Passenger Trains on the Eve of Amtrak

This section lists scheduled intercity passenger trains operating on April 30, 1971, the day before the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) began operations.

For most trains not incorporated into Amtrak’s initial basic route structure, April 30 (a Friday) was the final day of operation. Overnight and transcontinental trains that began their final runs on April 30 continued through to their destination, with the last of these trains arriving at their respective terminals on May 2.

However, one Burlington Northern train not picked up by Amtrak continued operating under BN auspices under a court order until May 10.

Information in this section was taken a variety of sources including various issues of The Official Guide of the Railways, Journey to Amtrak (edited by Harold A. Edmonson), various issues of Trains, and Passenger Train Journal magazines, Amtrak public timetables, and other sources in the author’s collection.

Entries are organized by train numbers in numerical sequence. In some cases, sections of the same train are not listed in sequential order due to the variance in numerical ordering.

Each listing includes train numbers, train name or former train name, endpoints served and disposition by Amtrak.

In some instances, service continued along all or a portion of a route, either by Amtrak or by commuter train service.

Former train names shown are, generally, names published in the Official Guide under the indicated train numbers.

In cases in which train numbers changed after a train name was dropped from the Guide, the former train name is that of a train that previously operated on the same or approximately the same schedule.

Only train names published in the April 1971 Official Guide are shown. It is possible that some public timetables and/or station signs bearing trains names no longer shown in the Official Guide were still in use in April 1971.

Unless indicated otherwise, trains operated daily.