th. Members of the press and state and local political and transportation officials rode aboard the train, and at each stop, the general public was invited to tour the new Amfleet equipment. According to an article in Amtrak NEWS, the busiest stops were at Boise, Idaho and Pendleton, Ore.—each had more than 3,000 visitors. In La Grande, Ore., members of the high school wrestling team washed the train with brushes and buckets, and the money earned was spent on a summer camp.

Senator Church speaks to the crowd in Shoshone.

U.S. Senator Frank Church of Idaho rode between Ontario and Pocatello. In Boise, Church told the crowd, “I believe we’ll find that this rail transportation supplements the buses, supplements the airplanes and brings Idaho back where we’re part of the country again.” Commenting on the trip, he also noted, “I’d almost forgotten how nice it is to see the landscape, to see the communities, to have contact with the country you’re riding through.”²

Initially designated as a two year experimental route, the Pioneer operated until 1997.

As Amtrak entered its second decade, it began an international partnership with VIA Rail Canada to operate the Maple Leaf (New York-Toronto), which crosses the border at spectacular Niagara Falls. In a unique arrangement that continues today, Amtrak provides the equipment; Amtrak operates the train as it travels up the Hudson River and across New York, but once it clears customs at Niagara Falls, Ontario, VIA employees take over. The inaugural train employed single-level Amfleet equipment including Coaches and a Dinette.

Prior to the formation of Amtrak and VIA, there were two other Maple Leaf passenger trains, both of which crossed the international border to reach Toronto. The Grand Trunk Western Railroad ran a service from Chicago, while a joint Lehigh Valley/Canadian National service originated in New York. Like many Amtrak trains heading west or north from New York City, the Maple Leaf served Grand Central Terminal until 1991, when the new West Side Connection allowed for the consolidation of Amtrak services at Penn Station.

This commemorative ticket is in the red and white color scheme of the Canadian flag and features stars and maple leaves symbolizing the United States and Canada, respectively. By some accounts, the maple leaf has been a symbol of Canada since the early 18th century. The ticket also includes the French “Bon Voyage,” as Canada recognizes both English and French as official languages in all federal institutions.

Based on the success of this Amtrak/VIA Rail partnership, the companies joined forces again the next year to launch the International Limited (Chicago-Toronto). It used equipment from both carriers and operated until 2004, when the Amtrak-operated segment was replaced by the Chicago-to-Port Huron Blue Water.

The newly branded Amtrak Cascades service debuted in 1998. Funded in partnership with the Washington State Department of Transportation and the Oregon Department of Transportation, three frequencies connecting Seattle and Portland used leased European-style, articulated train sets designed by the Spanish firm Patentes Talgo SA—commonly known as Talgo. New Talgo train sets owned by Washington State were introduced in 1999.

In July 2006, a fourth Seattle-Portland roundtrip was added to the timetable for enhanced mid-day service. Guests were invited to Seattle King Street Station for refreshments and entertainment before boarding the inaugural train for the southbound journey.

The Amtrak Cascades brand debuted in 1998.

By 2017, Washington and Oregon expect to add two additional roundtrips between Seattle and Portland. To ensure there is sufficient equipment available to support the current Portland-Eugene service, Oregon recently purchased two new Talgo train sets to complement the three owned by Washington and two others belonging to Amtrak. Each Oregon train set will provide seating for up to 275 passengers. Like the other Talgos, these new ones feature advanced technology that allows the train to tilt into curves without having to significantly decrease speed. In all, this tilt technology shortens current travel between Seattle and Portland by 25 minutes.

¹“Vintage Steam Train Continues Journey through Spokane,” The Spokesmen-Review, October 20, 2009.

² National Railroad Passenger Corporation, “Thousands Crowd Stations to See Pioneer Inaugural Run,” Amtrak NEWS, June 15, 1977, 1-5.

Delicious holiday meals are a railroad tradition, providing passengers a taste of home even when they are traveling the rails. The Amtrak Archives contains a specially printed menu, probably from the 1970s, that provides a glimpse into a typical Thanksgiving meal served on-board in that era. For the entrée, passengers could choose between native Tom turkey with apple-pecan stuffing or baked sugar-cured ham with raisin sauce and candied yams. Pumpkin pie Chantilly made for a classic holiday dessert. The paper menu features a decorative background incorporating a pilgrim hat, pumpkin, multicolor flint corn and fall harvest fruits.

At the time this menu was printed, long-distance passengers may have enjoyed their Thanksgiving meal in a Heritage Fleet Dining car such as the one depicted in the postcard below. When Amtrak took over most of the nation's intercity passenger rail services in 1971, the company purchased and leased locomotives and rolling stock from the predecessor railroads. The Dining car in this image retains the interior décor, delicate songbirds and a trellised ceiling, installed by its previous owner. By 1979, new Superliner equipment began replacing Heritage Dining cars on western trains, but in the East, units were refurbished and remain in use today. The new single-level long-distance cars being built by CAF USA will allow for their retirement within the next few years.

