Reports & Research
The Rail Passengers Association publishes in-depth policy reports, research briefs, and analysis on the most important issues in passenger rail.
Featured Reports
The Grid and Gateway Vision
Our comprehensive plan for a 21st-century national passenger rail network that would double the size of the current Amtrak route map — comparable in scale to the Interstate Highway System — providing at least two daily round trips on all routes.
State of the Amtrak Network
An annual assessment of Amtrak's national network performance, including on-time performance, ridership trends, financial results, and service quality indicators.
The Cost of Doing Nothing
Analysis of what communities lose when passenger rail service is cut or reduced, including economic impacts, transportation equity, and environmental consequences.
Congressional Budget Analysis
Each year, we analyze the President's budget request and congressional appropriations for Amtrak and passenger rail, explaining the real-world impact of funding decisions.
Report Categories
- Network & Route Analysis — Studies of specific routes, corridors, or the national network
- Funding & Finance — Federal and state passenger rail funding, Amtrak finances
- Safety — Positive Train Control, grade crossing safety, passenger injury data
- Service Quality — On-time performance, food service, station conditions
- Equity & Access — Rail service to rural communities, low-income passengers, and people with disabilities
- Environment — Rail's carbon footprint compared to other transportation modes
Access Reports
Most of our reports are available for free download. Some detailed research is available exclusively to members.
Join Rail Passengers to access the full research library.
For media inquiries or to request a report not listed here, contact members@railpassengers.org.