Chesapeake (train)
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| Chesapeake | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||||
| Service type | Inter-city rail | ||||
| Status | Transferred to SEPTA and MARC | ||||
| Locale | Mid-Atlantic states | ||||
| First service | 1973(First version) 1978(Second and third versions) |
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| Last service | 1977(First version) 1995(Second and third versions) |
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| Successor | SEPTA MARC Train |
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| Former operator(s) | Amtrak | ||||
| Route | |||||
| Start | Washington, DC | ||||
| End | Philadelphia | ||||
| Distance travelled | 134 miles (216 km) | ||||
| Average journey time | 2 hour 18 minutes | ||||
| Service frequency | Monday through Friday | ||||
| Train number(s) | 161 & 167 (1973-1977) 420 & 421 (1978-1995) |
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| On-board services | |||||
| Class(es) | Unreserved coach | ||||
| Technical | |||||
| Rolling stock | Amfleet coaches | ||||
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) | ||||
| Electrification | Overhead caternary | ||||
| Track owner(s) | Amtrak | ||||
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Chesapeake was a daily passenger train operated by Amtrak along the Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Chesapeake was originally established on April 29, 1973, as a train that ran between Washington, D.C., and New York City.[1] This service ended on June 11, 1977; however, on April 30, 1978, the name was revived for a commuter service that was financed through funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of Maryland. Chester Transportation Center, which was closed by the Pennsylvania Railroad in either 1966 or 1967, was added to service in 1978[2] and the Baltimore-Washington International Airport railroad station was added to the service in 1980.[3]
On October 29, 1983, Maryland and Pennsylvania, along with a number of other Northeastern states, took control of its commuter railroads. SEPTA expanded to commuter railroads previously used by the Pennsylvania Railroad and Reading Railroad, and the "MARC" (Maryland Area Regional Commuter) service name was established.[4] The SEPTA R2 (now the Wilmington/Newark Line) and MARC Penn Line became the replacements for Amtrak's Chesapeake, although no service existed between Perryville and Newark. The name remained and service was extended not only back to New York City, but south into Richmond, Virginia until October 28, 1995 when it was replaced by the NortheastDirect.
Station stops (1978–1983) [edit]
The following station stops were made by Chesapeake trains; not all trains made all stops.
| State | City | Station | Notes and Connections |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | 30th Street Station | SEPTA subway service; SEPTA Regional Rail |
| Chester | Chester Transportation Center | SEPTA Wilmington/Newark Line | |
| Delaware | Wilmington | French Street Station | SEPTA Wilmington/Newark Line |
| Newark | Newark Rail Station | SEPTA Wilmington/Newark Line | |
| Maryland | Elkton | Elkton | |
| Perryville | Perryville | Now stop on Penn Line | |
| Aberdeen | Aberdeen | Now stop on Penn Line | |
| Edgewood | Edgewood | Now stop on Penn Line | |
| Baltimore | Pennsylvania Station | Now stop on Penn Line and Baltimore Light Rail | |
| Edmonson Avenue Station | |||
| Linthicum | Baltimore Airport | Now stop on Penn Line | |
| Odenton | Odenton | Now stop on Penn Line | |
| Bowie | Bowie | ||
| New Carrollton | Beltway-Lanham Station | Metro Orange Line; now stop on Penn Line | |
| Washington, D.C | Union Station | Metro Red Line; MARC; various Amtrak trains | |
References [edit]
External links [edit]
- October 1, 1979 Amtrak Chesapeake Timetable (Railroad Picture Archives)
- Inaugural Run of Amtrak's Chesapeake (Window on Cecil County's Past)
