Passenger Trains > DOT/FRA proposing restructuring of Amtrak

At the 2026 AASHTO Council on Rail, FRA Deputy Administrator Drew Feeley hinted at a proposed restructuring of Amtrak.  

He did not go into detail but the proposal is basically to divide Amtrak into three organizational entities, all under the 
"umbrella" of Amtrak, acting as a Holding Company:

A brief video is attached...it is literally all he said about it.

From what I have been able to find, the restructured Amtrak would consist of:

Infrastructure Management Entity (IME)

Management of all Amtrak-owned infrastructure including MofW, Dispatching and Real Estate/Capital Assets -- mostly
along the Northeast Corridor .... and where Amtrak manages assets, including right-of-way and station properties, for its State partners.

Rolling Stock Management Entity (RSME)

The RSME  would manage all rolling stock owned by Amtrak, equipment maintenance facilities and other maintenance infrastructure.

Operational Entity (OE)

The OE would be structured on Amtrak’s current operational structure: NEC, State-Supported, and Long Distance Routes.  

NARP/RPA has weighed in on the proposal and appears to be pessimistic about it, coming down on the side of retaining the status quo...Amtrak as it is run now.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/21/26 00:52 by GenePoon.

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Amtrak current business model is broken, mostly due to incompetence.

Whether this solves that or if FRA has more ulterior and destructive motives, I don't know. If having separate infrastructure and operating companies blows up Amtrak's APT Fully Allocated Cost accounting model, so much the better.

I don't care what RPA/NARP thinks. They are enablers for the current situation, being Amtrak's de facto PR department and have let too much accounting and operational situations slide right past their doorstep, never so much as pulled a FOIA request.  

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/21/26 04:33 by joemvcnj.

At this point, for many reasons (e.g. host railroads versus direct ownership, aged capital infrastructure) I think it makes sense to divorce out the infrastructure from "Amtrak." Would I have said this 20 years ago - no. But the current marriage of infrastructure to operating entity like a traditional railroad, is not working with this 1971 organization. 

Well, it may not be the worst idea.  It is a divisional structure, and that is how McDonald's does it.  It works for them, to be sure.  There has to be some good cross-functional coordination, but it is quite possible that this would improve things.  I did appreciate the fact that he emphasized that no cuts were coming, etc.

Thinking further, however, this could be step one toward privatization.  Break out the operating side, then, after awhile, put train operations out to bid.  That could be the longer range plan.  On the other hand, maybe there is nothing that sinister about it and it is just an idea to improve things.  But if RPA is pessimistic, this may be an idea worth considering!

I foresee a lot of finger pointing between OE and RSME. I think daily maintenance would have to be the responsibility of OE. Perhaps if an OE uses a unique type of equipment, it should be responsible for maintaining it. Maybe a lot of the maintenance should be shifted to contractors such as the builder.

I think infrastructure being separated is important.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/21/26 05:11 by ts1457.

Moving deck chairs around on the Titanic.
The only thing that should be separate is the NEC.

Englewood Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Moving deck chairs around on the Titanic.
> The only thing that should be separate is the NEC.

Basically agree. How would you handle situations such as the track Amtrak owns in Michigan?

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Amtrak current business model is broken, mostly
> due to incompetence.
>
> Whether this solves that or if FRA has more
> ulterior and destructive motives, I don't know. If
> having separate infrastructure and operating
> companies blows up Amtrak's APT Fully Allocated
> Cost accounting model, so much the better.
>
> I don't care what RPA/NARP thinks. They are
> enablers for the current situation, being Amtrak's
> de facto PR department and have let too much
> accounting and operational situations slide right
> past their doorstep, never so much as pulled a
> FOIA request.  
>
>  Well put, joemvcnj.  Amtrak is an operational meltdown.  Somewhere, every day, there is a major fiasco.  Yesterday alone and already woefully late Empire Builder had to tow in a broken down Borealis.  As I write, the eastbound Southwest Chief is half a day late, usual freight interference, compounded by repeated 'mechanical assessments".  Big snow in the west for trains 5 and 6, but the mechanical breakdowns make a tough challenge even more difficult.  It is time for a "Management Assessment" of Amtrak, and that will mean major changes and the risk of loosing a lot.  And the point of the RPA being 'enablers' is seen everyday as well.  This failing was well stated in the February 6th Hotline where Amtrak was lauded for doing such a great job during the winter weather.  The denial of reality from RPA was alarming.  Then came the statement after excusing Amtrak's pathetic performance, "demonstrated a degree of resilience that is often underappreciated in public conversations and in the anger chamber of social media".  The RPA is not only an enabler, they are defiant and arrogant in their incompetence.  It is time to re-think, and re-do, and the result may not be too pretty, but our national rails system is a national embarrassment it it's current state. 

