The ''Northeast Regional'' is an
intercity rail
Inter-city rail services are express passenger train services that run services that connect cities over longer distances than commuter or regional trains.
There is no precise definition of inter-city rail; its meaning may vary from country ...
service operated by
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada ...
in the
Northeastern
The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each se ...
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 8,686,930 passengers in
fiscal year
A fiscal year (or financial year, or sometimes budget year) is used in government accounting, which varies between countries, and for budget purposes. It is also used for financial reporting by businesses and other organizations. Laws in many ...
(FY) 2018, a 1.4% increase over the 8.57 million passengers in FY 2017.
The ''Northeast Regional'' service earned over $613.9 million in gross ticket revenue in FY 2016, a 0.4% increase over the $611.7 million earned during FY 2015.
The ''Northeast Regional'' offers daily all-reserved service, usually at least every hour. Trains generally run along the
Northeast Corridor between
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
,
Massachusetts
Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...
, and
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
, via
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
. Extensions and branches provide service to
Newport News
Newport News () is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 186,247. Located in the Hampton Roads region, it is the 5th most populous city in Virginia and 140th most populous city in the Uni ...
,
Norfolk
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
, and
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke ( ) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 100,011, making it the 8th most populous city in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the largest city in Virginia west of Richmond. It is ...
, and
Springfield, Massachusetts, with intermediate stops.
Trains cover the most popular stretch between
Pennsylvania Station (New York City)
Pennsylvania Station, also known as New York Penn Station or simply Penn Station, is the main intercity railroad station in New York City and the busiest transportation facility in the Western Hemisphere, serving more than 600,000 passengers p ...
and
Washington Union Station
Washington Union Station is a major train station, transportation hub, and leisure destination in Washington, D.C. Designed by Daniel Burnham and opened in 1907, it is Amtrak's headquarters, the railroad's second-busiest station, and North Ame ...
in approximately 3.5 hours. The section between New York and Philadelphia takes 1.5 hours, while the part between Philadelphia and Washington takes 2 hours.
North of New York, the travel time to Boston is 4 hours, while trips to Springfield take 3.5 hours.
South of Washington, trains take 4.5 hours to reach Newport News, 4.5 hours to reach Norfolk, or 5 hours to reach Roanoke.
History
![Amtrak NortheastDirect train at Wilmington, 1990s](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/Amtrak_NortheastDirect_train_at_Wilmington%2C_1990s.jpg)
The services along the line, as inherited from
Penn Central
The Penn Central Transportation Company, commonly abbreviated to Penn Central, was an American class I railroad that operated from 1968 to 1976. Penn Central combined three traditional corporate rivals (the Pennsylvania, New York Central and the ...
, 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
New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134 ...
, requiring an engine change. On October 28, 1995, Amtrak introduced the "''NortheastDirect''"
brand
A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create ...
for all trains on the
Northeast Corridor (and its extension to
Newport News, Virginia) except for the express and hourly services. The November 10, 1996, timetable restored the old names in addition to the ''NortheastDirect'' brand. The names (except the ) were dropped with the May 16, 1999, schedule.
![Acela Regional in Boston South Station](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Acela_Regional_in_Boston_South_Station.jpg)
In 2000, Amtrak completed
electrifying the route from New Haven to Boston in preparation for the introduction of the ''
Acela Express
The ''Acela'' ( ; originally the ''Acela Express'' until September 2019) is Amtrak's flagship service along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) in the Northeastern United States between Washington, D.C. and Boston via 13 intermediate stops, inclu ...
'', 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
Amfleet is a fleet of single-level intercity railroad passenger cars built by the Budd Company for American company Amtrak in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Budd based the Amfleet design on its earlier Metroliner electric multiple unit. An in ...
cars painted in the Acela-like "
Phase V" livery. All-electric service began on January 31, 2000. The ''NortheastDirect'' branding continued to be used for trains which changed from electric to diesel traction in New Haven.
Due to customer confusion with the ''Acela Express'', the name was changed again on March 17, 2003, to simply "''Regional''." 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).
