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"However, the numbers can be arrived at by dividing contribution per passenger by contribution per seat, which are contained in the report at page C-1." That's what I did to test my thinking.  Obviously, you calculated the load factor for each route shown.  Did you copy the numbers from the report and paste them into an Excel spreadsheet, or did you calculate each factor separately?I don't see enough information in the route performance report, or anywhere else, to calculate the load by segment.  I see that the load factor for the Texas Eagle is 51 per cent.  Based on my experience, the load factor north of St. Louis is higher, perhaps much higher, then the load factor south of St. Louis.  Do you know whether Amtrak would provide that information if requested?  I suppose one could exercise the Freedom of Information Act if Amtrak did not provide the numbers, although I am not sure if Amtrak falls under the FIA.On another point, some readers claim that Amtrak or the airlines juggle their passenger load figures.  It is possible but not probable.  The financial statements of Amtrak and the airlines are audited by independent auditors, usually from one of the big four accounting firms, e.g. KMPG, PWC, etc.  Although their focus is on the veracity of the financial statements, including the internal controls associated with the accounting systems that generate the data to produce them, they look at the operational statistics because of their impact on the financials.  Amtrak and the airlines could fudge the figures, but if they were caught by the auditors, they would have a reportable item on their hands.  And management, in this post Enron era, does not want to go there.
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