Until it could order its own china pattern, Amtrak used pieces from the Santa Fe Railway and other former passenger railroads. The blue sugar bowl and bud vase on the table were part of an early set of serving pieces made for Amtrak by the Hall China Company of Ohio that also included teapots, coffeepots, creamers and pitchers. Referred to as the “Amtrak National” pattern, they have a medium blue glaze and are noted for their angular handles. Other china used in Amtrak's first decade included plates and bowls manufactured by the Mayer China Company and then the Homer Laughlin Company; they have a white base with a blue rim.

Today, Amtrak still offers long-distance passengers a Thanksgiving feast. The traditional meal includes sliced turkey breast with stuffing and gravy, as well as sides of three grain rice and cranberry sauce. To finish on a sweet note, diners may choose between gelato, sorbet or cake.

Never eaten on a long-distance train? Check out the Amtrak Blog for some useful tips and advice.

From all of us at Amtrak, we wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving!

Amtrak marked its 10th Anniversary in 1981.

Thinking back over all that had happened in 1981, Amtrak President and CEO Alan Boyd wrote, “In perspective, [it] was the corporation’s finest hour.” While Amtrak celebrated its 10th birthday, it also experienced ramifications from “an abrupt redirection of federal funding philosophy” under the new administration of President Ronald Reagan.

Boyd highlighted the positive news for the fiscal year: 16 percent revenue growth; four percent growth in passenger miles; 11 percent ridership increase on long-distance trains, primarily credited to the new Superliner equipment; and a 50 percent decline in customer complaints, again attributed to new cars and locomotives. These numbers were all the more impressive considering that the nation had entered a recession in 1980 and the unemployment rate was on the rise.

Since 1971, total revenues had risen 311 percent to $506.3 million, corresponding with a 60 percent increase in passenger miles traveled. In 1981, approximately 21 million customers boarded Amtrak trains at 525 stations spread across 44 states. Ranked against major passenger carriers such as Greyhound, Delta and United Airlines, Amtrak emerged as the country’s sixth largest intercity public transportation company.

By the 1980s, Amtrak had emerged as the country's sixth largest
intercity public transportation company.

Substantial investments in the locomotive and rolling stock fleets led to improvements in on-time-performance and equipment reliability noticed by customers. New single and bi-level cars operated across the system, and older cars were substantially refurbished in-house at the Beech Grove, Ind. maintenance facility. Work also continued on the Northeast Corridor Improvement Project and general station upgrades.

In January, Ronald Reagan was inaugurated as the 40th president of the United States. Believing in a smaller role for government and a need to cut spending, his administration reevaluated federal support for a variety of programs, including intercity passenger rail. Planning for fiscal year 1982, Amtrak asked for federal support of $970 million, while the Reagan administration countered with a proposed $613 million budget.

During appearances before congressional appropriations committees and advocacy groups, Boyd noted that the president’s proposal likely meant that Amtrak would have to stop all service in 36 states outside of the Northeast Corridor (NEC).¹ Approximately 14,500 employees would be let go, and the 284 new Superliners—representing a $313 million, six year investment—would go into storage since they were too tall to operate on most long-distance routes originating in the Northeast. Boyd pointed out that about half of the operating budget would be siphoned off to cover required labor protection payments to laid-off union workers.²

Severe budget cuts would have sidelined the new Superliner fleet.

Taking stock of the improvements to the passenger rail system under Amtrak, Boyd had difficulty understanding the administration’s reasoning. In an April interview with The New York Times, he commented, “It would be a tragedy if we get cut off just as we are about to succeed in carrying out the 1970 Congressional mandate to establish a sound national rail system. We have renovated our equipment, improved stations, put new equipment on order, and now they want to lose all of that. It just isn’t right.”³

Boyd and the Amtrak board of directors responded to the president’s budget number by reducing the original Amtrak request to $842 million. In the end, following months of negotiations between the executive branch and Congress, Amtrak received funding of $735 million. Closing the year, Boyd wrote in the annual report, “The Corporation again was placed in the position of defending itself, facing a level of scrutiny and challenge seldom known to most American companies. Yet, the mounting record of achievement stated a persuasive argument for support.”

