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Amtrak marks highest annual ridership total since operations began in 1971

October 17th, 2012

Ridership on Amtrak’s Texas Eagle was up 12 percent to nearly 338,000 passengers in the past fiscal year. – Tim Blackwell/Cowcatcher Magazine.

WASHINGTON – Amtrak transported more than 31.2 million passengers in fiscal year 2012 ending Sept. 30, marking the highest annual ridership total since the railroad started operations in 1971 and the ninth ridership record in the last 10 years.

A year-over-year comparison of 2012 to 2011 shows ridership grew 3.5 percent to a record 31,240,565 passengers and ticket revenue jumped 6.8 percent to a best-ever $2.02 billion. In addition, Amtrak system-wide on-time performance increased to 83 percent, up from 78.1 percent and its highest level in 12 years.

Amtrak set 12 consecutive monthly ridership records; July was the single best month in the history of the railroad. The Northeast Corridor had its best year with more than 11.4 million passengers.

All 15 Amtrak long-distance routes experienced an increase in passengers resulting in the best combined ridership numbers in 19 years. The Chicago-to-San Antonio Texas Eagle was up 12.8 percent to nearly 338,000; City of New Orleans (Chicago-to-New Orleans) was up 8.5 percent to more than 253,000.

“People are riding Amtrak trains in record numbers across the country because there is an undeniable demand to travel by rail,” said President and CEO Joe Boardman. “Ridership will continue to grow because of key investments made by Amtrak and our federal and state partners to improve on-time performance, reliability, capacity and train speeds.”

During FY 2012, ridership on the Northeast Corridor is up 4.8 percent to a record 11.4 million, state-supported and other short-distance routes is up 2.1 percent to a record 15.1 million and long-distance services is up 4.7 percent to their best showing in 19 years at 4.7 million.

Also, FY 2012 produced other ridership achievements including new records for 25 of 44 Amtrak services, and 12 consecutive monthly records with July being the single best month in the history of Amtrak. Since FY 2000, Amtrak ridership is up 49 percent.

Boardman said ridership numbers for FY 2013 will get an early boost this fall when the extension of Downeaster serviceto Freeport and Brunswick, Maine begins Nov. 1, and Amtrak Virginia Northeast Regional serviceis extended to Norfolk, Va., starting Dec.12.

  • Light Rail / Commuter
  • Current Issue: Jan/Feb 2023

    Due to printer issues, the January/February issue is running behind. We expect it to be at stores by Jan. 11.

     

     

    INSIDE THIS ISSUE

  • Natural Merger

    The Illinois Chapter of the Mudhens Modular HO Narrow Gauge Society’s layout makes a seamless transition from the mountains and hills of Pennsylvania to the Colorado plains. Through an eye-catching blend of scenery, modules transition from North Carolina’s East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad and Pennsylvania’s Tuscarora Valley and on to the Denver & Rio Grande Western. Highly detailed trees and foliage swallow the terrain; tree leaves seem to jump off the layout in this superb interpretation of portable narrow gauge model railroading.

  • 2023 State of Model Railroading

    Modelers say times are still good in the hobby but they may spend a little less this year because of the economy. The Cowcatcher’s 2023 State of Model Railroading survey polled readers last fall to get their insights on everything from the quality of models to sustaining the future of the hobby. They had a lot to say.

     

  • Railroading in the 1940s

    The railroad industry in the late 1940s hummed as steam transitioned to diesel. Interesting, some things don’t change much. Pat Hiatte reflects on a time when railroads were high-balling across the U.S.

    – DeGolyer Library, SMU/Railroads: Photographs, Manuscripts and Imprints

     

  • PLUS…

    Milwaukee’s Trainfest came back strong in November after being sidelined by the pandemic for two years. More than 20,500 attended one of the nation’s top shows. …

     

    InterMountain Railway Co. and ScaleTrains announced recently that each will produce EMD’s short-lived SDL39, due later this year. …

     

    The sun has set on Fort Worth’s Tower 55, which for decades was the guardian of maybe the busiest railroad junction in the country. …

     

     

    THESE STORIES AND MORE, PLUS A FULL CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS AND THE BUSINESS PULSE OF THE RAILROAD INDUSTRY!

     

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    InterMountain HO ADM Corn Syrup Car

     

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