After taking over America's intercity passenger rail system, Amtrak sought to establish a strong visual identity by painting locomotives and rolling stock in a unified livery, as well as by creating standardized stations that were easy to build and maintain.

Day-to-day station operations require the talents of many individuals and a variety of tools, including the humble baggage cart.

Taking on the role of Amtrak President and CEO, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Alan Boyd called for "the creation of a newly-structured relationship" between Amtrak and the federal government.

Colorful buttons and pins worn by Amtrak employees have long been used to highlight new services, company-wide safety programs, sales promotions and other initiatives.

To celebrate Jimmy Carter's inauguration in January 1977, friends and supporters chartered an Amtrak train--dubbed the "Peanut Special"--to carry them from Plains, Ga. to Washington, D.C.

Additional photos from the Historic American Engineering Record reveal the rail line and its surroundings as they appeared in April 1977.

In preparation for the start of the Northeast Corridor Improvement Project in 1977, the staff of the Historic American Engineering Record surveyed the right-of-way between Washington, D.C. and Boston.

On the Coast Starlight, the Pacific Parlour Cars offer passengers a ride through railroad history.

Amtrak began laying concrete ties in 1978 as part of the Northeast Corridor Improvement Project. At that time, Amtrak had the only concrete tie/welded rail machinery in the United States.

Following the purchase of the Northeast Corridor in 1976, Amtrak focused on long-term planning to ensure that the rail line and its operations were well integrated into the company. The five-year, $1.75 billion Northeast Corridor Improvement Project kicked off in March 1977.