In the past 10 to 15 years , passenger rail has seen a growth in ridership . From October 2012 to September 2013 , `` Amtrak welcomed aboard nearly 31.6 million passengers , the largest annual total in its history , '' according to its website . Nearly 31.6 million passengers , a record , boarded Amtrak trains in 2013 . Rail comeback led by growth in air travel in Northeast , Midwest and Western U.S .
In the past 10 to 15 years , passenger rail has seen a growth in ridership . Nearly 31.6 million passengers , a record , boarded Amtrak trains in 2013 . Rail comeback led by growth in air travel in Northeast , Midwest and Western U.S .