Northeast Regional

Two AEM-7s lead a Northeast Regional through New Jersey in 2005.
Overview
Service type	Intercity rail
Status	Operating
Locale	Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States
Current operator(s)	Amtrak
Average ridership	8,014,175 (FY12 total)
Route
Start	Boston or Springfield, Massachusetts
No. of intermediate stops	35 between Boston and Newport News, 7 on Springfield branch
End	Norfolk, Richmond, Newport News, or Lynchburg, Virginia
Distance travelled	664 mi (1,069 km)
Average journey time	12 hours 30 minutes
Service frequency	18 trains per day
On-board services
Seating arrangements	Airline-style coach seating
Catering facilities	On-board café
Baggage facilities	Checked baggage available at selected stations
Technical
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Operating speed	max: 125 mph (201 km/h)
Route map Legend Distance      Station 94 mi (151 km) Springfield MA/CT border 109 mi (175 km) Windsor Locks 114 mi (183 km) Windsor 120 mi (193 km) Hartford 131 mi (211 km) Berlin 138 mi (222 km) Meriden 144 mi (232 km) Wallingford 0 mi (0 km) Boston South Station 1 mi (1.6 km) Boston Back Bay Station 11 mi (18 km) Route 128 MA/RI border 43 mi (69 km) Providence 70 mi (113 km) Kingston 87 mi (140 km) Westerly RI/CT border 96 mi (154 km) Mystic 105 mi (169 km) New London 123 mi (198 km) Old Saybrook 156 mi (251 km) New Haven 173 mi (278 km) Bridgeport 195 mi (314 km) Stamford CT/NY border 212 mi (341 km) New Rochelle 231 mi (372 km) New York Penn Station NY/NJ border 241 mi (388 km) Newark Penn Station 244 mi (393 km) Newark Liberty Airport 255 mi (410 km) Metropark 263 mi (423 km) New Brunswick 279 mi (449 km) Princeton Junction 289 mi (465 km) Trenton NJ/PA border 305 mi (491 km) Cornwells Heights 318 mi (512 km) North Philadelphia 322 mi (518 km) Philadelphia PA/DE border 347 mi (558 km) Wilmington 359 mi (578 km) Newark DE/MD border 386 mi (621 km) Aberdeen 416 mi (669 km) Baltimore Penn Station 427 mi (687 km) BWI Marshall Airport 448 mi (721 km) New Carrollton MD/DC border 457 mi (735 km) Washington D.C. DC/VA border 465 mi (748 km) Alexandria 481 mi (774 km) Woodbridge 491 mi (790 km) Quantico 511 mi (822 km) Fredericksburg 555 mi (893 km) Ashland 566 mi (911 km) Richmond Staples Mill Road 573 mi (922 km) Richmond Main Street 621 mi (999 km) Williamsburg 644 mi (1,036 km) Newport News 594 mi (956 km) Petersburg 679 mi (1,093 km) Norfolk Burke Centre 490 mi (789 km) Manassas 525 mi (845 km) Culpeper 569 mi (916 km) Charlottesville 630 mi (1,014 km) Lynchburg

The Northeast Regional, so named in 1995, is an intercity rail service operated by Amtrak in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States. In the past it has been known as the NortheastDirect, Acela Regional, or Regional. It is the busiest Amtrak route, carrying 8.01 million passengers in fiscal year (FY) 2012. The Northeast Regional service earned over $536 million in gross revenue during FY2012.

There is daily all-reserved service about every hour during the day. Trains generally run between Boston, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C. with more between New York City and Washington. Extensions and branches extend to Springfield, Massachusetts and Richmond, Newport News, Norfolk, and Lynchburg, Virginia.

Travel times are about 4.5 hours between Norfolk or Newport News and Washington, two hours between Washington and Philadelphia, 1.5 hours between Philadelphia and New York, 3.5 hours between New York and Springfield, and four hours between New York and Boston.