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 100 mph, exceeding the limit of 50 mph on that curve.
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.
Private sleeping rooms on overnight trains 65/66/67, last available in 2004 on the ''
Federal
Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to:
Politics
General
*Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies
*Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...
'', were made available effective April 5, 2021.
Virginia service
![Amtrak Colonial 1980s postcard](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/Amtrak_Colonial_1980s_postcard.jpg)
Some ''Northeast Regional'' trains continue into
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
, serving three branches to
Norfolk
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
,
Newport News
Newport News () is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 186,247. Located in the Hampton Roads region, it is the 5th most populous city in Virginia and 140th most populous city in the Uni ...
, and
Roanoke, serving points in between. These tracks are not electrified and are partially owned by both freight railroads and the State of Virginia.
After Amtrak took over intercity passenger service on May 1, 1971, rail service in Virginia was limited to a small number of long-distance trains, where they were often not suited to regional travel. Regional service south to Newport News began on June 14, 1976, when Amtrak ended the Newport News section of the and the was added in its place with two daily round trips from Boston to Newport News via Alexandria, Richmond and Williamsburg.
![Amtrak Across the James](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Amtrak_Across_the_James.jpg)
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. One daily ''Northeast Regional'' round trip was extended to from Washington to
Lynchburg via
Manassas and
Charlottesville
Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities. It is named after Queen Ch ...
on October 1, 2009, supplementing the existing ''Crescent'' service. In the first month, ridership doubled expectations. On July 20, 2010, Amtrak added an additional ''Northeast Regional'' frequency from Washington to
Richmond Staples Mill Road station
The Richmond Staples Mill Road Amtrak station is located in unincorporated Henrico County, about 5 miles (8 km) north of downtown Richmond. The station was designed by David Volkert and Associates, and was built in 1975 as a replacement fo ...
, increasing the Washington-Richmond corridor to eight daily round trips with hourly northbound morning service.
A further extension south from Richmond to Norfolk along
Norfolk Southern
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I freight railroad in the United States formed in 1982 with the merger of Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway. With headquarters in Atlanta, the company operates 19,420 route miles (31, ...
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. A second daily Norfolk round trip on weekdays was added on March 4, 2019. Schedules for the Newport News trains are also being modified to improve service to the Hampton Roads region.
On August 9, 2013, it was announced that Amtrak hoped to complete track and infrastructure upgrades in order to bring train service to Roanoke by 2016. The project encountered delays, and by late 2016 service was planned to begin in late 2017 with a single train extended from Lynchburg serving the city daily after construction of the
Roanoke station platform, which was to begin in early 2017 and take most of the year. Amtrak began service to Roanoke on October 31, 2017.
On December 19, 2019, Virginia Governor
Ralph Northam
Ralph (pronounced ; or ,) is a male given name of English, Scottish and Irish origin, derived from the Old English ''Rædwulf'' and Radulf, cognate with the Old Norse ''Raðulfr'' (''rað'' "counsel" and ''ulfr'' "wolf").
The most common forms ...
announced a $3.7 billion program to expand rail service in Virginia, which includes doubling the frequency of Amtrak service between Richmond and Washington.
As part of the program, the commonwealth paid
CSX Transportation $525 million to purchase 223 miles of track and 386 miles of right-of-way, a deal which was finalized on March 31, 2021. One round trip was extended from Staples Mill to Main Street in September 2021 as the first service expansion under the program. Service changes on July 11, 2022, added a second daily Roanoke round trip and an additional Norfolk weekday round trip (making three round trips on weekdays and two on weekends). That change resulted in July 2022 ridership on the state-supported Virginia routes being 20% higher than June 2022 and 29% higher than July 2019.
Extension of the route south of Roanoke to
Christiansburg, Virginia, near
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also has educational facilities in six re ...
, is proposed, with further extension to
Bristol, Virginia/Tennessee as a long-range possibility. Plans by the
Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation
Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (VDRPT) is an agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States.
According to its web site, the state agency's mission is "to improve the mobility of people and goods while expandin ...
