Features
41 Years Later: Still Debating the Pros, Cons of Amtrak
For 41 years, policymakers and the public have debated the benefits and pitfalls of Amtrak. The national railroad, created as a result of the President Richard Nixon-signed Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970, operates 305 weekday trains across a network of 21,100 rail miles. The new railroad took over passenger service from struggling railroads, and its first train, The Clocker, departed from Union Station in New York at 12:05 a.m. on May 1, 1971. Amtrak for years has touted ridership gains. According to Amtrak, between October 2011 and August 2012, ridership was up 3.4 percent. By Sept. 30, when the
Amtrak Launches History Website
Amtrak certainly has an interesting history. Since its inception 41 years ago, Amtrak has ferried passengers across the country’s rail network. Its routes have ranged from cross-country hauls to speedier service between closer destinations. Amtrak, which has never turned an annual profit, this week launched a new website (history.amtrak.com) dedicated to the railroad’s history. The site includes digital copies of ads, timetables and images. “Amtrak is woven into the fabric of America, providing a vital transportation service to the nation and connecting families and communities as part of an amazing and unfolding history,” Amtrak President and CEO Joe Boardman said in
City honors switch operater for role in Civil War chase
The north Georgia city of Kingston on Thursday honored a former city resident for his role in the Great Locomotive Chase of 1862. Kingston was a turning point in the Great Locomotive Chase of 1862, in part, because station agent/switch operator Uriah Stephens declined to hand over the switch keys to James J. Andrews. Hours earlier, Andrews and a group of Union spies stole The General locomotive from what is now Kennesaw, Ga., while the train stopped for breakfast. Andrews’ goal was to destroy the Western & Atlantic Railroad, a major Confederate road that connected Atlanta and Chattanooga. “In this day