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 a news release. “We are thrilled to share our history and look forward to adding items to create a thorough, robust resource for employees, researchers and the general public.”
Amtrak’s first train, The Clocker, departed from Union Station in New York at 12:05 a.m. on May 1, 1971.
“The story of Amtrak and the resurgent role of American passenger rail travel over the past 40 years is told through many stories and by many voices,” Steven Mandeville-Gamble, associate university librarian for collections & scholarly communication at The George Washington University Libraries, said in a news release.