Equipment

Trains usually have 6 to 10 cars with one or two locomotives pulling. Today the passenger cars are the rebuilt Amfleet I series passenger cars built by the Budd Company in the mid to late 1970s. Prior to March 2008, when Amtrak changed its format for the new Northeast Regional service, the first car was Business Class (formerly the last car), and the second car was the operational Café Car (formerly the second-to-last car). Today all regional trains have the cafe in the middle of the train, but the business-class car is still on the front. If a second Café Car is present, it is only used for passenger seating. Some trains offer a limited number business-class seating at the front of the Café Car, instead of having a dedicated Business Class car. The Coach Class car adjacent to business class usually is designated the quiet car, where passengers are asked to refrain from loud talking and mobile phone conversations. On rare occasions, an ex-Metroliner cab car used for the Keystone Service and the New Haven–Springfield Shuttle will be included at the front (after the locomotive) or end of the train. This is usually a deadheaded car, and a locomotive leads all Amtrak trains on the Northeast Corridor except the Keystone.

Between Boston and Washington the service has overhead electric wires and largely travels over Amtrak-owned tracks. This segment reaches speeds of 125 mph (201 km/h) with electric locomotives, including the AEM-7 class, built 1978–1987 for the now retired Metroliner service with 5800 horsepower (4.3 MW), the rebuilt AEM-7AC with 7000 horsepower (5.2 MW), and the Bombardier/Alstom HHP-8 built 1999–2002 with 8000 horsepower (6 MW). The 8000-horsepower locomotives are not as commonly used on NE Regional trains, since they are standard power for the long-distance trains that use the Northeast Corridor (the Cardinal, the Carolinian, the Crescent, the Palmetto, the Silver Meteor and the Silver Star).

Northeast Regional trains in Virginia and along the route between Springfield, MA and New Haven, CT, use GE P42DC diesel locomotives and have generally lower peak train speeds. Because the Virginia segments are using freight railroad tracks, these trains are more likely to suffer delays due to congested tracks.

History

The NortheastDirect branding was used for most Northeast Regional services 1995-2002. An Acela HHP-8 at South Station, Boston, in 2002. A Virginian Northeast Regional crosses the James River near Lynchburg in 2011.

See also: List of Amtrak routes#Northeast Corridor

The services along the line, as inherited from Penn Central, once had their own names, such as the "Yankee Clipper" and the "Federal"; typically a name applied to at most one train and its "twin" in the opposite direction. Electrification ended at New Haven, Connecticut, requiring an engine change. On October 28, 1995 Amtrak introduced the "NortheastDirect" brand for all trains on the Northeast Corridor (and its extension to Newport News, Virginia) except for the express Metroliner and hourly Clocker services. The November 10, 1996 timetable restored the old names in addition to the NortheastDirect brand. The names (except the Twilight Shoreliner) were dropped with the May 16, 1999 schedule. in 2000 Amtrak completed electrifying the route from New Haven to Boston in preparation for the introduction of the Acela Express, eliminating the engine change at New Haven. The first two all-electric round-trips to and from Boston were branded Acela Regional and equipped with refurbished Amfleet cars painted in the Acela-like "Capstone" livery. All-electric service began on January 31, 2000.

Due to customer confusion with the Acela Express, the name was changed again on March 17, 2003 to "Regional". On April 7, 2008, with the release of their new timetable, the name was changed again to "Northeast Regional" and as a result, Amtrak has started adding the new Northeast Regional logo to their cafe cars. However, as of 2010, some Amfleet cars still have the "NortheastDirect" branding in the side.

Virginia service

Although Virginia is not strictly part of the Northeast Corridor, some Northeast Regional trains continue into Virginia, serving Richmond, Norfolk, Newport News, Lynchburg and points in between. These tracks are not electrified and are owned by freight railroads. Trains travel the short distance between Richmond's northern railway station and its downtown Main Street station very slowly because of the reliance on freight railway track rights through a CSX rail yard. The Commonwealth of Virginia and Amtrak partnered in 2009 under the brand "Amtrak Virginia" to expand passenger rail service within the Commonwealth.