In response to reduced funding, some routes—generally those with the lowest ridership and cost recovery—were discontinued. They included the Shenandoah (Washington-Cincinnati), Cardinal (Washington-Chicago)⁴, North Star (Chicago-Duluth) and Pacific International (Seattle-Vancouver, B.C.). Metroliner Service and regular regional services on the NEC were also trimmed. The Inter-American (Chicago-Laredo/Houston) became a tri-weekly train south of St. Louis. Amtrak also initiated workforce reductions, and freshly prepared meals in Dining cars were replaced by microwaved tray meals. On the upside, a positive development was the initiation of the Washington-Chicago Capitol Limited, which was combined with the Broadway Limited (New York-Chicago) west of Pittsburgh and also replaced that train’s Washington section.

In the wake of budget talks, Amtrak stressed the need for a consistent federal funding source for passenger rail. According to the company, it should take the form of a “grant system with the federal government, at a level paralleling the indirect government subsidies all other U.S. public transportation modes enjoy…With budgetary consistency, long-term planning can bring more rapid progress toward declining federal grant allocations and ultimate self-sufficiency.”

Amtrak focused on the long-term by creating a Corporate Development department “to pursue asset utilization and diversification projects to generate additional corporate revenue.” Boyd stressed that “[these] programs are not intended to replace or infringe upon passenger train activities.”

With the purchase of the Northeast Corridor in 1976, Amtrak had taken possession of key real estate holdings in major East Coast cities including Philadelphia and Washington. The corporation began to consider development of vacant parcels and air-rights. A mixed-use project was proposed for 30 acres north of Philadelphia 30th Street Station and Amtrak worked as part of a consortium to develop the Gateway IV office building over tracks leading to Chicago Union Station. By the end of 1981, revenue from leasing of concessions and land amounted to $16.6 million—a 33 percent increase over the previous year.

Amtrak aggressively marketed the skills of Beech Grove employees.

The Northeast Corridor’s prime location—passing through major city centers—also made it attractive to developers of a revolutionary new communications infrastructure: fiber optics. Amtrak entered into negotiations with carriers interested in installing a fiber optic network along the NEC from Boston to Washington. Amtrak would be a commercial user, gain a train service communications system and receive revenue by leasing the space. Plans also called for the company to better market the expertise of craft workers at Beech Grove, where rail cars owned by transit agencies could be overhauled, rehabilitated or assembled.

The search for cost efficiencies also extended to contract negotiations with 15 non-operating labor unions covering employees such as machinists, electricians and coach cleaners. Amtrak sought work rule reforms and a cooperative labor-management approach to increase productivity. The latter resulted in the establishment of the Joint Labor/Management Productivity Council in 1982, in which management and union representatives identified areas of mutual concern, suggested resolutions to existing problems and highlighted potential productivity improvements.

Express Metroliner Service trains between New York and
Washington only stopped in Philadelphia and Baltimore.

Other long-term investments also came to fruition in 1981, including the completion of the Chicago Maintenance Facility. The five-year, $44 million construction project produced a new locomotive building that protected workers from the elements; coach yard with servicing and storage tracks, platforms and electrical systems; commissary; and other structures. Services previously spread over a half-dozen Chicago facilities were now consolidated, leading to annual workforce and operations savings estimated at $9.2 million.

A popular marketing campaign, “See America at See-Level,” launched with colorful advertisements depicting the gorgeous landscapes visible through every train window. The Marketing department carefully directed its limited budget to the 26 highest potential markets. Outside of the NEC, Amtrak made sure to mention improved ride quality due to $15 billion in recent track and right-of-way capital improvements made by the freight railroads. State-supported programs in New York, Michigan and California also provided significant improvements to the roadbed.

Between Washington and Boston, work progressed on the Northeast Corridor Improvement Project. Although the long-term gains would be great, in the short-term the continuous work and schedule adjustments—including longer train run times—contributed to a dip in NEC ridership. Airline industry deregulation also led to fare wars in the Northeast that hurt rail ridership. In an effort to recapture some of the lost traffic, Amtrak introduced express Metroliner Service trips between New York and Washington whose trip times were less than three hours.

Having revamped the national intercity passenger rail system,
Amtrak looked ahead to the future: high-speed rail.

Based on the success of high-speed rail in Europe, Amtrak set its sights on the future by considering the possibilities of a similar system in the United States. Amtrak noted that the company’s first decade had been dedicated to reestablishing and efficiently operating the “conventional passenger train network,” but also foresaw that a high-speed system with dedicated track could “herald America’s entry into the 21st Century for rail passenger transportation.”

Looking to the future, the annual report summed up the keys to “unlocking rail travel’s fascinating new potential” as Amtrak entered its second decade: contemporary contractual arrangements with rail labor unions; development of human resources; capital investment; funding consistency; business development and diversification; and development of high-speed trains. These efforts would be championed by W. Graham Claytor, Jr., a new Amtrak president and CEO who would define the company in the 1980s.

¹ Carole Shifrin, “Is Amtrak headed for derailment?,” The Milwaukee Journal, May 4, 1981.

