Since Amtrak’s beginning in 1971, its routes have evolved—and unfortunately, in many cases, devolved. In its early days, Amtrak took over several regional passenger services, inheriting a sprawling rail network. Over the years, routes have been canceled, rerouted, shortened, or stripped of stops. Once covering far more of the U.S. map, Amtrak is now focused largely on coastal corridors and a few key cross-country lines.