Northeast Regional
| File:Northeast Regional Amtrak logo.png | |||||
 Two AEM-7s lead a Regional through New Jersey in 2005. | |||||
| Overview | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service type | Regional rail | ||||
| Status | Operating | ||||
| Locale | Northeastern United States | ||||
| Current operator(s) | Amtrak | ||||
| Ridership | 7,148,998 (2010 total)[1] | ||||
| Route | |||||
| Termini | Boston or Springfield, Massachusetts Newport News or Lynchburg, Virginia | ||||
| Stops | 35 between Boston and Newport News, 7 on Springfield branch | ||||
| Distance travelled | 664 mi (1,069 km) | ||||
| Average journey time | 12 hours 30 minutes | ||||
| Service frequency | 18 trains per day[2] | ||||
| 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) | ||||
| |||||
The Northeast Regional is an intercity rail service operated by Amtrak in the Northeastern United States. In the past, it has also been known as the NortheastDirect, Acela Regional, and Regional. It is by far the busiest Amtrak route, carrying 7.15 million passengers in fiscal year 2010.[1] The second-busiest Amtrak service is the Acela Express which carried around 3.2 million passengers the same year.[1] The Northeast Regional had a total revenue of $458,105,798 in fiscal year 2010, up from $431,430,679 in 2009.[1]
There is frequent daily all-reserved service, operating every hour of every day. Trains generally operate between Boston, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C., with extra service between New York City and Washington and some extended service to Springfield, Massachusetts, and Newport News and Lynchburg, Virginia.
Travel times are approximately 4.5 hours between 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 are usually 6 to 10 cars long, with an electric locomotive pulling at the head end between Boston and Washington at speeds up to 125 MPH. The electric locomotives include the AEM-7 class, built 1978–1987 for the now retired Metroliner service with 7000 horsepower (5.2 MW); rebuilt AEM-7's (AEM-7AC) with 8000 horsepower (6 MW); and Bombardier/Alstom HHP-8 built 1999–2002, also with 8000 horsepower (6 MW). The latter locomotives are not as commonly used on Regionals, since they are standard power on long-distance trains that use the Northeast Corridor (the Cardinal, the Carolinian, the Crescent, the Palmetto, the Silver Meteor and the Silver Star). Diesel engines are used south of Washington, because that section of the route is not electrified. This, combined with lower demand for travel to Richmond, means that most Northeast Regional trains have their southern terminus at Washington D.C. Trains on non-electrified sections south of Washington, D.C., and on the Springfield line use P42DCs until they reach the NEC.
The cars are 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. Rarely, there will be no business class car, but instead limited business class seating at the front of the Café Car featuring wider seats than typical business class (3 across). The car adjacent to business class is designated as the quiet car, where passengers are asked to refrain from loud talking and mobile phone conversations.
Today's Northeast Regional uses equipment that is roughly equivalent to the last incarnation of the defunct Metroliner service which had used the same AEM-7 electric locomotives at speeds up to 125 MPH but used Amfleet II passenger cars.
History
The services along the line, as inherited from Penn Central, once had their own names, like the Yankee Clipper and the Federal; typically a name applied to at most one train and its "twin" in the opposite direction. 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.[3] The November 10, 1996 timetable restored the old names in addition to the NortheastDirect brand.[4] The names (except the Twilight Shoreliner) were permanently dropped with the May 16, 1999 schedule,[5] and on January 31, 2000 the first rebranded Acela Regional electrified trains ran.[6] Due to confusion with the Acela Express, the name was changed again on March 17, 2003 to Regional.[7] 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.[8][9] However, as of 2010[update], some Amfleet cars still have the NortheastDirect branding in the side.
Virginia service
Although not strictly part of the Northeast Corridor, some Northeast Regional trains continue into Virginia, serving Richmond, Newport News, Lynchburg and points in between. Unlike the Northeast Corridor, these tracks are owned by CSX and are not electrified. Service began on June 14, 1976, when Amtrak ended the Newport News section of the James Whitcomb Riley. In October 2009 Amtrak extended the Northeast Regional to Lynchburg with support from the Commonwealth of Virginia. In the first month ridership doubled expectations.[10]
Classes of service
- Coach class: This class has large, comfortable seats with reading lamps and folding tables and either 1 or 2 120V 3-Prong AC outlets per seat pair. Reservations are required.
- Business Class: Seating with extra legroom, and complimentary non-alcoholic beverages and snacks are available. Reservations are required.
- First Class was formerly offered on NortheastDirect trains but is no longer available on Northeast Regional trains. It is now exclusively on Acela Express trains.
Beginning with the schedule 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
The Northeast Regional operates over Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Amtrak, Metro-North Railroad, and CSX Transportation trackage when trains head to Newport News:
- MBTA Providence/Stoughton Line, Boston to Massachusetts/Rhode Island state line (dispatched and maintained by Amtrak)
- Amtrak New Haven-Springfield Line from Springfield to New Haven
- Amtrak Northeast Corridor, state line to New Haven
- MNRR New Haven Line, New Haven to New Rochelle
- Amtrak Northeast Corridor, New Rochelle to Washington
- Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad, Washington to Alexandria, Virginia, now CSX
- CSX Landover Subdivision, RF&P Subdivision, Richmond Terminal Subdivision, Bellwood Subdivision, and Peninsula Subdivision, Alexandria, Virginia to Newport News
Or, when trains head to Lynchburg, Northeast Regional operates over Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Amtrak, Metro-North Railroad, CSX Transportation, and Norfolk Southern Railway trackage:
- MBTA Providence/Stoughton Line, Boston to Massachusetts/Rhode Island state line (dispatched and maintained by Amtrak)
- Amtrak New Haven-Springfield Line from Springfield to New Haven
- Amtrak Northeast Corridor, state line to New Haven
- MNRR New Haven Line, New Haven to New Rochelle
- Amtrak Northeast Corridor, New Rochelle to Washington
- Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad, Washington to Alexandria, Virginia, now CSX
- Virginia Midland Railway (ex-Southern Railway), Alexandria to Lynchburg, Virginia, now NS
There is frequent service between Washington-New York and Washington-Boston throughout the day. There is some service to Springfield, Massachusetts, either through to Washington or via a connection at New Haven, Connecticut. Trains between Springfield and New Haven operate over Amtrak trackage but require a diesel locomotive over that portion. Some trains go as far south as Richmond, Newport News, Virginia 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 along this route until the November 1, 2004 schedule.
One train, the Federal (Twilight Shoreliner until 2004), used to provide premium overnight sleeper service 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
External links
References
- ^ a b c d "AMTRAK SETS NEW RIDERSHIP RECORD, THANKS PASSENGERS FOR TAKING THE TRAIN" (PDF). Amtrak. 11 October 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
- ^ Northeast Regional schedule
- ^ Matthew Mitchell, Free rides, misc.transport.urban-transit October 27, 1995
- ^ Scanner, Trains February 1997
- ^ A step back in the Northeast, Trains August 1999 page 17
- ^ Ron Newman, Acela Regional starts Jan 31, 2000, misc.transport.rail.americas January 27, 2000
- ^ Rail Travel News - News Posting March 23, 2003
- ^ "Timetable with new service name" (PDF).
- ^ "Cafe car with Northeast Regional logo".
- ^ Reed, Ray (December 16, 2009). "Amtrak's Lynchburg-Washington line beats projections". The News & Advance. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
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