² Ibid.

³Ernest Holsendolph, “Amtrak Chief Looks to Congress for Aid,” The New York Times, April 26, 1981.

⁴ The Cardinal was reinstated as a tri-weekly New York-Chicago train in 1982.

In addition to the above links, sources consulted include:

National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Annual Reports  for fiscal years 1980-1982.

For many, fall is all about football, when fans can revel in college and professional games on television or walk over to their local high school to enjoy a big Friday night match up. Over the years, Amtrak has often marketed its services to football fans, especially in cases where stadiums are conveniently located near stations. 

In the 1970s, Amtrak promoted the Panama Limited (Chicago-New Orleans) as a great way for residents of western Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi to reach New Orleans for Saints home games. Amtrak encouraged folks to “take our stylish Amfleet cars,” which entered into service in 1975. Their modern styling and comfortable seats were a major improvement over the older cars the company had initially purchased from the predecessor railroads. Passengers could board late in the evening for a mid-morning arrival at the grand New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal, which is only a short walk to the Superdome.

Up in the Pacific Northwest, Amtrak highlighted the Pacific International (Seattle-Vancouver, B.C.) and Mount Rainer (Portland-Seattle) as easy ways to get to Seattle Seahawks games at the new Kingdome next to King Street Station. Responding to large crowds that took the train to Sunday games in 1976, Amtrak increased seating the next year. An Amtrak NEWS article noted, “The Pacific International carried a total of well over 2,000 extra passengers each way last year during the season, while the Mount Rainier handled about three times that number for the nine Sunday games.”¹

An Arkansas rail group appropriately called “Hogtrain” chartered an Amtrak train over New Year’s 1980 to transport about 550 fans from Little Rock to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl game between the University of Alabama and University of Arkansas. According to Amtrak NEWS, the so-called “Sugar Bowl Express” consisted of two locomotives, five Amfleet coaches and two Café cars, as well as Hogtrain’s private car, the Cynthia. Playing off the festivity of the event and New Year’s Eve, the “Sugar Bowl Express” included a Baggage car “converted into a disco car” where passengers could dance the night away.

MSU alumni make their loyalty known aboard the football
"Rivalry Train."

Soon after the launch of the Heartland Flyer (Oklahoma City-Fort Worth) in June 1999, Amtrak and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation added an additional coach to accommodate fans headed south to Dallas for the October “Red River Rivalry” football game between the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas. The famous match-up began in 1900 and since 1932 has coincided with the popular State Fair of Texas. Based on the success of that trip, the “Big Game Train” continues today.

Just this past November, Amtrak and the Michigan Department of Transportation hosted a special “Rivalry Train” that carried Chicago-area fans to East Lansing for the game between in-state rivals Michigan State University and the University of Michigan. Alumni from both schools won tickets to ride aboard a reserved coach car. During the trip, they answered MSU, UM and Amtrak trivia questions, posted fun photos to Instagram and got to know one another in a relaxed setting. MSU also provided goody bags and ice cream. Showing its school spirit, the MSU crowd even belted out a rendition of the university’s fight song.

One of the longest running and most famous college football rivalries is between the U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S. Military Academy—the teams play this year’s much anticipated Army-Navy Game on December 14th at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field. Interestingly, passenger railroads have long been intertwined with the game’s rich history, transporting the teams and spectators.

Special Amtrak trains took spectators directly to the game at
Philadelphia's John F. Kennedy Stadium.

The Middies and Cadets first battled it out in 1890 at West Point. Navy, which had been playing football since 1886, easily beat the new, inexperienced Army team 24-0. Stewing in defeat, Army, led by star player Dennis Mitchie, trained for a rematch the next year, in which it won 32-16. A great football rivalry was born.

In 1899, the Army-Navy Game moved to Philadelphia, easily accessible from West Point and Annapolis. Two years later, more than 30,000 spectators gathered at the University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field to watch the teams square off. Among them was President Theodore Roosevelt, who as commander in chief made a conscious effort to show his neutrality by sitting with each team for one half of the game; this tradition continues today.

Since the early 20th century, the Army-Navy Game has largely stayed in the City of Brotherly Love, moving in 1936 to the larger Municipal Stadium (renamed in honor of President Kennedy in 1964) at the southern end of Broad Street. The increasingly popular annual event attracted crowds from across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, so much so that the Pennsylvania (PRR) and Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) railroads began running special trains to the stadium, with the former handling more passengers.

Amtrak GG-1 no. 906 waits in Greenwich Yard near the stadium;
after the game, it will pull a train of football fans to New York.