Under the current model,  Amtrak is setting ridership and revenue records.

But. if some Government agency wants to "fiddle" with it, well, they have to
prove they're doing something.

Who cares, as long as Congress continues to fund Amtrak at current levels.

If they really wanted to improve Amtrak -- they would investigate (and make public)
what the freight railroads charge Amtrak,  which I fear makes the LD trains so unprofitable vs,
the NEC.

regalstream1516 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> joemvcnj Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Amtrak current business model is broken, mostly
> > due to incompetence.
> >
> > Whether this solves that or if FRA has more
> > ulterior and destructive motives, I don't know.
> If
> > having separate infrastructure and operating
> > companies blows up Amtrak's APT Fully Allocated
> > Cost accounting model, so much the better.
> >
> > I don't care what RPA/NARP thinks. They are
> > enablers for the current situation, being
> Amtrak's
> > de facto PR department and have let too much
> > accounting and operational situations slide
> right
> > past their doorstep, never so much as pulled a
> > FOIA request.  
> >
> >  Well put, joemvcnj.  Amtrak is an operational
> meltdown.  Somewhere, every day, there is a major
> fiasco.  Yesterday alone and already woefully
> late Empire Builder had to tow in a broken down
> Borealis.  As I write, the eastbound Southwest
> Chief is half a day late, usual freight
> interference, compounded by repeated 'mechanical
> assessments".  Big snow in the west for trains 5
> and 6, but the mechanical breakdowns make a tough
> challenge even more difficult.  It is time for a
> "Management Assessment" of Amtrak, and that will
> mean major changes and the risk of loosing a
> lot.  And the point of the RPA being 'enablers'
> is seen everyday as well.  This failing was well
> stated in the February 6th Hotline where Amtrak
> was lauded for doing such a great job during the
> winter weather.  The denial of reality from RPA
> was alarming.  Then came the statement after
> excusing Amtrak's pathetic performance,
> "demonstrated a degree of resilience that is often
> underappreciated in public conversations and in
> the anger chamber of social media".  The RPA is
> not only an enabler, they are defiant and arrogant
> in their incompetence.  It is time to re-think,
> and re-do, and the result may not be too pretty,
> but our national rails system is a national
> embarrassment it it's current state. 

Amtrak is not a national embarrassment, that’s a ludicrous statement divorced from reality. Amtrak is setting ridership records despite a massive rolling stock shortage, they’re obviously doing enough right.

I find it hilarious that the same people who constantly complain still to this day about the cuts made by Anderson during the first Trump admin would even give credence to a even more hilariously corrupt second Trump admins attempt to restructure and possibly privatize Amtrak. Sure they made riding long distance trains a worse experience and created an equipment shortage that still persists to this day but hey let’s give them the benefit of the doubt on this. Definition of insanity.

How do fees paid by Amtrak to BNSF, for example, compare to what BNSF charges UPS for similar speedy service? We can back out locomotive and crew costs later.

If you don't get down to nickels and dimes you won't know when Amtrak becomes a welcome customer on LD routes.

Posted from Android

Chessie1963 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thinking further, however, this could be step one
> toward privatization.  Break out the operating
> side, then, after awhile, put train operations out
> to bid.  

I am 100% with you on this, first thing that came my mind, as well. It very much follows the European model to a certain degree, and I think the only thing Amtrak would wind up owning in the distant future would be infrastructure.