Northeast Regional service south to Alexandria, Richmond, Williamsburg, and Newport News formally began on June 14, 1976, when Amtrak ended the Newport News 'section' of the James Whitcomb Riley. This extension travels over CSX tracks from Washington, D.C. south to Newport News, VA. The long-standing service to Newport News, which operates 2 trains per day in each direction, has not been subject to either a subsidy or performance guarantee by the Department of Rail & Public Transportation (DRPT), Commonwealth of Virginia.

In October 2009 Amtrak extended the Northeast Regional with daily service from Alexandria, VA, via Burke, Manassas, Culpeper, and Charlottesville, to Lynchburg with support from the Department of Rail & Public Transportation], Commonwealth of Virginia. This extension has traveled over CSX tracks between Washington, D.C. and Alexandria, VA, and traveled over Norfolk Southern tracks between Alexandria and Lynchburg. In the first month, ridership doubled expectations. DRPT provided a performance guarantee for this route.

A further extension south from Richmond to Norfolk along Norfolk Southern tracks was planned by the Department of Rail & Public Transportation (DRPT), and the Commonwealth of Virginia in cooperation with Amtrak. Certain track upgrades (e.g. passing sidings, replacing track to increase operating speeds) between Richmond and Norfolk that were necessary to enable this extension were funded jointly by Norfolk Southern and DRPT. Service started on December 12, 2012.

Classes of service

• Coach class: Coach class cars have 2x2 seating with reading lamps, fold-out tray tables, and an electrical (120 V, 60 Hz AC) outlet at each seat. Reservations are required.
• Business Class: This is either a full business class car with 2x2 seats, reading lamps, fold-out tray tables, and at least 1 (120 V, 60 Hz) electrical outlet per seat, or this is a portion of the Cafe car with 1x2 reclining leather seats, with leg rests, reading lamps, fold-out-tray tables, and at least 1 (120 V, 60 Hz) electrical outlet per seat. Business Class passengers receive complimentary soft drinks. The Business Class car is normally supplied with a daily newspaper, often The New York Times, at its origin station. Regardless of car type, Business class has more legroom than coach, seats which recline further than those in coach, footrests, and window curtains.

Effective April 25, 2005 Amtrak abolished the previously common unreserved trains. Now, any ticketed passenger is guaranteed a seat on his/her train. "Reservations" may be made at any time after eleven months prior to the train's departure, easing the frequent practice of arriving at the station and purchasing a ticket for the next train. Now reservations are made online at amtrak.com or at 1-800-USA-RAIL. Tickets may also be purchased at the station closer to departure if the station is equipped with a ticket window. Quick Trak machines are available for self-ticket service in place of a ticket window.

Route

Most Northeast Regional trains operate over the Northeast Corridor between Boston and Washington (via New York). The Corridor is owned, in part, by Amtrak, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and Metro-North Railroad (MNRR):

• MBTA Providence/Stoughton Line, Boston to Massachusetts/Rhode Island state line (dispatched and maintained by Amtrak)
• Amtrak Northeast Corridor, state line to New Haven
• MNRR New Haven Line, New Haven to New Rochelle
• Amtrak Northeast Corridor, New Rochelle to Washington

Trains which turn north at New Haven to serve Springfield, Massachusetts, operate over the New Haven-Springfield Line, wholly owned by Amtrak. Both Virginia extensions of the Northeast Regional (Newport News and Lynchburg) use the ex-Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad, now CSX, between Washington and Alexandria, Virginia. From Alexandria the Lynchburg trains use the Norfolk Southern (ex-Southern Railway, ex-Virginia Midland Railway), while Newport News trains use the following CSX tracks:

• RF&P Subdivision
• Richmond Terminal Subdivision
• Bellwood Subdivision
• Peninsula Subdivision

There has been frequent service between Washington-New York and Washington-Boston through the day. There has been some service to Springfield, Massachusetts, either through to Washington or via a connection at New Haven, Connecticut. Trains between Springfield and New Haven run on Amtrak track but require a diesel locomotive there. Some trains travel as far south as Richmond, Norfolk, Newport News or Lynchburg, Virginia.

Until around 1999 some service to Springfield continued east to Boston, for an alternate Inland Route between New York and Boston. One weekend train stayed on this route until the November 1, 2004 schedule.