The PRR initiated special trains following the move to Municipal Stadium, as its Greenwich Yard, a receiving point for coal and iron ore, bordered the site directly to the south. The B&O dropped off and received passengers on the west side of Broad Street. Whereas Franklin Field was close to passenger rail facilities in Center City and West Philadelphia, Municipal Stadium was located approximately four miles south of City Hall and the PRR and B&O stations. Trains approaching from Washington and New York used freight-only trackage to cross the Schuylkill River and reach the stadium.

From New York, they left the main line and traveled over the West Philadelphia Elevated Branch (also known as the “High Line”) in order to bypass busy 30th Street Station and cross the Arsenal Bridge. Once across the river, trains traveled down the Delaware Extension, an elevated right-of-way over 25th Street, before swinging east to reach Greenwich Yard. Workers prepped the freight yard for the special day by cleaning up the tracks and constructing walkways to direct passengers to the stadium. Each track received a letter designation to help passengers locate their trains once the game was over. Between 1946 and 1953, an average 21,700 coach and Pullman passengers traveled directly to the stadium via the PRR each year. Pictures from the time show up to 40 trains, many led by electric GG-1 locomotives, parked two or three to a track.

Over time, ridership fell as people chose to drive to the event. The B&O discontinued its special trains in the 1950s, leaving the PRR as the only carrier. With the formation of Amtrak in 1971, the new company continued the game day tradition. In the 1970s, an Amtrak flyer advertised two game day trains between Washington and Philadelphia, noting that passengers would “be free of traffic and parking worries.” They left Washington Union Station 10 minutes apart to ensure attendees were in their seats in time for kick-off. In 1986, three trains brought passengers to the game—two from Washington and one from New York. According to the Rome [Georgia] News-Tribune, Army and Navy officers at the Pentagon rented one of the Washington trains. Amtrak President and CEO Graham Claytor, a former Secretary of the Navy, noted that each year, the two sides took turns siting in the front cars.²

Amtrak stopped running the Army-Navy Game specials by the 2000s, but in 2005, and in several years thereafter, it has welcomed the “Liberty Limited” over its tracks. Created by businessman Bennett Levin, owner of the Juniata Terminal Company, the train consisted of restored vintage rail cars belonging to Levin and others. From Washington, it carried members of the armed forces wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan to Philadelphia to enjoy the game.

The train was led by Levin’s two EMD E8 locomotives; originally built for the PRR, they have been restored to their original Tuscan red livery. Private cars making up the “Liberty Limited” included the Little Juniata Rapids, North Star, Kitchi Gammi Club and Chapel Hill, among others. Representing the continuity of history and railroad traditions, Levin’s PRR Business car no. 120, built in 1928 as a rolling hotel and office space for railroad officials, had once carried President Kennedy to the Army-Navy Game.

In February 2014, Amtrak will carry fans to Superbowl XLVIII, hosted by the states of New York and New Jersey. With events planned for Newark, New York City and of course MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, Amtrak and public transit agencies are working closely with the NY/NJ Super Bowl Host Committee to ensure fans easily reach their destinations. 

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¹ National Railroad Passenger Corporation, “Seattle Stadium Means Increased Business,” Amtrak NEWS, October 15, 1977.

² David S. Martin, “Battle stations! Army and Navy girding for annual Philadelphia battle,” Rome [Georgia] News-Tribune, December 5, 1986. 

Much of the background information on the history of the PRR and the Army-Navy Game was drawn from:

Kirkbride, John J. (1989). "Army/Navy Game Trains." The High Line, Vol. 10 (1 and 2), 3-14.

Following up on the vintage menu we posted for Thanksgiving, here we have its Christmas cousin. Like the other, it is decorated with a beautiful drawing incorporating a star-topped Christmas tree under which are found gifts such as a drum, doll and—of course—a steam locomotive. Passengers started off with chilled apple cider or cranberry juice, enjoyed a relish tray with delicate radish rosettes and stuffed olives, and then chose between native Tom turkey with apple-pecan stuffing or baked sugar cured ham with raisin sauce and candied yams.

In the early 1970s, when this menu was printed, chefs on long-distance trains prepared meals in Heritage FleetDining cars, which had been purchased from the predecessor railroads when Amtrak took over the nation’s intercity passenger rail services in May 1971. By the start of the next decade, new bi-level Superliner cars built by Pullman Standard would be in use on many Western routes.

Superliner kitchens are located on the bottom level of the car, making it easy for commissary employees to load food, beverages, linens and other necessary items on the train. Upstairs, tables for four occupy each end of the car while the center contains work space for the service attendants. A dumb waiter quickly moves plates between the kitchen and the dining room. As seen in the photo below, the new Superliner equipment featured the latest technologies, including electric convection and microwave ovens, electric grill, toaster, coffee maker and warming table. The workspace was air-conditioned and had bright fluorescent lighting, making it more comfortable for the chef and his or her assistants.

