America's Passenger Railroad
"The Chiefs, the Limiteds, the Zephyrs. They were more than passenger trains. They surrounded us with impeccable comfort and tantalized our palates with elegant dining fare as they whisked into a world of romance and mystique. During the 1940s the passenger train began fighting a battle against the airplane and private automobile. By the 1960s the passenger train was rarely considered as a means of travel. Schedules were erratic, trains were run down, and more often than not the journey was a miserable experience. Then, in October, 1970, in an attempt to revive passenger rail service, congress passed the Rail Passenger Service Act. That Act created Amtrak, a private company which, on May 1, 1971 began managing a nation-wide rail system dedicated to passenger service."
Charlottesville, Va / Nov 2016 / RWH
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation does business as Amtrak, a passenger railroad service that provides medium- and long-distance intercity passenger and baggage transportation across the continental United States. Founded in 1971 through the government-sponsored consolidation of most of the remaining, mostly fledging domestic passenger rail companies, it is partially government-funded but operated and managed as a for-profit corporation. Although it began operations using secondhand locomotive and rolling stock purchased from the railroad companies exiting the passenger business, today Amtrak operates its own fleet of modern electric and diesel-electric locomotives, passenger rolling stock, and -- in a few geographical areas -- maintenance of way equipment. The majority of Amtrak trains operate with trackage rights over the rails of domestic Class 1 and regional freight companies; in areas such as the Northeast Corridor from Washington to Boston, Amtrak itself owns and maintains the right of way. The carrier operates more than 300 trains each day on over 20,000 miles of track and connects more than 500 destinations in 46 states and 3 Canadian provinces. Its headquarters is at Union Station in Washington, D.C
Kansas City, Mo / Aug 2025 / ETH
Martinsburg, WV / Jul 2016 / RWH
Current Amtrak Routes
| Numbers | Name | Route | Freq | Miles | Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long Distance | |||||
| 1, 2 | Sunset Limited | New Orleans - Los Angeles | 3/week | 1995 | Superliner |
| 3, 4 | Southwest Chief | Chicago - Los Angeles | daily | 2256 | Superliner |
| 5, 6 | California Zephyr | Chicago - Emeryville | daily | 2438 | Superliner |
| 7, 8 | Empire Builder | Chicago - Seattle | daily | 2206 | Superliner |
| 11, 14 | Coast Starlight | Seattle - Los Angeles | daily | 1377 | Superliner |
| 19, 20 | Crescent | New York City - New Orleans | daily | 1377 | Amfleet, Viewliner |
| 21, 22 | Texas Eagle | Chicago - San Antonio | daily | 1306 | Superliner |
| 27, 28 | Empire Builder | Chicago - Portland | daily | 2257 | Superliner |
| 29, 30 | Capital Limited | Washington - Chicago | daily | 780 | Superliner |
| 40, 41 | Floridian | Chicago - Miami | daily | 2076 | Amfleet, Viewliner |
| 48, 49 | Lake Shore Limited | New York City - Chicago | daily | 1018 | Amfleet, Viewliner |
| 50, 51 | Cardinal | New York City - Chicago | 3/week | 1147 | Amfleet, Viewliner |
| 52, 53 | Auto Train | Washington - Orlando | daily | 855 | Superliner |
| 58, 59 | City of New Orleans | Chicago - New Orleans | daily | 926 | Superliner |
| 89, 90 | Palmetto | New York City - Savannah | daily | 829 | Amfleet |
| 91, 92 | Silver Star | New York City - Miami | daily | 1522 | Amfleet, Viewliner |
| 97, 98 | Silver Meteor | New York City - Miami | daily | 1389 | Amfleet, Viewliner |
| State-Supported Regional | |||||
| 23-26 | Mardi Gras Service | New Orleans - Mobile | 2/day | 145 | Amfleet |
| 42, 43 | Pennsylvanian | Pittsburgh - New York City | daily | 444 | Amfleet |
| 54-57 | Vermonter | St. Albans - Washington | daily | 611 | Amfleet |
| 63, 64 | Maple Leaf | New York City - Toronto | daily | 544 | Amfleet |
| 68, 69 | Adirondack | Montreal - New York City | daily | 381 | Amfleet |
| 71-78 | Piedmont | Charlotte - Raleigh | 4/day | 173 | NCDOT |
| 79, 80 | Carolinian | New York City - Charlotte | daily | 704 | Amfleet |
| 230-288* | Empire Service | New York City - Niagara Falls | 7/daily | 460 | Amfleet |
