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amtrak - connecticut southern - csx transportation - pan am railways
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Founded in 1971, Amtrak's purpose was to operate the nation's passenger trains, which were a financial burdon on railroads.
The New Haven & Hartford was once known to have through passenger service to Boston and northern New England, when it came under the control of the Penn Central in 1969, the only passenger service was out of Springfield to New York City. All passenger service on the line ended in 1961, but returned ten years later when Amtrak took over passenger service of the nation's railroads. Amtrak reinstated trains out of Springfield to New Haven, and ran trains north to Montreal and also a through train from New York City to Boston called the Bay State. Along with new trains and better schedules, Amtrak also purchased the route from Springfield to New Haven.
No sooner Amtrak started, it was hit with financial troubles. The Bay State was discontinued in 1975, but was restored in 1984. The 1990s started with a feeling of a loss, as Amtrak decided to remove the second track of the New Haven & Hartford main line.
Conecticut Southern Railroad commenced operation on October 7, 1996 as a shortline carrier under Railtex, Inc. The Connececticut Southern operates over 78 miles of track that were once part of Conrail between New Haven, Hartford, and Springfield. The Connecticut Southern also operates on its own tracks between Hartford and Manchester, Conn. Railtex has since been acquired by RailAmerica.
source: Xian Clere
Formed in 1980, CSX was a merger of the Chessie System, Seaboard Lines, and other smaller carriers. In 1997, CSX and Norfolk Southern purchased stock in Conrail after it was released by the government. Conrail's assets were split between CSX and Norfolk Southern, and CSX added the old Boston & Albany Railroad to its network.
A new era of railroading started on July 1, 1983 when Guilford Transportation Industries (GTI) took over the Boston & Maine (B&M) Railroad. Operating as Guilford Rail System, GTI had also taken over the Maine Central and Delaware & Hudson (D&H) Railroads, but due to labor disputes in the 1980s GTI let go of the D&H. Now one system, the B&M and Maine Central continued to be operated as if each were still in existence. Guilford continues to use the operating districts on its system that are based off the old roads and uses the old railroads' reporting marks on equipment. The names also live on as the multiple identities within Guilford Rail System. Guilford is now made up of the B&M, Maine Central (MEC) and Springfield Terminal (ST). Change happened again in 2007 when Guilford took to an image overhaul, changing its name to Pan Am Railways, and GTI chaning to Pan Am System.
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