Today, Amtrak continues to offer special holiday meals aboard long-distance trains. Passengers traveling this Christmas may select a dinner of sliced turkey breast with stuffing and gravy; sides include three grain rice and a generous portion of cranberry sauce. To close the meal, there is gelato, sorbet or cake, as well as coffee or tea.

Interested in how a chef and staff cook aboard an Amtrak long-distance train? Meet one of our chefs on the Amtrak Blog.

To kick off 2014, the Amtrak History Blog will include a new monthly feature where we’ll take a closer look at an object in the Archives, particularly recently added items. It gives us a chance to really focus on the variety of material in our collections, which includes photographs, route guides, congressional legislation, buttons, china and more—basically, a little bit of everything!

Some of the objects we collect, generally what’s termed “ephemera,” were never meant to be saved. This includes items such as tickets stubs, swizzle sticks, paper drinking cups and stickers. The word comes to us from the Greek “ephemeros,” meaning “lasting only one day.” With the advent of mechanized printing during the Industrial Revolution, ephemera as we know it came into existence, referring to a wide assortment of inexpensive printed items such as advertisements and broadsides that were intended to be used and then discarded.

In time, though, some people kept these things as souvenirs, admiring their artwork, messages and other features. Distinct from high culture items such as finely bound books, etchings and the like, ephemera helps tell the story of day-to-day life. For Amtrak, commissioned photographs, annual reports and memos provide an official history of the company, but ephemera fills in the details that make for a richer, more textured portrait of America’s Railroad.

One unusual piece of ephemera in the Archives is a paper cocktail napkin—definitely meant to be thrown away. At first glance, its line drawing of a glamorous couple—him wearing a dapper chapeau and her swathed in luxurious furs, with a perfectly coiffed poodle at their side—appears to advertise the renowned Twentieth Century Limited. Operated by the New York Central Railroad, this famous train ran between New York and Chicago, but was discontinued a few years prior to the start of Amtrak service in 1971.

In fact, the napkin was created as part of an Amtrak marketing campaign that tied into the Tony award-winning musical On The Twentieth Century, whose action takes place on that fabled train. Lyrics hinted at the pleasant social atmosphere found on a train, which to this day encourages strangers to bond over fine meals and long conversations.

Working with the show’s backers, Amtrak held a “Twentieth Century Week” aboard the Lake Shore Limited (New York/Boston-Chicago) in late 1978. Amtrak initiated the train three years earlier, and the tie-in to the musical and its railroad theme was a great way to bring attention to the service. In addition, the new train followed the Twentieth Century Limited’s old “Water-Level” route through upstate New York and along the southern edge of Lake Erie.

From left to right, John Cullum, Imogene Coca, Judy Kaye and Kevin Kline arrive at Grand Central Terminal to kick-off "Twentieth Century Week." 

The show’s stars, including Kevin Kline and Judy Kaye, gathered at Grand Central Terminal to kick-off the celebration, and actress Imogene Coca christened the train’s round-end observation car, added specially for the occasion, with a bottle of champagne. Trips were filled with special touches such as a glass of champagne at dinner, discount theater tickets for Amtrak passengers and this napkin emblazoned with an image from the show’s colorful poster. Lounge cars were also decorated with pictures from the show. The 1978 Annual Report noted that the brief tie-in increased business on the Lake Shore Limited by $50,000.

Did you ride the Lake Shore Limited during "Twentieth Century Week"? Share your memories with us!

Works consulted

National Railroad Passenger Corporation, “Twentieth Century Limited Lives Again In Week-Long Lake Shore Promotion,” Amtrak NEWS, October, 1978, 4-5.

Since their origins in the early 19th century, American railroads have been savvy in the use of imagery to advertise their services and attract riders. While passengers choose the train to fulfill the basic need to get from one place to another, part of the allure of a rail journey has also been the show right outside the window. As the train passes through the changing landscape and makes its scheduled stops, we’re allowed brief glimpses into the lives of others.

The upper third of the Amtrak wall calendar always
includes artwork.

Late 19th century railroads understood this natural human curiosity about one’s surroundings, and thus employed art depicting far-off places to entice travelers to buy tickets and explore the country. Brochures, buttons, posters and other items featured paintings, illustrations and photographs that provided national exposure to young and established artists alike. Advancements in printing technology during the Industrial Revolution meant that the railroads could produce high-quality, full color items at relatively low cost.

One of the most beloved items, eagerly awaited by rail aficionados, was the railroad calendar. It usually featured a copy of an oil painting that highlighted aspects of the rail system, whether a flagship train, new equipment or a soaring piece of infrastructure.

