Amtrak pass given to freight railroad workers

Question--hoping someone here can answer this-

I have a friend who retired in the 70's from an Amtrak host railroad. He worked for the Northern Pacific and then the Burlington Northern. He was issued an Amtrak pass for free coach travel. Is this pass still valid? Thanks for any insight anyone can give, Jim.

Was it issued by Amtrak or by Northern Pacific?

Is there an expiration date on it?

Are there any restrictions listed in it? If so, what are they?

MontanaJim said:

Question--hoping someone here can answer this-

I have a friend who retired in the 70's from an Amtrak host railroad. He worked for the Northern Pacific and then the Burlington Northern. He was issued an Amtrak pass for free coach travel. Is this pass still valid? Thanks for any insight anyone can give, Jim.

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The document he has might no longer be valid. It may have been superseded. If he retired in the 70's he could have travel privilages. What he needs is an Amtrak Rail Travel Privilege Card if he is eligible for one. The cards are obtained thru the host railroad. Not directly from Amtrak. Usually they are good for free coach travel only over the home host railroads territory. There may be some discounts for other travel. The Rail Travel Cards are for obtaining tickets. They are not flash passes. They are not valid presented onboard a train without tickets.

Amtrak has issued new Rail Travel Privilege Cards. Mine arrived yesterday. In part the accompanying letter stated:

"Freight railroad employees:

If you were hired by your railroad on or before April 30, 1971, your pass privileges depend on your home railroad, and your time n service, as of that date. Your home road appears on your pass card. If you were hired on May 1, 1971 or later, your home road does not matter and does not appear; instead, "3/4 FARE SYSTEMWIDE" appears on your pass and you pay 3/4 of the full rail fare for all travel; in most cases traveling as a revenue passenger results in a lower fare. Freight railroad pass riders require a reservation for all travel, and may not travel in business class, no Acela Express, on Auto Train, or in "BT"rooms on Superliner trains. Reservations may only be made within 24 hours of departure on a this applies separately to each segment of your itinerary.

"Changes to your pass file: All changes are made through the railroad for which you worked, or its successor, not through the Amtrak Pass Bureau."

I went work for the Southern Pacific in 1966 and my pass privileges are 12 free trips on former SP lines per year and 1/2 fare on the rest of the system, subject to the above rules.

Information for former employees of BNSF predecessor roads is available at the link below. There is also contact information to get a travel pass if eligible.

http://www.bnsf.com/retirees/

I went to the local Amtrak station on Saturday to buy a ticket using my AMTK pass I've had for 38 years (BNSF employee, still working.) The agent said the system would not accept it. Neither of us could under stand why. Nor could the other agents.

Just found this thread.

Information in the link shown above has been updated since the last post. (2014)

"Effective July 1, 2015, Amtrak will no longer provide pass privileges to non-public law freight railroad pass riders (those hired between May 1, 1971 and April 27, 1981). Their pass files in Amtrak’s reservation system will be inactivated on that date.

In almost every case it is more advantageous for these pass holders to travel as a revenue passengers. The fare is lower and there is no 24-hour limitation, nor is there a restriction on the types of services that may be used."

In light of the last post....the freight railroad RTPC is getting to be a very rare commodity....soon carried only by retirees...

I did have a pass I was wondering if it is still valid I started my Railroad career April 1 1971 on the B&O Railroad I retired after 30 years from the same railroad now the CSX. I had a pass but i have losses it in our last move I was wondering if it is still valid and if so could I get a replacement pass

My grandpa worked for the Southern Pacific and he had a pass. According to him it was only good on trains that were formerly run by the SP. According to him there was a mileage charge in coach if he traveled on Amtrak outside the old SP system. I think he said it was something like 3 cents a mile? If there is a discount for sleeping car rates, he or I never knew since he never traveled far enough to need one.

sttom said:

My grandpa worked for the Southern Pacific and he had a pass. According to him it was only good on trains that were formerly run by the SP.

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Correct.