Amtrak Cancels Mail on Passenger Trains

Amtrak plans to stop carrying mail in October 2004 as it refocuses on its core business of transporting passengers, reports The Washington Times.

"The profit margin is small and we feel that making these changes will improve our bottom line, make the trains more efficient," Amtrak spokesman Cliff Black said. The U.S. Postal Service has used passenger trains to carry mail since 1831, when some of the first regular passenger rail service started in the United States. The national passenger railroad carries mostly bulk mail under a $60 million per year contract with the U.S. Postal Service.

Black said: “Interference with passenger train operations" compelled Amtrak's management to curtail the contract. The interference includes delays from coupling and uncoupling freight rail cars to passenger trains. Amtrak also has to divert some of its resources to maintenance of the rail cars.

Comment: For $60,000,000 per year, you’d think they could make it work.

Posted: 09/08/04