According to railroad historian Dan Cupper, the origins of the first railroad calendar are unclear, but the Boston & Maine Railroad is known to have issued a small calendar in the 1880s. By the early 20th century, major systems such as the Pennsylvania (PRR), New York Central and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe (Santa Fe) railroads were producing large format calendars embellished with specially commissioned art.¹

Most calendars were given to freight customers as signs of appreciation for their business, while others were distributed to stations and depots to decorate waiting rooms. In union stations shared by two or more railroads, calendars staked out rival territory. The beauty of the original artwork attracted the public too, and railroads generally sent calendars free of charge to persons who requested one. By the 1950s, the PRR produced more than 300,000 calendars, while the Chesapeake and Ohio had a run that reached 450,000 copies.²

Artist Gil Reid sketches the Susquehanna River Bridge
for the 1980 calendar.

Once the New Year had passed and the excitement of the calendar had faded, the original artwork—usually large oil paintings—went on display in corporate offices or important stations. For companies like the Santa Fe and PRR, oil-on-canvas works remained the standard. Lacking the crispness of a photograph, they allowed the viewer to fill in the details with his or her own imagination, and therefore engage with the image on a deeper level.

In attempts at cost savings, most major railroads had discontinued their calendar programs by the time Amtrak began operations in 1971. Amtrak would revive the tradition in 1974 in partnership with the Auto-Liner Corporation of Omaha, Neb., which assisted Amtrak with route and equipment planning and later inspected and refurbished many of the cars that made up the early Amtrak fleet.³

Creating a calendar was not first and foremost on the minds of early Amtrak leaders, whom had an immense task before them, including the need to create an organizational framework; hire and train employees; upgrade and standardize rolling stock and station facilities; institute a comprehensive national reservations system; and craft an advertising campaign to inform the public about its services.

The 1981 calendar celebrated Los Angeles' 200th anniversary.

William Kratville, head of the Auto-Liner Corporation, decided to publish the first Auto-Liner/Amtrak calendar in 1971—before the new National Railroad Passenger Corporation had begun operations or gained its present name. Since the final makeup of the rolling stock and locomotive fleet was undetermined, it showed a historical view of the 20th Century Limited by artist Gil Reid. Kratville would go on to create calendars in the succeeding two years. Amtrak first contributed funds towards the 1974 calendar, which featured a Reid watercolor of the Amtrak Super Chief racing across the desert.

By 1976, Amtrak had taken complete control of the calendar program, producing wall versions that measured approximately 23.5” x 33.5”. Since then, the calendar has featured the work of noted railroad artists Gil Reid, Ted Rose, J. Craig Thorpe and others, in mediums including watercolor, oil-on-canvas and photography. An article in the January 15, 1977, issue of Amtrak NEWS noted that once the year was over, “the painting can be cut off and framed.” That year, the calendar cost $3.50.

The New England Metroliner and GG-1 No. 4935 meet on the Hell Gate Bridge.

Of all the artists whose work has graced the official Amtrak calendar, Gil Reid holds the record for most pieces featured. His 18 works showcase trains such as the Empire Builder, National Limited, Broadway Limited, Auto Train and Crescent; E-60, AEM-7, F40PH and P30CH locomotives; and significant infrastructure including the Horseshoe Curve, Susquehanna River Bridge and Los Angeles Union Station.

Reid was already well-regarded for his accurate depictions of train equipment and railroading scenes when he began the Amtrak commissions in 1974. Though born in St. Louis in 1918, Reid spent most of his childhood in Richmond, Ind., along the tracks of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Like many young boys of the time, he traced his lifelong love of the railroad and its people to Lionel and American Flyer toy trains.⁴ He headed to the Windy City as a young man, pursuing coursework at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and doing advertising artwork for retailer Montgomery Ward. During World War II, Reid served in the Army in Europe and received a Purple Heart.⁵

The California Zephyr traverses the Rocky Mountains west of Denver.

Returning to the United States, Reid entered a career in commercial art, eventually working full time for Kalmbach Publishing—the company behind Trains and other railroad magazines—as an assistant artist and then assistant art director.⁶ There, he executed pieces in acrylic, watercolor and pen and ink that graced the pages of Kalmbach publications. By 1978, he left the world of publishing to devote himself full time to painting, settling in a studio in Elm Grove, Wis., that overlooked Soo Line tracks. Throughout his career, Reid would be honored with numerous awards, including one for “Senior Achievement” from the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society.⁷

Sara Kaploe, Gil Reid’s daughter, recalls that during her childhood, while her father was with Kalmbach, he worked in his basement studio most nights. Although versatile in many mediums, watercolor was his favorite. He also had a large model railroad for which “he painted all the background scenes and the small details,” says Kaploe. On weekends, Reid traveled to art shows, selling watercolors and paintings, while also establishing friendships with fellow rail enthusiasts and collectors. His daughter adds, “He loved what he did and sharing his passion.”⁸

Between the stations at Ventura and Lompoc, the Coast Starlight hugs the stunning California coast.

