Chesapeake (train)
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| Overview | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service type | Inter-city rail | ||||
| Status | Discontinued | ||||
| Locale | Mid-Atlantic states | ||||
| First service | April 30, 1978 | ||||
| Last service | October 29, 1983 | ||||
| Successor | SEPTA MARC Train | ||||
| Former operator(s) | Amtrak | ||||
| Route | |||||
| Termini | Washington, DC Philadelphia | ||||
| Distance travelled | 134 miles (216 km) | ||||
| Average journey time | 2 hour 18 minutes | ||||
| Service frequency | Monday through Friday | ||||
| Train number(s) | 420, 421 | ||||
| On-board services | |||||
| Class(es) | Unreserved coach | ||||
| Technical | |||||
| Rolling stock | Arrow | ||||
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) | ||||
| Electrification | 11.5 kV 25 Hz AC Overhead catenary | ||||
| Track owner(s) | Amtrak | ||||
| |||||
The Chesapeake was a daily passenger train operated by Amtrak along the Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was one of the few commuter trains operated by Amtrak and operated from 1978 to 1983.
History
Service began on April 30, 1978, with funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of Maryland. Among stations reopening was Chester Transportation Center, which the Pennsylvania Railroad had closed in the 1960s.[1] and the Baltimore-Washington International Airport railroad station was added to the service in 1980.[2]
On October 29, 1983, Maryland and Pennsylvania, along with a number of other Northeastern states, took control of their 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.[3] The SEPTA R2 (now the Wilmington/Newark Line) and MARC Penn Line became the replacements for the Chesapeake, although no service existed between Perryville and Newark.
Equipment
The Chesapeake operated with leased Arrow electric multiple units.[4]
Station stops
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 | |
| Edmondson Avenue Station | No longer a stop. Station building now used for a private business. | ||
| Linthicum | Baltimore Airport | Now stop on Penn Line | |
| Odenton | Odenton | Now stop on Penn Line | |
| Bowie | Bowie | ||
| Lanham | Capital Beltway | No longer a stop. | |
| Washington, D.C | Union Station | Metro Red Line; MARC; various Amtrak trains | |
See also
- List of Amtrak routes#Northeast Corridor for other Amtrak trains named Chesapeake.
References
External links
- Articles needing expert attention from August 2011
- Former Amtrak routes
- Passenger rail transportation in Washington, D.C.
- Passenger rail transportation in Maryland
- Passenger rail transportation in Delaware
- Passenger rail transportation in Pennsylvania
- Railway services introduced in 1978
- Railway services discontinued in 1983