One train, the Federal (Twilight Shoreliner until 2004), formerly carried an overnight sleeper between Washington and Boston, giving the corridor 24-hour service; the Federal name (briefly resurrected in 2004) is no longer used as an indication of the absence of sleeper service, but a Northeast Regional runs in its place.

Station stops

State	Town/City	Station	Connections
South Station, Old Saybrook, and intermediate stations are used only for service to and from Boston, Massachusetts
Massachusetts	Boston	South Station	Amtrak: Acela Express, Lake Shore Limited MBTA Commuter Rail: Fairmount Line, Framingham/Worcester Line, Franklin Line, Needham Line, Old Colony Lines, Greenbush Line Providence/Stoughton Line MBTA Bus Lines: 4, 7, 11, 448, 449, 459 MBTA Subway Lines: Red Line, Silver Line (Phase II)
		Back Bay	Amtrak: Acela Express, Lake Shore Limited MBTA Commuter Rail: Framingham/Worcester Line, Franklin Line, Needham Line, Providence/Stoughton Line MBTA Bus Lines: 10, 39, 170 MBTA Subway Lines: Orange Line
	Westwood	Route 128	Amtrak: Acela Express MBTA Commuter Rail: Providence/Stoughton Line
Rhode Island	Providence	Providence	Amtrak: Acela Express MBTA Commuter Rail: Providence/Stoughton Line RIPTA Buses: 50, 55, 56, 57
	South Kingstown	Kingston	RIPTA Buses: 64, 66
	Westerly	Westerly	none
Connecticut	Mystic	Mystic
	New London	New London	Amtrak: Acela Express ConnDOT: Shore Line East SEAT Buses
	Old Saybrook	Old Saybrook	ConnDOT: Shore Line East Estuary Transit District
Springfield, Wallingford, and intermediate stations are used only for service to and from Springfield, Massachusetts
Massachusetts	Springfield	Springfield	Amtrak: Lake Shore Limited, Vermonter, Shuttle
Connecticut	Windsor Locks	Windsor Locks	Amtrak: Vermonter, Shuttle
	Windsor	Windsor	Amtrak: Shuttle
	Hartford	Hartford Union Station	Amtrak: Vermonter, Shuttle
	Kensington	Berlin
	Meriden	Meriden
	Wallingford	Wallingford	Amtrak: Shuttle
	New Haven	New Haven – Union Station	Amtrak: Acela Express, Shuttle, Vermonter ConnDOT: Shore Line East CT Transit New Haven: J, Commuter Connection Downtown and Sargent Drive, Temple Street Garage Shuttle Metro-North Railroad: New Haven Line Greyhound Lines: Greyhound Bus Lines, Peter Pan Bus Lines
	Bridgeport	Bridgeport	Amtrak: Vermonter ConnDOT: Shore Line East GBTA: Coastal Link, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 Metro-North Railroad: New Haven Line
	Stamford	Stamford	Amtrak: Acela Express, Vermonter ConnDOT: Shore Line East CT Transit Stamford: 11, 13, 14, 21, 22, 24, 31, 32, 33, 34, 41, 42, 43, 44, Commuter Connection Central, Commuter Connection-North, Commuter Connection Route 1 – East, Commuter Connection Bulls Head, I-Bus Metro-North Railroad: New Haven Line
New York	New Rochelle	New Rochelle	Bee-Line: 7, 30, 42, 45, 60, 61, 62, 66, 91 Metro-North Railroad: New Haven Line
	New York City	Penn Station	Amtrak: Acela Express, Adirondack, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Keystone Service, Lake Shore Limited, Maple Leaf, Palmetto, Pennsylvanian, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Vermonter Long Island Rail Road: Main Line, Port Washington Branch New Jersey Transit: North Jersey Coast Line, Northeast Corridor Line, Gladstone Branch, Montclair-Boonton Line, Morristown Line NYC Subway: 1 2 3 A C E trains NYC Transit buses: M4, M7, M20, M34 / M34A Select Bus Service, Q32
