Congress created the company in October 1970 to take over passenger train service from freight companies. Service started on May 1, 1971.
Amtrak serves 46 U.S. states and has more than 500 stations over more than 21,000 routes miles, using tracks owned by the freight railroads and about 700 miles of track owned by Amtrak.
Between October 2007 and September 2008, Amtrak carried more than 28.7 million passengers. Ridership is highest in the Northeast, with New York, Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia being the busiest stations.
Amtrak operates the fastest trains in North America, the Acela Express, which operates at speeds up to 150 mph. Amtrak also runs some of the longest passenger train routes in the world. Even-numbered trains operate northward and eastward, odd-numbered trains head southward and westward.
Amtrak owns a fleet of Amfleet, Superliner, Horizon and Viewliner passenger cars, among others. The company operates more than 1,500 passenger cars, 469 locomotives and 101 baggage cars.
