Northeast Regional (Amtrak)

Infobox Amtrak
name=Northeast Regional
logo_filename=Northeast Regional Amtrak logo.png logo_size=122

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image_size=250
image_caption=Northeast Regional train #93 enters Trenton, bound for Richmond.
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route=Boston (South Station), Springfield, MA, Newport News, VA
distance=644 miles
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end=present
owners=Amtrak, CSX, MNRR, Norfolk Southern The "Northeast Regional" is Amtrak's service between Newport News, Virginia and Boston, Massachusetts. It has also been known as "NortheastDirect", "Acela Regional", and "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 Richmond or Newport News with a diesel engine. Some operate only between Boston and New York, Boston and Philadelphia, and New York and Washington.

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.

Equipment

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 a Bombardier/Alstom HHP-8 built 1999–2002, also with 8000 horsepower (6 MW), although these are not as commonly used on Regionals, since they are standard power on long-distance trains that use the Northeast Corridor (the Cardinal, the Carolinian, the Crescent, the Palmetto, the Silver Meteor and the Silver Star). 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. Prior to March 2008 when Amtrak changed its format for the new Northeast Regional serivce, the first car was Business Class (formerly the last car), and the second car was the operational Café Car (formerly the second-to-last car). Today, all regional trains have the cafe in the middle of the train, but the business class car is still on the front. 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). Amtrak has also introduced a number of new products in its cafe car and it has lowered its prices.

Naming

External links

* [http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Route/Vertical_Route_Page&c=am2Route&cid=1080842092684&ssid=134 Amtrak - "Regional"]

References