Nonpartisan civic infrastructure
AllCiv·Legis1
·

49 U.S.C. § 24701

U.S. CodeFederalPositive Law
National rail passenger transportation system
About This Law
/us/usc/t49/s24701
Title
49 — Transportation
Chapter
STV/PTC/CH247
Release
119-84
Release Date
2026-04-17

Section Text

Highlight any text to annotate
Amtrak shall operate a national rail passenger transportation system which ties together existing and emergent regional rail passenger service and other intermodal passenger service. (Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 923; Pub. L. 105–134, title I, § 101(a)(1), Dec. 2, 1997, 111 Stat. 2572.) Historical and Revision Notes RevisedSectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 24701(a)45:561(b).Oct. 30, 1970, Pub. L. 91–518, § 401(b), 84 Stat. 1335. 24701(b)45:561(c).Oct. 30, 1970, Pub. L. 91–518, § 401(c), 84 Stat. 1335; Nov. 3, 1973, Pub. L. 93–146, § 9, 87 Stat. 551. In subsection (a), before clause (1), the text of 45:561(b) (1st sentence words after 3d comma) is omitted as obsolete because no regional transportation authority provided intercity rail passenger transportation after May 1, 1971. The words “On May 1, 1971” and “begin” are omitted as executed. The words “between points” and “either” are omitted as surplus. In clause (2), the words “under contract with Amtrak” are substituted for 45:561(b) (last sentence) for clarity and to eliminate unnecessary words. The words “at any time subsequent to May 1, 1971” are omitted as executed. In subsection (b), the words “concerning auto-ferry service . . . railroad or any other” are omitted as surplus. Editorial Notes Amendments1997—Pub. L. 105–134 substituted section catchline for former catchline which read “Operation of basic system” and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “(a) By Amtrak.—Amtrak shall provide intercity rail passenger transportation within the basic system unless the transportation is provided by— “(1) a rail carrier with which Amtrak did not make a contract under section 401(a) of the Rail Passenger Service Act; or “(2) a regional transportation authority under contract with Amtrak. “(b) By Others With Consent of Amtrak.—Except as provided in section 24306 of this title, a person may provide intercity rail passenger transportation over a route over which Amtrak provides scheduled intercity rail passenger transportation under a contract under section 401(a) of the Act only with the consent of Amtrak.”

Take Action

Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this section.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.