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Home > Archives > Amtrak President W. Graham Claytor, Jr., 1980s.

Amtrak President W. Graham Claytor, Jr., 1980s.

Black and white portrait photograph of Amtrak President W. Graham Claytor, Jr.; dates to the early 1980s.

Amtrak President W. Graham Claytor, Jr., 1980s.

W. Graham Claytor, Jr. (1912-1994) served as the fourth president of Amtrak from 1982 to 1993. A lawyer and World War II naval hero, Claytor gained extensive knowledge of passenger and freight railroading as the vice president, president and chairman of Southern Railway between 1963 and 1977. Following retirement from Southern, Claytor began a second career in government service with the Carter administration. Between 1977 and 1981, Claytor served as Secretary of the Navy, Acting Secretary of Transportation and Deputy Secretary of Defense.

Under his leadership, Amtrak established a joint Labor/Management Productivity Council; restarted the popular Auto Train (Lorton-Sanford); launched the toll free 1-800-USA-RAIL reservations number; surpassed Eastern Airlines to become the leading Washington-New York carrier; introduced a computerized "yield management" system to handle ticket sales; completed the West Side Connection in New York City; initiated Capitol Corridor service; and received the first GE Genesis Series diesel-electric locomotives.

Photographer: Unknown for Amtrak. From the Amtrak Corporate Collection.