Background Following the massive bankruptcy of the Penn Central in 1970, Congress created Amtrak to take over the failed company's intercity passenger train service, under the Rail Passenger Service Act.United States. Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970. , . Approved 1970-10-30. Congress passed the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (the "3R Act") to salvage viable freight operations from Penn Central and other failing rail lines in the northeast, mid-Atlantic and midwestern regions, through the creation of Conrail.United States. Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (Northeast Region Rail Services Act). , , . Approved 1974-01-02. Conrail began operations in 1976.
Background Following the massive bankruptcy of the Penn Central in 1970, Congress created Amtrak to take over the failed company's intercity pass.enger train service, under the Rail Passenger Service ActUnited States. Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970 , . Approved 1970-10-30. Congres.s passed the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (the "3R Act") to salvage viable freight operations from Penn Central and other failing rail lines in the northeast mid-Atlantic and midwestern regions, through the creat,ion of Conrail.United States. Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (Northeast Region Rail Services Act). , , . Approved 1974-01-02. Conrail began operations in 1976.