New Jersey	Newark	Newark Penn Station	Amtrak: Acela Express, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Keystone Service, Palmetto, Pennsylvanian, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Vermonter NJ Transit: Newark City Subway, Newark Light Rail, North Jersey Coast Line, Northeast Corridor Line, Raritan Valley Line, 1, 5, 21, 34, 40, 62, 67, 70, 71, 72, 73, 75, 76, 78, 79, 108, 308, 319, 361, 375, 378 PATH: NWK-WTC Coach USA: 31, 44
		Newark Liberty International Airport	AirTrain Newark: to Newark Liberty International Airport Amtrak: Keystone Service NJ Transit: North Jersey Coast Line, Northeast Corridor Line
	Iselin	Metropark	Amtrak: Acela Express, Keystone Service, Vermonter NJ Transit: Northeast Corridor Line 62, 801, 802, 803, 804, 805
	New Brunswick	New Brunswick	Amtrak: Keystone Service NJ Transit: Northeast Corridor Line, 810, 811, 814, 815, 818, 980
	Princeton	Princeton Junction	Amtrak: Keystone Service, Pennsylvanian NJ Transit: Northeast Corridor Line, Princeton Branch, 600, 612 (612 renumbered from 976)
	Trenton	Trenton Rail Station	Amtrak: Acela Express, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Keystone Service, Palmetto, Pennsylvanian, Silver Star, Silver Meteor, Vermonter NJ Transit: Northeast Corridor Line, River Line, 409, 418, 600, 601, 604, 606, 608, 609, 611, 619 SEPTA Regional Rail: Trenton Line SEPTA Suburban Transit Division: Route 127
Pennsylvania	Cornwells Heights	Cornwells Heights	Amtrak: Keystone Service SEPTA Regional Rail: Trenton Line SEPTA Suburban Transit Division: Routes 129, 304
	Philadelphia	North Philadelphia	Amtrak: Keystone Service SEPTA Regional Rail: Trenton Line, Chestnut Hill West Line SEPTA City Transit Division: Broad Street Subway, Routes 54, C
		30th Street Station	Amtrak: Acela Express, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Keystone Service, Palmetto, Pennsylvanian, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Vermonter NJ Transit: Atlantic City Line SEPTA City Transit Division: Market-Frankford Line, SEPTA Subway-Surface Trolley Lines (Route 10, Route 11, Route 13, Route 34, Route 36), 9, 30, 31, 44, 62, 121, 316 SEPTA Suburban Transit Division: 124, 125 SEPTA Regional Rail: Airport Line, Warminster Line, Wilmington/Newark Line, West Trenton Line, Media/Elwyn Line, Lansdale/Doylestown Line, Paoli/Thorndale Line, Manayunk/Norristown Line, Cynwyd Line, Trenton Line, Chestnut Hill East Line, Chestnut Hill West Line, Fox Chase Line
Delaware	Wilmington	Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Railroad Station	Amtrak: Acela Express, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Vermonter DART First State: 2, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 20, 21, 28, 32, 301 SEPTA Regional Rail: Wilmington/Newark Line
	Newark	Newark Rail Station	DART First State: 16, 33, 59, 65 SEPTA Regional Rail: Wilmington/Newark Line
Maryland	Aberdeen	Aberdeen	MARC Train: Penn Line Harford Transit: 1, 1A, 4, 6, 6A
	Baltimore	Baltimore Penn Station	Amtrak: Acela Express, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Vermonter MARC Train: Penn Line MTA Maryland: Light Rail, 3, 11, 61, 64 Charm City Circulator: Purple Route, Artscape Shuttle
		BWI Rail Station	Amtrak: Acela Express, Vermonter MARC Train: Penn Line Park BWI Shuttle MTA Maryland: 17, 201 Howard Transit: Silver UMBC Transit: Halethorpe Line
