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Regional is Amtrak's service between Newport News, Virginia and Boston, Massachusetts. It has also been known as NortheastDirect and Acela Regional. Amtrak removed the Acela from the name due to mass confusion by passengers with the high speed Acela Express in early-2003. There is frequent daily all-reserved service, operating every hour of every day. Most have Business Class and a Café Car.
Most trains operate between Boston and Washington, with some continuing to Newport News with a diesel engine. Some operate only between Boston and New York, Boston and Philadelphia, and New York and Washington.
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 Regional runs in its place.
Trains are usually 6 to 10 cars long, with an electric locomotive pulling at the head end between Boston and Washington. The electric locomotives are AEM-7 class, built 1978-1987 with 7000 horsepower (5.2 MW), Rebuilt AEM-7's (AEM-7AC) with 8000 horsepower (6 MW), or an Bombardier/Alstom HHP-8 built 1999-2002, also with 8000 horsepower (6 MW). Diesel engines are used between Washington and Newport News. Only select trains operate between those cities; most terminate/originate at Washington. The cars are Amfleet I series passenger cars built by the Budd Company in the mid to late 1970s. The first car is Business Class (formerly the last car); the second car is the operational Café Car (formerly the second-to-last car). 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).
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. Some trains go as far south as Richmond or Newport News, Virginia.
Travel times are approximately four hours from Newport News to Washington, two hours from Washington to Philadelphia, one and a half hours from Philadelphia to New York, and four hours from New York to Boston.
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.
Beginning with the schedule effective April 25, 2005, Amtrak has abolished the previously common unreserved Regional trains. Now, any ticketed passenger is guaranteed a seat on their train. "Reservations" may be made at any time prior to the train's departure, easing the frequent practice of arriving at the station and purchasing a ticket for the next train.
Naming
The services along the line, as inherited from Penn Central, once had their own names; 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.[1] The November 10, 1996 timetable restored the old names in addition to the NortheastDirect brand.[2] The names (except the Twilight Shoreliner) were permanently dropped with the May 16, 1999 schedule,[3] and on January 31, 2000 the first rebranded Acela Regional electrified trains ran.[4] Due to confusion with the Acela Express, the name was changed again on March 17, 2003 to Regional.[5]
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 Regional trains. It is now exclusively on Acela Express trains.
Route details
The Regional operates over Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Amtrak, Metro-North Railroad, and CSX Transportation trackage:
Station stops
| State
| Town/City
| Station
| Connections
|
| South Station, Back Bay, Route 128, Providence, Kingston, Westerly, Mystic, New London and Old Saybrook stations are only used for service between Boston, Massachusetts and Newport News, Virginia.
|
| Massachusetts | Boston | South Station | Amtrak: Acela Express, Lake Shore Limited
MBTA Commuter Rail: Fairmount Line, Framingham/Worcester Line, Franklin Line, Needham Line, Old Colony Lines, Providence/Stoughton Line
MBTA Bus Lines: 4, 6, 7, 11, 448, 449, 459
MBTA Subway Lines: Red Line, Silver Line (Phase II)
|
| Back Bay | Amtrak: Acela Express, Lake Shore Limited
MBTA Commuter Rail: Framingham/Worcester Line, Franklin Line, Needham Line, Providence/Stoughton Line
MBTA Bus Lines: 10, 39, 170
MBTA Subway Lines: Orange Line
|
| Westwood | Route 128 | Amtrak: Acela Express
MBTA Commuter Rail: Providence/Stoughton Line
|
| Rhode Island | Providence | Providence | Amtrak: Acela Express
MBTA Commuter Rail: Providence/Stoughton Line
|
| South Kingstown | Kingston | none
|
| Westerly | Westerly
|
| Connecticut | Mystic | Mystic
|
| New London | New London | Amtrak: Acela Express
ConnDOT: Shore Line East
|
| Old Saybrook | Old Saybrook | ConnDOT: Shore Line East
|
| Springfield, Windsor Locks, Windsor, Hartford Union Station, Berlin, Meriden and Wallingford stations are only used for service between Springfield, Massachusetts and Newport News, Virginia.