(DRPT) depend on difficult negotiations with Norfolk Southern, and funding improvements for both freight and passenger service, as in previous agreements with private carriers. The town of Christiansburg acquired land for a new station in 2016. Meanwhile, the DRPT has started a statewide bus service, operated by
Megabus Megabus may refer to:
*Megabus (Europe), a low-cost coach service with services in Europe owned by ComfortDelGro.
*Megabus (North America)
Megabus, branded as megabus.com, is an intercity bus service of Coach USA/ Coach Canada operating in the ...
, called the Virginia Breeze, for areas not served by rail. The three daily bus routes terminate at
Washington Union Station
Washington Union Station is a major train station, transportation hub, and leisure destination in Washington, D.C. Designed by Daniel Burnham and opened in 1907, it is Amtrak's headquarters, the railroad's second-busiest station, and North Ame ...
, with stops at a few other ''Northeast Regional'' stations, and bypassing others for stops closer to highways. Closed in 1979,
Bedford station in
Bedford, Virginia
Bedford is an incorporated town and former independent city located within Bedford County in the U.S. state of Virginia. It serves as the county seat of Bedford County. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,657. It is part of the Lynchbur ...
, was not reopened as part of the extension to Roanoke. In 2021, the DRPT estimated that an
infill station
An infill station (sometimes in-fill station) is
a train station built on an existing passenger rail, rapid transit, or light rail line to address demand in a location between existing stations. Such stations take advantage of existing train serv ...
in Bedford would draw 10,050 new riders per year, cost $10.9 million, and could be completed by 2025.
Operation
Equipment
![Amtrak 606 entering New London Union Station, September 2014](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Amtrak_606_entering_New_London_Union_Station%2C_September_2014.JPG)
As of 2018, most ''Northeast Regional'' trains consist of 7 to 9 passenger cars hauled by a
locomotive.
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.
The overnight ''Northeast Regional'' service (trains 65, 66, and 67) have a different configuration with fewer Coach Class cars, a combination Business Class/Café car, a baggage car for checked baggage service, and a
Viewliner
The Viewliner is a single-level railroad car type operated by Amtrak on most long-distance routes operating east of Chicago. The first production cars, consisting of an order of 50 sleeping cars, entered service in 1994. From 2015-2016, 70 View ...
sleeping car which travels the full route to and from Newport News, VA but is only open to passengers between Boston and Washington.
Between Boston and Washington, the service has overhead electric wires and is pulled by
Siemens ACS-64
The Siemens ACS-64, or Amtrak Cities Sprinter, is an electric locomotive designed by Siemens Mobility for use on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) and the Keystone Corridor in the northeastern United States. The design was based on locomotives Sie ...
electric locomotives built from 2012 to 2015 at speeds up to . ''Northeast Regional'' trains operating south of Washington, D.C. into Virginia and on the
New Haven–Springfield Line
The New Haven–Springfield Line is a railroad line owned by Amtrak from New Haven, Connecticut, north to Springfield, Massachusetts. As a branch of the Northeast Corridor just north of New Haven State Street station, it is served by approximate ...
use
GE Genesis P42DC diesel locomotives which have a slightly lower top speed of .
Classes of service
All classes of service include complimentary WiFi, an electric outlet (120 V, 60 Hz AC) at each seat, reading lamps, fold-out tray tables. Reservations are required on all trains, tickets may also be purchased at a station ticket window through a ticketing machine, or, at a higher cost, from the conductor on the train.
*Coach Class: 2x2 seating. Reservations required, passengers self-select seats on a first-come, first-served basis.
*Business Class: 2x2 or 2x1 reclining leather seats that have more legroom than coach. Passengers receive a complimentary soft drink. Reservations required, passengers reserve their specific seat in advance.
*Sleeper Service ''(overnight trains only)'':
Viewliner
The Viewliner is a single-level railroad car type operated by Amtrak on most long-distance routes operating east of Chicago. The first production cars, consisting of an order of 50 sleeping cars, entered service in 1994. From 2015-2016, 70 View ...
