Amtraks

Amtraks is the informal plural used to refer to Amtrak’s passenger trains or, less commonly, to the organization itself. The official brand name is Amtrak; "Amtraks" is often used in media and by the public to describe individual trains or the fleet as a whole. The most visible component of the network is the Northeast Corridor, running along the Atlantic seaboard.

Amtrak was established by Congress in 1970 to preserve intercity passenger rail in the United States. It began operating in 1971 as a government-owned corporation that coordinates and provides most long-distance and regional rail services. The network spans across most of the continental states, with operations on tracks owned by freight railroads and public agencies under shared usage agreements. Services include high-speed, regional, and long-distance trains.

Rolling stock includes electric and diesel locomotives and a variety of passenger cars coupled to form trains. The Northeast Corridor hosts the Acela Express, Amtrak’s high-speed service. The remainder of the network features conventional trains designed for intercity travel, with service patterns that rely on host railroads for track access and on Amtrak crews and equipment for operation. Amtrak is funded through federal appropriations as well as passenger fares and state support in some markets.