Title: National Railroad Passenger Corporation / Amtrak : James L. Larson Operations and Planning files

Dates: 1971-2003, bulk 1976-2003

Collection Number: MS 711 RG 1

Creator/Collector: Larson (James L.)

Extent: 16.5 ft.

Repository: California State Railroad Museum Library and Archives

Abstract: Reports, legal documents, and correspondence collected by Mr. Larson during his 25-year tenure with Amtrak as he served as Manager of Station Operations, Director of Personnel, Assistant Vice President of Administrative Staff, and Assistant Vice President of Contracts.

Language of Material: English

This collection is open for research at our off-site storage facility with one week's notice. Contact Library & Archives staff to arrange for access.

Copyright has not been assigned to the California State Railroad Museum. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Capital District Collections Manager. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the CSRM as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

National Railroad Passenger Corporation / Amtrak : James L. Larson Operations and Planning files. California State Railroad Museum Library and Archives

Gift of Mrs. Mary Larson, 2011.

James Llewellyn Larson was born on March 27, 1935 in Madison, Wisconsin to Ruth (Thurber) and LeRoy Larson. While attending high school, Mr. Larson spent many hours at the Chicago and North Western Railway Company's interlocking tower in Madison, Wisconsin where he learned telegraphy. He went to work for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and Pacific Railroad in 1952 as an agent, telegrapher, and tower operator. In 1953, Mr. Larson began working for the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company as a telegrapher, then as a wire changer. During his 20-year tenure with C&NW, he worked in the Operating Department, was a Train Dispatcher from 1957 to 1959, and then spent eight years as an Assistant Trainmaster and a Trainmaster. He was a System Rules Examiner from 1966 to 1968, an Assistant Division Superintendent from 1968 to 1969, Assistant Superintendent -Transportation from 1969 to 1972, where he managed Operations Center in Chicago. From 1972 to 1973, he was an Assistant Division Master of Transportation on the Twin Cities Division. Mr. Larson was recruited by Amtrak in 1973. During his 25-year tenure with Amtrak he served as Manager of Station Operations, Director of Personnel, Assistant Vice President of Administrative Staff, and Assistant Vice President of Contracts. During his career with Amtrak, he He was responsible for the negotiation and administration of Amtrak's operating agreements with the railroads over which Amtrak passenger trains operate throughout the United States and for evaluating all lines on which Amtrak considered implementing passenger service. In addition, he was involved with the negotiation of schedules, schedule modifications and the implementation of new routes for Amtrak trains, including capital expenses as well as operating requirements. He also served as a liaison with Amtrak’s Law and Government Affairs Department. Mr. Larson retired from Amtrak in 1998 as the company’s Assistant Vice President of Operations and Planning. Jim Larson was a member of the Lexington Group in Transportation History and he sat on the Board of Directors of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society. He published many articles on railroad history. After retiring, Mr. Larson served the American Association of Private Railroad Car Owners as the organization’s volunteer Trainmaster for many years. He died on September 2, 2008 in Manassas, Virginia. He was survived by his wife, Mary (Gilliam) who he had married on December 28, 1974 and their two daughters, Mary Llewellyn, a pilot for Delta Airlines and Martha Elizabeth Larson, a professional photographer.

Original order has been maintained. The James L. Larson files are arranged in the following series: 1. REPORTS 2. CHRONOLOGICAL FILES 3. LAWSUITS