I could easily see some sort of arrangement where a Rolling Stock Company (ROSCO, they're all over Europe in freight and passenger) handles the equipment.

Operating crews are a no-brainer and the low-hanging fruit. There are already a number of companies in the US providing train crew staffing.

But this of course excludes any pushback from operating crafts and Congress. And you know that will be intense.

Bottom line, even if privatization is the ultimate goal, I think reality will have this effort result in rearranged deck chairs.

Posted from Android

AmtrakMidwest Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> regalstream1516 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > joemvcnj Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Amtrak current business model is broken,
> mostly
> > > due to incompetence.
> > >
> > > Whether this solves that or if FRA has more
> > > ulterior and destructive motives, I don't
> know.
> > If
> > > having separate infrastructure and operating
> > > companies blows up Amtrak's APT Fully
> Allocated
> > > Cost accounting model, so much the better.
> > >
> > > I don't care what RPA/NARP thinks. They are
> > > enablers for the current situation, being
> > Amtrak's
> > > de facto PR department and have let too much
> > > accounting and operational situations slide
> > right
> > > past their doorstep, never so much as pulled
> a
> > > FOIA request.  
> > >
> > >  Well put, joemvcnj.  Amtrak is an
> operational
> > meltdown.  Somewhere, every day, there is a
> major
> > fiasco.  Yesterday alone and already woefully
> > late Empire Builder had to tow in a broken down
> > Borealis.  As I write, the eastbound Southwest
> > Chief is half a day late, usual freight
> > interference, compounded by repeated
> 'mechanical
> > assessments".  Big snow in the west for trains
> 5
> > and 6, but the mechanical breakdowns make a
> tough
> > challenge even more difficult.  It is time for
> a
> > "Management Assessment" of Amtrak, and that
> will
> > mean major changes and the risk of loosing a
> > lot.  And the point of the RPA being
> 'enablers'
> > is seen everyday as well.  This failing was
> well
> > stated in the February 6th Hotline where Amtrak
> > was lauded for doing such a great job during
> the
> > winter weather.  The denial of reality from
> RPA
> > was alarming.  Then came the statement after
> > excusing Amtrak's pathetic performance,
> > "demonstrated a degree of resilience that is
> often
> > underappreciated in public conversations and in
> > the anger chamber of social media".  The RPA
> is
> > not only an enabler, they are defiant and
> arrogant
> > in their incompetence.  It is time to
> re-think,
> > and re-do, and the result may not be too
> pretty,
> > but our national rails system is a national
> > embarrassment it it's current state. 
>
> Amtrak is not a national embarrassment, that’s a
> ludicrous statement divorced from reality. Amtrak
> is setting ridership records despite a massive
> rolling stock shortage, they’re obviously doing
> enough right.

No sir.  You are entitled to your opinion, and I am entitled to mine.  Ridership records reflect interest, potential and opportunity.  There is a great market for quality rail service in our country.  I rejoice in the ridership success.  The embarassment is the result of the operational dysfunction on Amtrak.  Separate issues.  America's mindset of the almighty dollar outpaces our desire for quality of life.  Amtrak lives in this reality.

Oh Boy.  Who here has been around long enough to remember "CSX Rail Transport" (Engineering and Transportation Depts), "CSX Equipment" (Mechanical Dept), and "CSX Distribution Services" (Marketing & Sales Dept)?

Check your history  from a little over  twenty years ago when the Bush Admin (2nd) wanted to do the same thing and showed David L.Gunn the door because he was not  "on board " with their vision  . Maybe next proposal will be  UP+NS+NRPC  ?

Chessie1963 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thinking further, however, this could be step one
> toward privatization.  Break out the operating
> side, then, after awhile, put train operations out
> to bid.  That could be the longer range plan.
>  On the other hand, maybe there is nothing that
> sinister about it and it is just an idea to
> improve things.  But if RPA is pessimistic, this
> may be an idea worth considering!

If the Administration wanted to do something sinister, they would not beat around the bush. Vought, Musk, and Duffy would have wielded the axe, twisted it in their gut, and shut them down last Spring with no Congressional backlash if they wanted, just like they did to USAID, CFPB and other agencies. 

