Part 7/16:
In 2024, Amtrak reported a significant milestone: a new annual record for ridership. This success wasn’t spread evenly across all routes but was predominantly driven by the Northeast Corridor, a region where Amtrak receives substantial federal support because profitable operations here subsidize less viable routes. Specifically, the Northeast Regional service, which connects major cities along the East Coast, surpassed 14 million annual riders—an impressive figure given the competition from cars and planes.