#amtrak

#amtrak

As Bob Johnston notes at TransPRO, data from Amtrak shows that both overall revenue and the total number of passengers were up for the latest financial year. That financial year ended on September 30, 2025; as Johnston points out, ridership increased by 5% compared to the previous fiscal year, while revenue was up by 11% compared to the same period.

You could almost mistake it for an ad. Last week, the far-right Georgia representative Marjorie Taylor Greene was on the Amtrak Crescent traveling from the nation's capital to her home state, and she was enchanted. "The sweetest people run the train," she posted on X, alongside a video of the autumnal landscape rushing by. "And the morning views of my north Georgia mountains made me smile and warmed my heart."

The best part is that I'm able to come and go at my leisure, since the car is open to all ticketed passengers on the train. I also think it has a number of advantages over the coach and even business-class sections. For example, the first-come, first-served table seating gives me plenty of space to comfortably set up my laptop and notebook so I can get some work done on the train.

In October 2021, I booked a round-trip ride between New York City and Miami on Amtrak's overnight sleeper train for the first time. In total, I spent 60 hours on the rails. On the way to Miami, I spent 30 hours in a $500 roomette accommodation, a 20-square-foot enclosed private space with a foldout table, two chairs that fold out into a bed, and an additional bed that pulls down from the ceiling.

So why do so many people still treat it as a failure - and what would it take to shift the dialogue and deliver the rail investment that American riders deserve? We love this video essay from Wendover Productions, which offers a nuanced take on why headlines about disappointing new Acela trains and political posturing about Amtrak's "failure" to turn a profit are missing the forest for the trees.

Amtrak is experiencing a major system outage, affecting its booking services and leaving travelers stranded. The nationwide passenger railway network, which spans more than 750 miles coast to coast, began encountering issues around 12 p.m. ET. Commuters reported being unable to purchase tickets through the Amtrak app or website, causing delays and uncertainty for those planning to travel. App users are seeing alerts that say: 'Let's try again. 'We are temporarily unable to process your request.'

When America's first steam locomotive with regular passenger service set out in 1830, it was cause for celebration. The engine, nicknamed the Best Friend, traveled six miles along the Charleston-Hamburg Railroad in South Carolina and back again on Christmas Day. "We flew on the wings of the wind," the Charleston Daily Courier remarked in its account of the trip, "before any of us had time to determine whether or not it was prudent to be scared."

The train ended up being delayed nearly an hour for maintenance, and even when our track was set, the board didn't update for several minutes.

Andy Byford, the former president of the New York City Transit Authority, is now a special advisor to the Amtrak Board of Directors for the redevelopment of Penn Station.

"Little bags of pretzels? No way! Tiny windows? I don't think so! Middle seats? Get outta here! Take the train instead," the narrator shouts, adding, "Over 18 inches of seat-but you'll only need the edge!"

Amtrak's USA Rail Pass allows riders to take 10 trips across the country for a flat fee of $500, enabling exploration of more than 500 destinations.

The Floridian 41 was en route to Miami from Chicago and carrying over 200 travelers when it became disabled and lost head-end power at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.

Amtrak announced that the refreshed train will hit the tracks in 2026, though a specific launch date was not disclosed.

Amtrak's request for $850 million for the Northeast Corridor grants is a significant decrease compared to the previous year, highlighting budget constraints and the urgent need for infrastructure improvements.

With the men's World Cup starting in June 2026, experts warn that the national rail system may not be up to the task due to its existing issues.

"With service that supports Texas' continued economic growth and the region's connectivity, sustaining the Heartland Flyer is essential to maintaining momentum and ensuring long term mobility in the region."

Amtrak plans to launch a service that would create the first one-seat train ride between Long Island and the mainland United States.

Inspector General Kevin H. Winters emphasized, "The sheer volume of employees who cavalierly participated in this scheme to steal Amtrak's funds suggests not only a serious lapse in basic ethics, but a troubling workforce culture..."