Roomette, Bedroom or Accessible Bedroom. Passengers receive a complimentary alcoholic beverage upon boarding, a continental breakfast before arrival, and Metropolitan Lounge access in Washington, D.C. and Boston.
Route
![Amtrak Northeast Regional](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Amtrak_Northeast_Regional.svg)
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 National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada ...
, the
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (abbreviated MBTA and known colloquially as "the T") is the public agency responsible for operating most public transportation services in Greater Boston, Massachusetts. The MBTA transit network in ...
(MBTA),
Metro-North Railroad (MNRR), and the
Connecticut Department of Transportation
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (often referred to as CTDOT and occasionally ConnDOT, or CDOT) is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports and waterways in Connecticut. ...
(CDOT).
*MBTA
Attleboro Line
The Providence/Stoughton Line is an MBTA Commuter Rail service in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, primarily serving the southwestern suburbs of Boston. Most service runs entirely on the Northeast Corridor between South Station in Boston and Provi ...
: Boston to MA/RI state line (dispatched and maintained by Amtrak)
*Amtrak Northeast Corridor: MA/RI state line to
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134 ...
*CDOT
New Haven Line
The Metro-North Railroad New Haven Line is a commuter rail line running from New Haven, Connecticut to New York City. It joins the Harlem Line at Mount Vernon, New York and continues south to Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan. The New Haven ...
: New Haven to CT/NY state line (dispatched and maintained by MNRR)
*MNRR New Haven Line: CT/NY state line to
New Rochelle, New York
*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
The New Haven–Springfield Line is a railroad line owned by Amtrak from New Haven, Connecticut, north to Springfield, Massachusetts. As a branch of the Northeast Corridor just north of New Haven State Street station, it is served by approximate ...
. For trains that don’t, Amtrak’s trains provide connecting service along the line, with timed transfers to and from many ''Northeast Regional'' trips.
Several trips continue south of Washington D.C. to Virginia, running to either Roanoke, Richmond, Newport News, or Norfolk. All Virginia services use the northernmost portion of the ex-
Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad
The Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad was a railroad connecting Richmond, Virginia, to Washington, D.C. The track is now the RF&P Subdivision of the CSX Transportation system; the original corporation is no longer a railroad comp ...
(now owned by
CSX Transportation) between Washington and
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the northern region of the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of downtown Washington, D.C.
In 2020, the population was 159,467. ...
. South of Alexandria, trains to Roanoke use the
Norfolk Southern Railway (ex-
Southern Railway, ex-Virginia Midland Railway). Trains to Richmond, Norfolk and Newport News use the CSX
RF&P,
Richmond Terminal, and
Bellwood subdivisions between Alexandria and Richmond.
South of Richmond, trains to Newport News use the CSX
Peninsula Subdivision
The Peninsula Extension which created the Peninsula Subdivision of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) was the new railroad line on the Virginia Peninsula from Richmond to southeastern Warwick County. Its principal purpose was to provide an i ...
. Trains to Norfolk use the CSX
North End Subdivision
The North End Subdivision is a railroad line owned by CSX Transportation in Virginia and North Carolina. The line runs from Richmond, Virginia, to Rocky Mount, North Carolina, for a total of 123.2 miles. At its north end the line continues south f ...
and Norfolk Southern's Norfolk District (ex-
Norfolk and Western Railway).
Funding
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.
Station stops
Boston–Washington, D.C.
Springfield–New Haven
Washington, D.C.–Newport News / Norfolk
Washington, D.C.–Roanoke
References
Notes
External links
*
*
{{Higher speed rail
Amtrak routes
Passenger rail transportation in Massachusetts
Passenger rail transportation in Rhode Island
Passenger rail transportation in Connecticut
Passenger rail transportation in New York (state)
Passenger rail transportation in New Jersey
Passenger rail transportation in Pennsylvania
Passenger rail transportation in Delaware
Passenger rail transportation in Maryland
Passenger rail transportation in Washington, D.C.
Passenger rail transportation in Virginia
Commuter rail in the United States
Higher-speed rail