"Privatization" means lost Class I access rights at incremental cost, if granted access at all.If it means expanded commuter agencies stepping in like a future Rockford, IL service, so be it. 

Record ridership does not reflect customer satisfaction, but lack of alternatives. Intercity bus service is unstable, poor, has all too many "terminals" and depots at curbside (or on the grassy median ) or at gas stations way out of town. Greyhound has been in meltdown for decades. Flixbus and Megabus are hit and miss and their route structure might as well be written on a dry-erase board. Some Trailways companies, like Burlington and Susquehanna, are gone. 

It was a different time and a different type of administration.  There have been no attacks on Amtrak so far, and I do not see any coming.  Duffy has made positive comments about Amtrak and certainly has not attacked them.  There have been no "zero budget" proposals, no talk of cuts, none of that.  This is not some sinister plan by Trump, so let your TDS settle a bit.  What I see is a desire for Amtrak to get better.  More efficient, more service oriented,  and by bringing focus to three divisions, you allow each group to have a clear mission, again, just like McDonald's.  The MicD operating group is top notch and their focus is operations.  Not marketing, not finance, just operations.  

I like the concept.  Let's grab some popcorn and see if it happens.  And if it actually works if they try it.  Could it get worse?  Conceivably.  But I am not sure it can get worse than what we have witnessed in Chicago this winter.

And no, I am not MAGA.  But I am pragmatic.  Something needs to be done to correct the repeated failures we see right now.  The sooner the better.  At least there are ideas being put forward.


AmtrakMidwest Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I find it hilarious that the same people who
> constantly complain still to this day about the
> cuts made by Anderson during the first Trump admin
> would even give credence to a even more
> hilariously corrupt second Trump admins attempt to
> restructure and possibly privatize Amtrak. Sure
> they made riding long distance trains a worse
> experience and created an equipment shortage that
> still persists to this day but hey let’s give
> them the benefit of the doubt on this. Definition
> of insanity.

Chessie1963 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It was a different time and a different type of
> administration.  There have been no attacks on
> Amtrak so far, and I do not see any coming.
>  Duffy has made positive comments about Amtrak
> and certainly has not attacked them.  There have
> been no "zero budget" proposals, no talk of cuts,
> none of that.  This is not some sinister plan by
> Trump, so let your TDS settle a bit.  What I see
> is a desire for Amtrak to get better.  More
> efficient, more service oriented,  and by
> bringing focus to three divisions, you allow each
> group to have a clear mission, again, just like
> McDonald's.  The MicD operating group is top
> notch and their focus is operations.  Not
> marketing, not finance, just operations.  
>
> I like the concept.  Let's grab some popcorn and
> see if it happens.  And if it actually works if
> they try it.  Could it get worse?  Conceivably.
>  But I am not sure it can get worse than what we
> have witnessed in Chicago this winter.
>
> And no, I am not MAGA.  But I am pragmatic.
>  Something needs to be done to correct the
> repeated failures we see right now.  The sooner
> the better.  At least there are ideas being put
> forward.
>
>
> AmtrakMidwest Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I find it hilarious that the same people who
> > constantly complain still to this day about the
> > cuts made by Anderson during the first Trump
> admin
> > would even give credence to a even more
> > hilariously corrupt second Trump admins attempt
> to
> > restructure and possibly privatize Amtrak. Sure
> > they made riding long distance trains a worse
> > experience and created an equipment shortage
> that
> > still persists to this day but hey let’s give
> > them the benefit of the doubt on this.
> Definition
> > of insanity.


Excuse me but what world are you living in? The Trump admin has absolutely attacked Amtrak so far. They’ve clawed back money, forced Amtrak to cut its workforce, and is still attempting to sabotage Amtraks biggest project currently, the Gateway Project. Even ignoring that the breaking up of Amtrak into three distinct groups is similar to the disaster that was the break up of British Rail which is now resulting in the UK having to begin the process of re-nationalization. Ideas being put forward doesn’t equal success, you realize things can get worse correct? Amtrak is no where close to being in need of a massive change like this nor should anyone trust this admin to see it through in a way that actually improves it.