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Amtrak is on pace to break its annual ridership record in fiscal-year 2010, officials from the national intercity passenger railroad said yesterday.

Amtrak reported that 13.6 million passengers rode the railroad during the first two quarters of FY2010, which spans October 2009 to March 2010 — an increase of 4.3 percent compared with FY2009. That number is also up about 100,000 from FY2008’s ridership.

FY2010 ridership to date is consistent with annual growth seen over the past several years, when Amtrak registered a 32 percent increase in passenger counts from FY2002 to FY2008, according to the railroad.

To continue accommodating increased demand, Amtrak needs to replace, expand and modernize its fleet of aging locomotives and passenger rail cars, officials said in a prepared statement.