	New Carrollton	New Carrollton	Amtrak: Vermonter MARC Train: Penn Line Metro: Orange Line Metrobus: 84, 85, 88, B21, B22, B24, B25, B27, B29, B31, C28, F12, F13, F14, F4, F6, L99, R12, T16, T17, T18 The Bus: 15X, 16, 21, 21X MTA Maryland: 921
District of Columbia	Washington	Washington Union Station	Amtrak: Acela Express, Capitol Limited, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Vermonter, Thruway Motorcoach to Charlottesville, Virginia MARC Train: Brunswick Line, Camden Line, Penn Line VRE: Manassas Line, Fredericksburg Line Metro: Red Line Metrobus: D3, D6, D8, X1, X2, X8, X9, 80, 96, 97 DC Circulator: Georgetown, Navy Yard MTA Maryland: 903, 922 Loudoun County Transit: Loudoun County PRTC: Dale City ELECTRIFICATION ENDS HERE ALL TRAINS MUST SWITCH FROM AN AEM-7 or HHP-8 ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE TO A GE Genesis Diesel Locomotive
Virginia	Alexandria	Alexandria Union Station	Amtrak: Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Silver Star VRE: Fredericksburg Line, Manassas Line Metro: Blue Line, Yellow Line Metrobus: REX, 28A, 28B, 29K, 29N DASH: AT2, AT5, AT6, AT7, AT8, AT10
	Burke Centre, Manassas, Culpeper, and Charlottesville stations are used for intermediate service between Alexandria and Lynchburg, Virginia.
	Burke	Burke Centre	VRE: Manassas Line Metrobus: 17B,17L VRE EZ Bus: North Route, South Route
	Manassas	Manassas	Amtrak: Cardinal, Crescent VRE: Manassas Line OmniRide/OmniLink
	Culpeper	Culpeper	Amtrak: Cardinal, Crescent
	Charlottesville	Charlottesville Union Station	Amtrak: Cardinal, Crescent, Thruway Motorcoach to Richmond, Washington D.C. Greyhound Lines CAT: T, 7
	Lynchburg	Lynchburg	Amtrak: Crescent
	Woodbridge, Quantico, Fredericksburg, Ashland, Richmond Staples Mill Road, Richmond Main Street, and Williamsburg stations are used for intermediate service between Alexandria and Newport News, Virginia.
	Woodbridge	Woodbridge	VRE: Fredericksburg Line PRTC: Prince William Metro Direct OmniLink, 1
	Quantico	Quantico	Amtrak: Carolinian VRE: Fredericksburg Line PRTC: OmniLink, 1
	Fredericksburg	Fredericksburg	Amtrak: Carolinian VRE: Fredericksburg Line FRED D1, F2, F4, VF1, VS1
	Ashland	Ashland	none
	Richmond	Richmond Staples Mill Road	Amtrak: Carolinian, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Thruway Motorcoach to Charlottesville, Virginia
		Richmond Main Street Station	GRTC
	Williamsburg	Williamsburg	HRT: Route 121 WAT: Blue Line, Brown Line, Gray Line, Orange Line, Purple Line, Red Line, Yellow Line
	Newport News	Newport News	Amtrak: Thruway Motorcoach to Norfolk and Virginia Beach, Virginia HRT: Route 106/107
	Woodbridge, Quantico, Fredericksburg, Ashland, Richmond Staples Mill Road, and Petersburg stations are used for intermediate service between Alexandria and Norfolk, Virginia.
	Woodbridge	Woodbridge	VRE: Fredericksburg Line PRTC: Prince William Metro Direct OmniLink, 1
	Quantico	Quantico	Amtrak: Carolinian VRE: Fredericksburg Line PRTC: OmniLink, 1
	Fredericksburg	Fredericksburg	Amtrak: Carolinian VRE: Fredericksburg Line FRED D1, F2, F4, VF1, VS1
	Ashland	Ashland	none
	Richmond	Richmond Staples Mill Road	Amtrak: Carolinian, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Thruway Motorcoach to Charlottesville, Virginia
	Ettrick	Petersburg	Amtrak: Carolinian, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Silver Star
	Norfolk	Norfolk	Amtrak: Thruway Motorcoach to Virginia Beach and Newport News, Virginia The Tide light rail: Harbor Park station

External links

• "Amtrak – Northeast Regional", Amtrak.com.