The Northeast Regional 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 Amtrak's busiest route, carrying 9,163,082 passengers in fiscal year (FY) 2023.[5] The Northeast Regional service received more than $787.7million in gross ticket revenue in FY 2023.[6]
Trains cover the most popular stretch between New York Penn Station and Washington Union Station in about 3.5 hours.[7] The section between New York and Philadelphia takes 1.5 hours, while the part between Philadelphia and Washington takes two hours.[4] North of New York, the travel time to Boston is four hours, while trips to Springfield take 3.5 hours.[3] South of Washington, trains take 4.5 hours to reach Newport News, 4.5 hours to reach Norfolk, or five hours to reach Roanoke.[2]
An HHP-8 locomotive and Amfleet I cars in Acela Regional branding at South Station in Boston, in March 2002The NortheastDirect branding used for most Northeast Regional services between 1995 and 2003
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.[8] The names (except the Twilight Shoreliner) were dropped with the May 16, 1999, schedule.[9]
In 2000, Amtrak completed electrifying the route from New Haven to Boston in preparation for the introduction of the Acela Express, thereby 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 "Phase V" livery. All-electric service began on January 31, 2000.[10] The NortheastDirect branding continued to be used for trains which changed from electric to diesel traction in New Haven.[11]
Due to customer confusion with the Acela Express, the name was changed again on March 17, 2003, to simply "Regional."[12] As part of rebranding and service improvements, the name was changed to "Northeast Regional" on June 23, 2008 (though it also appeared on schedules several months beforehand).[13][14]
On May 12, 2015, Northeast Regional Train 188, traveling from Washington, D.C., to New York City, derailed in the Port Richmond neighborhood of Philadelphia, killing eight people and injuring more than 200 people. The train derailed along a curve and was determined to have been traveling at a speed of about 100mph, exceeding the limit of 50mph on that curve.[15] This speed limit was not posted; engineers on that route are expected to rely on memory to control the speed of the train. Additionally, the train was suspected to have been hit by a projectile, as was a commuter train in the area shortly before the derailment.[16]
Private sleeping rooms on overnight trains 65/66/67, last available in 2004 on the Federal, were made available effective April 5, 2021.[17] The overnight trains were temporarily cancelled in January 2022; they resumed in July 2022 without sleepers.[18][19] They were temporarily cancelled north of New York City effective April 4, 2023, due to Penn Station Access construction.[20]
Some Northeast Regional trains continue into Virginia, serving three branches to Norfolk, Newport News, and Roanoke, serving points in between. These tracks are not electrified and are partially owned by both freight railroads and the State of Virginia.
Virginia and Amtrak partnered in 2009 under the brand Amtrak Virginia to expand passenger rail service within the Commonwealth, making Virginia the 15th state to fund state services in addition to federally funded routes.[21]
On July 20, 2010, Amtrak added an additional Northeast Regional frequency from Washington to Richmond Staples Mill Road station, increasing the Washington-Richmond corridor to eight daily round trips with hourly northbound morning service.[26] One round trip was extended from Richmond to Norfolk starting December 12, 2012.[27] A second daily Norfolk round trip on weekdays was added on March 4, 2019.[28] One round trip was extended from Staples Mill to Main Street in September 2021.[29] Service changes on July 11, 2022, added an additional Norfolk weekday round trip (making three round trips on weekdays and two on weekends).[19]
In January 2025, Suffolk County Executive Edward Romaine, along with Amtrak officials, officially announced the proposed extension. It was reported that work was expected to begin in 2026, and that Amtrak service was anticipated to commence in 2028, at the earliest. Trains would operate using diesel on Long Island. Required infrastructure upgrades for the service would likely include an additional platform and track at Ronkonkoma. Romaine said that Amtrak wanted the extension, in part, due to Ronkonkoma's location next to Long Island MacArthur Airport.[33]
As of 2018[update], most Northeast Regional trains consist of 7 to 9 passenger cars hauled by a locomotive.[34]
The passenger cars are the Amfleet I series passenger cars built by the Budd Company in the mid-to-late 1970s. Most trains include a Business Class car, a Café car (food service/lounge), and up to seven Coach Class cars, one of which is designated the Quiet Car, where passengers are asked to refrain from loud talking and mobile phone conversations.
Between Boston and Washington, D.C., the service has overhead electric wires and is pulled by Siemens ACS-64 electric locomotives at speeds up to 125mph (201km/h). Northeast Regional trains operating south of Washington, into Virginia, and on the New Haven–Springfield Line use GE Genesis diesel locomotives which have a slightly lower top speed of 110mph (180km/h).
In the coming years all equipment will be replaced with Amtrak Airo trainsets, the railroad's branding of its combination of Siemens Venture passenger cars and a Siemens Charger diesel-electric locomotive.[35] The trainsets for the Northeast Corridor will have eight passenger cars, which will include a food service area and a mix of 2×2 Coach Class and 2×1 Business Class seating.[36] The car closest to the locomotive will be a specialized "Auxiliary Power Vehicle" which will include a pantograph to collect power from overhead lines and will feed it to four traction motors in the car, and via a DC link cable, to the four traction motors in the locomotive.[37] Outside of electrified territory, the locomotive's diesel engine will generate power for the traction motors. The arrangement will offer a near-seamless transition between power sources on through trains to Virginia and Springfield, Massachusetts, a process that currently requires a time-consuming locomotive change.
Classes of service
All classes of service include complimentary WiFi, an electric outlet (120 V, 60Hz AC) at each seat, reading lamps, and fold-out tray tables. Reservations are required on all trains; tickets may be purchased online, over the phone, from a station agent, or via ticketing machine.[38]
Coach Class: 2×2 seating. Passengers self-select seats on a first-come, first-served basis.[39]
Business Class: 2×2 or 2×1 seating with more legroom than coach. Passengers receive a complimentary soft drink. Seats are assigned in advance.[40]
Amtrak Northeast Corridor: New Rochelle to Washington, D.C.
Some trips diverge at New Haven and turn north to serve Springfield, Massachusetts, operating over Amtrak's New Haven–Springfield Line. Additional service on that line is provided by Amtrak's Hartford Line trains, which have timed transfers to and from many Northeast Regional trips.[3]
Amtrak receives federal funding for its operations between Boston and Washington, D.C. Northeast Regional operations south of Washington are funded in part by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Operations along the New Haven–Springfield Line are funded by the State of Connecticut and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
↑ "Regional Re-Launch Begins Today"(PDF). Amtrak This Week. Amtrak. June 23, 2008. Archived(PDF) from the original on July 20, 2019. Retrieved October 22, 2018– via Government Attic.
↑ Worrell, Carolina (December 19, 2022). "First Look: Amtrak Airo". Railway Age. Archived from the original on December 19, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
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