Amtrak
Basics
Amtrak CEO’s Ouster Makes the Grassroots Fight For Rail More Urgent
"For all of our sakes, let’s hope against hope that whoever sits in that seat next believes in the mission of a nationwide network of passenger-rail service."
March 25, 2025
Op-Ed: Elon Musk Is Wrong About Amtrak
No, America should not privatize Amtrak "like China." But we could learn a thing or two from their rail success. (Spoiler: it's largely state-funded.)
March 10, 2025
Op-Ed: Amtrak Isn’t Profitable — And That’s Okay
"As a for-profit company, Amtrak fails ... spectacularly. As a government agency, created half a century ago to carry out a public purpose recognized in law and in Supreme Court rulings, it is a spectacular success worth celebrating, supporting, and building up."
February 10, 2025
Opinion: Who Does Passenger Rail Serve?
"In short, passenger rail serves everyone – even the people who don’t meet the profit margins of airlines and car manufacturers."
October 25, 2024
Is Amtrak’s Big Dig Harming West Baltimore’s Black Neighborhoods?
Amtrak's single biggest infrastructure project got hit with a civil rights complaint. How should sustainable transportation advocates get involved in the conversation?
October 7, 2024
Friday Video: Experience 40 Blissful Hours In An Amtrak Sleeper Car in Just 29 Minutes
Ever wondered what it's really like to take that cross country train trip you've always dreamed of? Travel journalist Sojourner White has you covered.
September 27, 2024
Talking Headways Podcast: Expanding Amtrak Across America
Mike Christensen on Amtrak’s expansion plans, the impact of the infrastructure bill and why things take so long to implement.
September 12, 2024
Media Critique: Labor Day Traffic Coverage Ignores Trains
Recent coverage of the Labor Day weekend travel crush fails to mention rail services.
August 29, 2024
Rail Reflections from the California Zephyr
"Train travel connects you with your surroundings in a way that flying over states or driving in an individual car cannot."
August 19, 2024
Amtrak’s New Chicago-Twin Cities Service Saw Strong Ridership in its First Month
Streetsblog recently took a ride on the new route to the Wisconsin Dells and back. Here's what we experienced.
August 2, 2024
