Tenth Anniversary ticket, 1981.

On May 2, 1981, Amtrak held a celebration at Washington Union Station and locations across the country to mark its first decade as the nation's intercity passenger rail provider. According to the 1981 Amtrak Annual Report, since 1971, total revenues had risen 311 percent to $506.3 million, corresponding with a 60 percent increase in passenger miles traveled. In 1981, approximately 21 million customers boarded Amtrak trains at 525 stations spread across 44 states. Ranked against major passenger carriers such as Greyhound, Delta and United Airlines, Amtrak emerged as the country’s sixth largest intercity public transportation company. From the Ann Owens Collection.