NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION D/B/A AMTRAK

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, commonly known as Amtrak, is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., Amtrak was founded in 1971 through the Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970. It operates as a quasi-public corporation, with the federal government owning all of its preferred stock, and is managed as a for-profit organization, though it receives state and federal subsidies. As of fiscal year 2024, Amtrak had nearly 22,400 active employees and reported $2.5 billion in ticket revenue.

Amtrak's primary service is intercity passenger rail transportation, operating in 46 contiguous U.S. states (excluding Wyoming and South Dakota) and three Canadian provinces. The company runs over 300 trains daily, serving more than 500 destinations. Its offerings range from standard coach seats to private rooms, including premium services like the Acela, which provides high-speed rail travel at up to 150 mph on the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak owns approximately 623 miles of its track, along with stations and maintenance facilities, while contracting with other railroads for access to additional trackage. It also acts as a contractor for various commuter rail agencies.

In terms of patent litigation, Amtrak exhibits the posture of an operating company defending its intellectual property. The company has no record as a plaintiff in patent cases and has been named as a defendant in one tracked case. This indicates that Amtrak is likely a patent owner or licensee whose patent has been challenged.

The sole tracked patent litigation case involves Unified Patents PTAB Data v. NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION D/B/A AMTRAK, filed on July 6, 2023, at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). This case, brought by Unified Patents (an entity known for challenging patents, often those asserted by non-practicing entities), suggests a challenge to the validity of a patent associated with Amtrak.