Vacation Railroad Passes

Years ago, before Amtrak, railroad employees were able to travel once a year on "foreign" railroads (railroads other than their own) say for a vacation or the like. They applied for and were given a pass which allowed them travel over these other railroads? Is such an agreement still in effect with the railroads and AMTRAK today? I would doubt it but just thought I'd inquire.

I used to ride NJT, SEPTA, PATH as well as Amtrak, with just an ID card. (Passes kind of faded away, with the loss of "private" PAX service. Railroads now issue ID's, and Engineers Certification Cards, for ID). Most places were accepted, as you are all "brothers", so to speak. In the late 80's, the carriers started issuing vouchers, used to purchase tickets, for PAX travel. (no money traded hands, our vouchers were filled out by the TM, with each destination already marked. this was used to bill the issuing carrier) I managed to "obtain" about a dozen blanks, and carried them for emergencies. Even with those vouchers, we were still allowed to ride for free, in a "deadhead" car, if one was in the train. I was rarely asked for a ticket, and only once, or twice, had to actually produce a voucher, or ticket, to travel. I "deadheaded" as far south as Atlanta, from NJ, and as far west, as Chicago!!! Those vouchers were a "must have" for long distance travel. No PAX service here, so I don't know if it still works that way, or not. Regards

A few years after I first hired on, back in the early 1980s, railroad employees could apply for a Amtrak pass. This would authorize a 50% discount on tickets for travel on Amtrak, but reservations could not be made more that 24 hours in advance of said travel. About the mid-1980s the discount was reduced to 25%, but the 24-hour reservation restriction remained. Do not know what the current policy is as I retired a few years ago.

Ok, I work for the South Shore Line in Indiana...even though Amtrak doesn't travel over our line except in the very rare detour can I still get an Amtrak Pass?

Amtrak pass applications should be available from your management personnel.