| 290, 291 | Ethan Allen Express | New York City - Burlington | daily | 308 | Amfleet |
| 300-319* | Lincoln Service | Chicago - St. Louis | 4/day | 284 | Amfleet, Venture |
| 311-319* | Missouri River Runner | St. Louis - Kansas City | 2/day | 283 | Amfleet, Venture |
| 329-343* | Hiawatha | Chicago - Milwaukee | 6/day | 86 | Amfleet, Venture |
| 350-355 | Wolverine | Chicago - Pontiac | 3/day | 304 | Venture |
| 364, 365 | Blue Water | Chicago - Port Huron | daily | 319 | Venture |
| 370, 371 | Pere Marquette | Chicago - Grand Rapids | daily | 176 | Amfleet, Venture |
| 380-383 | Illinois Zephyr | Chicago - Quincy | 2/day | 258 | Amfleet, Venture |
| 390-393 | Illini, Saluki | Chicago - Carbondale | 2/day | 310 | Horizon |
| 400-499* | Valley Flyer | Greenfield - New Haven | 2/day | 102 | Amfleet |
| 405-497* | Hartford Line | Springfield - New Haven | 6/day | 63 | Amfleet |
| 500-519 | Cascades | Vancouver - Eugene | 4/day | 467 | Talgo Series |
| 520-553* | Capital Corridor | Auburn - San Jose | 9/day | 172 | California |
| 562-595* | Pacific Surfliner | San Luis Obispo - San Diego | 12/day | 350 | California |
| 600-674 | Keystone Service | New York City - Harrisburg | 13/day | 195 | Amfleet |
| 680-699 | Downeaster | Brunswick - Boston | 5/day | 145 | Amfleet |
| 701-719 | Gold Runner | Oakland - Bakersfield | 6/day | 318 | California |
| 821, 822 | Heartland Flyer | Oklahoma City - Fort Worth | daily | 206 | Superliner |
| 1333, 40 | Borealis | Saint Paul - Chicago | daily | 417 | Horizon |
| Northeast Corridor | |||||
| 65-196* | Northeast Regional | Boston - Washington - various | 18/day | 682 | Amfleet |
| 2100-2290 | Acela | Boston - Washington | 16/day | 456 | Acela |
routes listed in orange above are featured in our amtrak scrapbook linked below.
train numbers marked * indicate a range — not all numbers used.
Cumberland, Md / Jul 2020 / RWH
Ultimately, the inherent efficiency of the steel wheel on the steel rail will be decisive — and tomorrow's Amtrak will require no apologies.
Ross Capon / National Association of Railroad Passengers
There isn't a train I wouldn't take,
No matter where it's going.
Edna St. Vincent Millay / "Travel" (1921)
The Great Stations
Railway terminals are our gates to the glorious and the unknown. Through them, we pass out into adventure and sunshine, to them, alas! We return.
E. M. Foster
Through its 50-plus year history, Amtrak has advanced from the rainbow mix of early "Heritage Fleet" passenger cars and aging E and F unit diesels inherited at its inception to operate advanced AC-traction, Tier 4-compliant locomotives and modern high-speed passenger cars.
Brian Solomon / Amtrak's History Through its Equipment
Hattiesburg, Ms / Jan 2025 / RWH
Lorton, Va / Jul 2025 / RWH
Our Travels
HawkinsRails Amtrak travel map / RWH
| 43% | 66% | 17% | 24% |
| 19 routes photographed | 10 long distance routes ridden |
5 regional routes ridden |
133 stations photographed |
RWH
May 2024 / RWH
Amtrak onboard handout / collection
Altoona, Pa / Nov 2016 / RWH
from AARP magazine (summer 2025) / collection
Andy Fletcher drawings / collection
Vacation Power
Sanford, Fl / Aug 2003 / Will Hankins
Capital Limited at NA Cabin
Martinsburg, WV / Jul 2016 / RWH
Chief of the Watch
Martinsburg, WV / Jul 2016 / RWH
Dallas, Midday
Dallas, Tx / Jun 2009 / RWH
Business Class
Fort Worth, Tx / Jun 2009 / RWH
Sunset Calls on El Paso
El Paso, Tx / Aug 1987 / JCH
Boy Wonder
El Paso, Tx / Aug 1987 / JCH
Those Genesis Lines
Altoona, Pa / Nov 2016 / RWH
Mr. Jefferson's Stop
Charlottesville, Va / Nov 2016 / RWH
Daddy's Girl
Quantico, Va / Jun 2013 / RWH
High Green
Charlottesville, Va / Nov 2016 / RWH
The Cardinal Calls on Charlottesville
Charlottesville, Va / Nov 2016 / RWH
The Capital Calls on Cumberland
Cumberland, Md / Nov 2016 / RWH
November Morning
Cumberland, Md / Nov 2016 / RWH
Classy City Conductor
Hammond, La / Dec 2016 / RWH
Stripes
Lynchburg, Va / Mar 2013 / Garland Harper
Genesis Trio
Lynchburg, Va / Oct 2013 / Garland Harper
Northeast Corridor
Baltimore, Md / Feb 2019 / RWH
Mind
Philadelphia, Pa / Feb 2019 / RWH
Amfleet I
Feb 2019 / RWH
Choose Your Next Adventure
Philadelphia, Pa / Feb 2019 / RWH
Staples Mill Nostalgia
Richmond, Va / Jul 2022 / ETH
Snapshots
El Paso, Tx / Aug 1987 / JCH
El Paso, Tx / Aug 1987 / RWH
El Paso, Tx / Aug 1987 / JCH