Northeast Regional

Northeast Regional

An ACS-64 locomotive leads a Northeast Regional through Maryland in 2014
Overview
Service type	Higher-speed rail
Status	Operating
Locale	Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States
Current operator(s)	Amtrak
Ridership	8,044,216 (FY13)[1]
Route
Start	Boston, Springfield, Massachusetts, or New York City, New York
Stops	35 between Boston and Newport News, 7 on Springfield branch
End	Norfolk, Richmond, Newport News, Lynchburg, Virginia, or Washington D.C.
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)
Route map Legend Dist. Station 0 mi  0 km  Boston South Station 1.2 mi  1.9 km  Boston Back Bay 11.4 mi  18.3 km  Route 128 Massachusetts Rhode Island 43.6 mi  70.2 km  Providence 51.9 mi  83.5 km  T. F. Green Airport(proposed) 70 mi  113 km  Kingston 87 mi  140 km  Westerly Rhode Island Connecticut 96 mi  154 km  Mystic 105 mi  169 km  New London 123 mi  198 km  Old Saybrook 94 mi  151 km  Springfield Massachusetts Connecticut 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 156 mi  251 km  New Haven 173 mi  278 km  Bridgeport 195 mi  314 km  Stamford Connecticut New York 212 mi  341 km  New Rochelle 231 mi  372 km  New York Penn Station New York New Jersey 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 New Jersey Pennsylvania 305 mi  491 km  Cornwells Heights 318 mi  512 km  North Philadelphia 322 mi  518 km  Philadelphia Pennsylvania Delaware 347 mi  558 km  Wilmington 359 mi  578 km  Newark Delaware Maryland 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 Maryland District of Columbia 457 mi  735 km  Washington D.C. District of Columbia Virginia 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  1036 km  Newport News 594 mi  956 km  Petersburg 679 mi  1093 km  Norfolk Burke Centre 490 mi  789 km  Manassas 525 mi  845 km  Culpeper 569 mi  916 km  Charlottesville 630 mi  1014 km  Lynchburg

The Northeast Regional is a higher-speed 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 8.04 million passengers in fiscal year (FY) 2013, a 0.4% increase^[1] over the 8.01 million passengers in FY2012.^[3] The Northeast Regional service earned over $568.7 million in gross ticket revenue in FY2013, a 6.2% increase^[1] over the $536 million earned during FY2012.^[3]

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, Philadelphia, 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, 3.5 hours between Lynchburg 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. Travel times between Washington and New York are typically slightly faster than the equivalent travel time by car. ^[4]

Equipment

Trains usually have 7 to 10 cars with one or two locomotives pulling, although they may be as long as 14 cars during peak travel periods.

Today, the passenger cars are the rebuilt Amfleet I series passenger cars built by the Budd Company in the mid to late 1970s. Today all daytime regional trains have the cafe in the middle of the train, with the business-class car on the front. The Coach Class car adjacent to business class is designated the quiet car, where passengers are asked to refrain from loud talking and mobile phone conversations. If a second Café Car is present, it is only used for passenger seating. The overnight regional trains numbered 65, 66, and 67 have a different configuration than other regional trains. These trains offer a limited number of business-class seats at the front of the Café Car, instead of having a dedicated Business Class car. The overnight trains have no quiet car, but do have a baggage car used for baggage service.

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-7AC built between 1979-1988 with 7000 horsepower (5.2 MW) and the ACS-64 built from 2012-2015 with 8600 horsepower (6.4 MW). The ACS-64 is currently replacing the AEM-7s, they have already replaced the fleet of 15 Bombardier HHP-8 Locomotives.

Northeast Regional trains in Virginia and along the route between Springfield, MA and New Haven, CT, use GE P42DC diesel locomotives and have lower top 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.

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.^[5] The November 10, 1996 timetable restored the old names in addition to the NortheastDirect brand.^[6] The names (except the Twilight Shoreliner) were dropped with the May 16, 1999 schedule.^[7] 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.^[8]

Due to customer confusion with the Acela Express, the name was changed again on March 17, 2003 to "Regional".^[9] 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.^[10][11] However, as of 2010, some Amfleet cars still have the "NortheastDirect" branding in the side.

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 8 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 100 mph, exceeding the limit of 50 mph on that curve.^[12] 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.^[13]

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 suburban Staples Mill 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.^[14] 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.^[15] DRPT provided a performance guarantee for this route.

A further extension^[16] 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.^[17]

On August 9, 2013, it was announced that Amtrak hopes to complete track upgrades and infrastructure built in order to have train service to Roanoke, Virginia, by 2016.^[18]

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 unreserved seating on these trains. Reservations may be made at any time up to eleven months in advance, either online or by phone. Tickets may also be purchased at a station ticket window or through a ticketing machine.

Route

Amtrak Northeast Regional (interactive map)

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

• MBTA Providence/Stoughton Line, Boston to Massachusetts/Rhode Island state line (dispatched and maintained by Amtrak)
• Amtrak Northeast Corridor, state line to New Haven
• Connecticut Department of Transportation, 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, and an ordinary all-coach Northeast Regional runs in its place.

Station stops

References

External links

Route map: Bing / Google

• Amtrak – Northeast Regional