“Dad was a real people person who could talk to anyone…I think he was surprised and happy that people responded so positively to his work,” says Kaploe. After moving to Olathe, Kan., many years ago, she stopped at a local McDonald’s, where she found the walls lined with her father’s work. The owner, a rail enthusiast, had decorated the restaurant with Reid’s prints. “When I took him there later, Dad was just awe struck, but so pleased,” Kaploe recalls.

For most of Reid’s association with the Amtrak calendar, he worked with Director of Special Projects Bruce Heard, who would consult with the President and CEO on a theme for the year. With the subject chosen, Heard and Reid discussed the overall design to include the location and equipment to be featured.⁹ Commenting on the relationship between Amtrak and its calendar artists, Heard once noted, “I rely heavily on the artist; I want the artist to tell me if I’m wrong [from an artistic standpoint].”¹⁰ While it was important to convey Amtrak in the best light, the artist was allowed freedom in his methods. Back in his studio, Reid worked from memory as well as sketches and photographs made during the location scouting trip.

The Montrealer glides across Lake Champlain south of the
Canadian border.

Gil Reid’s work for Amtrak, primarily done in watercolor, displays his technical precision and signature attention to detail. The bright but soft colors of the landscapes—greens, pinks and browns—evoke a happy, positive response from the viewer, while the trains’ bold red, white and blue paint schemes draw one’s eye to the equipment. In many cases, Reid effectively used subtle color variations and light pencil lines to create additional texture. Through thoughtful perspectives, trains often stretch into the distance, allowing the viewer a closer look at the various locomotives and cars. Although beautiful landscapes, including snow-capped mountains, bayous and stark deserts, are found in the paintings, the trains always take center stage.

The image for the 1986 calendar shows the Crescent passing Washington landmarks such as the Jefferson Memorial and Washington Monument as it heads south and across the Potomac River. Looking closely, one can see the ornate detail of the Capitol dome, the sharp lines of the train’s paint scheme and small touches such as the Amtrak logo on the hat of the locomotive engineer. Daughter Sara Kaploe reveals, “Dad loved to put people in his paintings and would often invent backstories for his characters.” This demonstrates his love not just for the raw power of the railroad as represented by locomotives and fast trains, but also for its human side—the men and women who give life to the industry.

The Auto Train and Silver Meteor meet in sunny Florida.

According to Kaploe, Reid took great pride in his work for Amtrak and was honored to follow in the footsteps of earlier railroad artists. Perhaps Reid’s life and legacies in the art and railroad communities are best summed up by longtime friend Chris Burger, who at the time of the artist’s death seven years ago, penned a touching memorial: “I’ve always thought that Gil’s artwork reflects his personality, positive, generous, outgoing and enthusiastic. No one loved railroading more than he did.”¹¹

Visit the Amtrak store to see the 2014 wall calendar, which features the Empire Builder as it crosses the Gaynor Trestle in the Cascade Range. A smaller desk calendar shows the Coast Starlight passing close to Puget Sound. In both images, the trains are led by Locomotive No. 42, which in 2013 was given a patriotic paint scheme to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War and honor all Americans who have served in the armed forces.

For additional videos of Gil Reid speaking about his career, visit GilReid.com.

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¹Dan Cupper, Crossroads of Commerce: The Pennsylvania Railroad Calendar Art of Grif Teller, (Mechanicsburg, Pa.: Stackpole Books, 2003).

²Ibid.

³Dan Cupper, “Calendars for All Time,” Trains Vol. 56, no. 1 (January 1996).

⁴Amy Rabideau Silvers, “Reid had one-track mind for trains,” [Milwaukee] Journal Sentinel, January 8, 2007.

⁵“Railroad’s ‘Picasso’ Captured History of Trains,” Waukesha Freeman, January 6, 2007.

⁶ Amy Rabideau Silvers, “Reid had one-track mind for trains,” [Milwaukee] Journal Sentinel, January 8, 2007.

⁷Chris Burger, “Gil Reid: January 15, 1918—January 2, 2007,” Center for Railroad Photography and Art, http://www.railphoto-art.org/about/in-memoriam/

⁸Sara Kaploe. Interviewed by Amtrak History. Telephone interview, Washington, DC, January 25, 2014. All quotes by Kaploe are drawn from this interview.

⁹ Dan Cupper, “Calendars for All Time,” Trains Vol. 56, No. 1 (January 1996).

¹⁰Ibid.

¹¹Chris Burger, “Gil Reid: January 15, 1918—January 2, 2007,” Center for Railroad Photography and Art, http://www.railphoto-art.org/about/in-memoriam/