"We Take Your Credit Cards" advertisement, 1972.
Black and white printed paper advertisement to highlight Amtrak's acceptance of major credit cards such as American Express, Master Charge and the Rail Travel Card. Advertisement appeared in the February 18, 1972 issue of LIFE. "We're pleased that Amtrak can now offer you the two surest ingredients for a pleasant trip. Trains and credit."
- Advertisement Details
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- Date Archived:
- March 27, 2013
- Geography:
- National
- Decade:
- 1970s
- Data Format:
- Image
- Date Created:
- 1972
- Download the full-sized version of this photo
According to the fiscal year 1972 Annual Report, the Rail Travel Credit Card, with approximately 150,000 subscriber accounts, was the only credit card accepted by Amtrak when the company began operations in 1971. By the fall of that year, station agents could process American Express and Master Charge, which together had 14 million card holders. Additional contracts were then signed with Carte Blanche, BankAmericard and Diners Club, representing 25 million card holders. By negotiating contracts with these five major credit cards, Amtrak credit sales more than doubled from $4 million to $9 million for 1972.
