Amtrak (MBI Railroad Color History) / Brian Solomon

This pictorial history is only the second of its kind to trace the 30-plus-year history of Amtrak, beginning with a look at the rise and fall of privately run passenger train service followed by a look at Amtrak's infant stage from 1971 through 1976. Also examined is the period from 1976 to 1991, when Amtrak finally established an image, buying new equipment and refurbished old and grew its ridership despite a severely limited budget. Modern and period color photos illustrate such aspects of Amtrak as its motive power, including the high-speed Acela Express; its diverse array of rolling stock and equipment, famous long-distance trains past and present; short-haul corridors.Against all odds, the passenger train survives in the United States. The formation of Amtrak in 1971 heralded the end of privately operated passenger train service and ushered in an era of intercity train travel financed on a budget that has vacillated between the virtually non-existent and the barely adequate.- The only extant pictorial history of America's only passenger rail network- Amtrak ridership in 2001 topped 24 million, the highest in its history- Passenger rail travel may be a concept whose time has come in this country, considering the woeful state of the airline industry and the efforts of prominent belt way politicians like Tom Harkin to make Amtrak a viable national passenger railwayAbout the AuthorBrian Solomon has authored several books about railroads and motive power, including MBI's recent Modern Locomotives and GE Locomotives. His writing and photography have been featured in the world's most prominent railfan publications, including TRAINS and RailNews. He splits his time between Monson, Massachusetts, and Dublin, Ireland.