|
| Massachusetts | Springfield | Springfield | Amtrak: Lake Shore Limited, Vermonter
|
| Connecticut | Windsor Locks | Windsor Locks | Amtrak: Vermonter
|
| Windsor | Windsor | none
|
| Hartford | Hartford Union Station | Amtrak: Vermonter
|
| Kensington | Berlin
|
| Meriden | Meriden
|
| Wallingford | Waillingford | none
|
| New Haven | New Haven-Union Station | Amtrak: Acela Express, Vermonter
ConnDOT: Shore Line East
CT Transit New Haven: J, Commuter Connection Downtown and Sargent Drive, Temple Street Garage Shuttle
Metro-North Railroad: New Haven Line
|
| Bridgeport | Bridgeport | Amtrak: Vermonter
ConnDOT: Shore Line East
GBTA: Coastal Link, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17
Metro-North Railroad: New Haven Line
|
| Stamford | Stamford | Amtrak: Acela Express, Vermonter
ConnDOT: Shore Line East
CT Transit Stamford: 11, 13, 14, 21, 22, 24, 31, 32, 33, 34, 41, 42, 43, 44, Commuter Connection Central, Commuter Connection-North, Commuter Connection Route 1 - East, Commuter Connection Bulls Head, I-Bus
Metro-North Railroad: New Haven Line
|
| New York | New Rochelle | New Rochelle | Bee-Line: 7, 30, 42, 45, 60, 61, 62, 66, 91
Metro-North Railroad: New Haven Line
|
| New York City | Penn Station | Amtrak: Acela Express, Adirondack, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Keystone Service, Lake Shore Limited, Maple Leaf, Palmetto, Pennsylvanian, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Vermonter
LIRR: Main Line, Port Washington Branch
NJ Transit: North Jersey Coast Line, Northeast Corridor Line, Gladstone Branch, Montclair-Boonton Line, Morristown Line
NYC Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E
NYC Transit buses: M10, M16, M20, M34, Q32
|
| New Jersey | Newark | Newark Penn Station | Amtrak: Acela Express, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crsecent, Keystone Service, Pennsylvanian, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Vermonter
NJ Transit: Newark City Subway, Newark Light Rail, North Jersey Coast Line, Northeast Corridor Line, Raritan Valley Line, 5, 21, 62, 67, 70, 71, 72, 73, 75, 76, 78,
79, 308, 978
PATH: NWK-WTC
|
| Newark Liberty International Airport | AirTrain Newark: to Newark Liberty International Airport
Amtrak: Keystone Service
NJ Transit: North Jersey Coast Line, Northeast Corridor Line
|
| Iselin | Metropark | Amtrak: Acela Express, Keystone Service, Vermonter
NJ Transit: Northeast Corridor LineM 801, 802, 803, 804, 805
|
| New Brunswick | New Brusnwick | Amtrak: Keystone Service
NJ Transit: Northeast Corridor Line, 810, 815, 818, 980
|
| Princeton | Princeton Junction | Amtrak: Keystone Service, Pennsylvanian
NJ Transit: Northeast Corridor Line, Princeton Branch, 976
|
| Trenton | Trenton Rail Station | Amtrak: Acela Express, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Keystone Service, Pennsylvanian, Silver Star, Silver Meteor, Vermonter
NJ Transit: Northeast Corridor Line, River Line, 409, 600, 604
SEPTA Regional Rail: R7
|
| Pennsylvania | Cornwells Heights | Cornwells Heights | Amtrak: Keystone Service
SEPTA Regional Rail: R7
|
| Philadelphia | North Philadelphia | Amtrak: Keystone Service
SEPTA Regional Rail: R7, R8, Broad Street Subway, Route C
|
| 30th Street Station | Amtrak: Acela Express, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Keystone Service, Palmetto, Pennsylvanian, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Vermonter
NJ Transit: Atlantic City Line
SEPTA City Transit Division: Market-Frankford Line, Route 10, Route 11, Route 13, Route 34, Route 36, 9, 10, 11, 13, 30, 31, 34, 36, 44, 62, 121, 124, 125, 316
SEPTA Regional Rail: R1, R2, R3, R5, R6, R7, R8
|
| Delaware | Wilmington | Wilmington Station | Amtrak: Acela Express, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Vermonter
DART First State: 2, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 20, 21, 28, 32, 301
SEPTA Regional Rail: R2
|
| Newark | Newark Rail Station | DART First State: 16, 33, 59, 65
SEPTA Regional Rail: R2
|
| Maryland | Aberdeen | Aberdeen | MARC Train: Penn Line
|
| Baltimore | Baltimore Penn Station | Amtrak: Acela Express, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Vermonter
MARC Train: Penn Line
MTA Maryland: Light Rail, 3, 11, 61, 64
|
| BWI Rail Station | Amtrak: Acela Express, Vermonter
MARC Train: Penn Line
MTA Maryland: 17
|
| New Carrollton | New Carrollton | Amtrak: Vermonter
MARC Train: Penn Line
Metro: Orange Line, 84, 85, 88, B21, B22, B24, B25, B27, B29, B31, C28, F12, F13, F14, F4, F6 , L99, R12, T16, T17, T18 The Bus:15,16,21,21X
|
| District of Columbia | Washington | Washington Union Station | Amtrak: Acela Express, Capitol Limited, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Vermonter, Thruway Motorcoach to Charlottesville, Virginia
MARC Train: Brunswick Line, Camden Line, Penn Line
Metro: Red Line
Metrobus: Loudoun, OmniRid
VRE: Manassas Line, Fredericksburg Line
|
| Virginia | Alexandria | Alexandria Union Station | Amtrak: Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Silver Meteor, Silver Star
VRE: Fredericksburg Line, Manassas Line
|
| Springfield | Franconia-Springfield | Fairfax Connector: 123, 171, 231, 232, 301, 303, 304, 305, 310, 321, 322, 331, 332, 380, 401
Metro: Blue Line
Metrobus: OmniRid, 18R, 18S, S80, S91
VRE: Fredericksburg Line
|
| Woodbridge | Woodbridge | VRE: Fredericksburg Line
|
| Quantico | Quantico | Amtrak: Carolinian
VRE: Fredericksburg Line
|
| Fredericksburg | Fredericksburg
|
| Ashland | Ashland | none
|
| Richmond | Richmond Staples Mill Road | Amtrak: Carolinian, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Thruway Motorcoach to Charlottesville, Virginia
|
| Richmond Main Street Station | none
|
| Williamsburg | Williamsburg | HRT: Route 121
WAT: Blue Line, Brown Line, Gray Line, Orange Line, Purple Line, Red Line, Yellow Line
|
| Newport News | Newport News | Amtrak: Thruway Motorcoach to Virginia Beach, Virginia
HRT: Route 106/107
|
Template:Amtrak routes
Template:Amtrak NE
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External links
References
- ^ 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
