Washington Terminal Company
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railroad operations |
| Founded | 1901 |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. , United States |
Area served | Washington metropolitan area |
| Owner | Amtrak (99.7%) |
| Parent | Amtrak |
The Washington Terminal Company is an enterprise formed in Washington, D.C. to facilitate railroad operations utilizing Union Station in Washington. Presently, it functions as an almost entirely owned subsidiary of Amtrak.
Established in 1901 through the collaboration of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad, which was controlled by the Pennsylvania Railroad, the company managed Union Station (which opened in 1907) along with approximately 3 miles of track within the Washington metropolitan area. It delivered switching services to passenger trains from a variety of railroads, including:
- Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O)
- Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR)
- Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O)
- Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad (RF&P)
- Southern Railway (SOU)
- Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL)
- Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL)
History
In 1914, the Washington Terminal Company was involved as the defendant in the significant Supreme Court case Richards v. Washington Terminal Company.
Control of WTC operations was transferred to Amtrak in 1981. Amtrak now holds 99.7% ownership of WTC, with the remaining shares owned by Amtrak employees; all executive officers and most board members are employed by Amtrak. Ownership of Union Station is shared between Amtrak, via WTC, and the United States Department of Transportation: while DOT retains ownership of the station building and parking facilities, WTC owns the platforms and rail tracks.
Despite being nearly fully owned by Amtrak, WTC operates as an independent legal entity and remains subject to the provisions of the Interstate Commerce Act. This legal standing allowed Virginia Railway Express to threaten filing with the Surface Transportation Board to assert access rights after Amtrak attempted to exclude VRE from Union Station following VRE's refusal to automatically reappoint Amtrak as its operating contractor. Confronted with this opposition, Amtrak withdrew its attempt.
Locomotive roster
| Model | Road number |
|---|---|
| ALCO RS-1 | 40 |
| 41-43 | |
| 44, 45 | |
| 46-49 | |
| 50-54 | |
| 55 | |
| 56-59 | |
| 60-61 | |
| 63,64 | |
| FAUR LDH125 | 78 |
| EMD GP7 | 80,81 |
| EMD SW1 | 738 |
| EMD SW1200m | 794 |
Among notable former locomotives was the FAUR LDH125 road switcher from the Socialist Republic of Romania, constructed in 1974 for evaluation on U.S. railroads during a period of strong diplomatic relations. Initially designated LDH125-107 and nicknamed "Quarterhorse," it was ultimately not adopted due to limited enthusiasm for diesel-hydraulic technology. The WATC purchased and operated this unit into the late 1980s before it was dismantled.