He says he's looking forward to tackling the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Carper was mayor of Macomb from 1991 to 2003. He's also a regional director of an Illinois economic development program.
An Amtrak official says the board currently has five members, but is expected to expand this year to nine members in accordance with the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008.
Washington-based Amtrak says it has posted six consecutive years of growth in ridership, carrying almost 29 million passengers in the last fiscal year.
