Northeast Corridor

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about the Amtrak main line. For the New Jersey Transit service, see Northeast Corridor Line. For the agglomeration of metropolitan areas, see Northeast megalopolis.

Northeast Corridor
standard gauge
ElectrificationOverhead line:
Route map

Legend
Boston South
Greenbush, Fall River/New Bedford,
Kingston, and Fairmount Lines
Back Bay
Inland Route
Boston to Route 128
Boston to Route 128
Ruggles
Forest Hills
Hyde Park
Franklin/Foxboro Line
and Fairmount Line
Readville
Route 128
Route 128 to Providence
Route 128 to Providence
Canton Junction
Stoughton Branch
Sharon
Framingham Secondary
Mansfield
Middleboro Subdivision
Attleboro
East Junction Branch
South Attleboro
East Providence Branch
MA
RI
Providence and Worcester RR
Pawtucket/​Central Falls
Providence
Providence to New London
Providence to New London
T. F. Green Airport
T. F. Green Airport
Seaview Railroad
Wickford Junction
Kingston
Westerly
RI
CT
Mystic
Groton Wharf Branch
Norwich and Worcester Railroad
New England Central Railroad
Shore Line EastCross Sound Ferry
New London
New London to New Haven
New London to New Haven
Valley Railroad
Old Saybrook
Westbrook
Clinton
Madison
Guilford
Branford Steam Railroad
Branford
Air Line
New Haven–Springfield Line
New Haven State Street
Hartford LineShore Line East
New Haven
New Haven to Stamford
New Haven to Stamford
West Haven
Milford
Waterbury Branch
Stratford
Bridgeport
Fairfield Metro
Fairfield
Southport
Green's Farms
Westport
East Norwalk
Danbury Branch
South Norwalk
Rowayton
Darien
Noroton Heights
New Canaan Branch
Shore Line East
Stamford
Stamford to New York City
Stamford to New York City
Old Greenwich
Riverside
Cos Cob
Greenwich
CT
NY
Port Chester
Rye
Harrison
Mamaroneck
Larchmont
New Rochelle
New Haven Line
Oak Point Link
New York Connecting Railroad
LIRR Main Line
East Side Access
Lower Montauk Branch
LIRR Main Line
NJ Transit
New York
New York City to Newark
New York City to Newark
Empire Corridor
NY
NJ
CSX River Subdivision
NJ Transit
Secaucus Junction
Waterfront Connection
Kearny Connection
NJ Transit Port Authority Trans-Hudson Newark Light Rail
Newark Penn
Newark to Metropark
Newark to Metropark
Raritan Valley Line / Lehigh Line
Newark Liberty International Airport
Newark Airport
North Elizabeth
Elizabeth
Staten Island Railway
Linden
Linden Industrial Track
Rahway
North Jersey Coast Line
NJ Transit
Metropark
Metropark to Trenton
Metropark to Trenton
Port Reading Secondary
Metuchen
Edison
New Brunswick
Millstone Branch
Jersey Avenue
Amboy Secondary
Princeton Junction
Princeton Branch
Hamilton
NJ Transit
Trenton
Trenton to Philadelphia
Trenton to Philadelphia
NJ
PA
Trenton Cutoff /
NJT Morrisville Yard
Fairless Branch
Levittown
Bristol
Croydon
Eddington
Cornwells Heights
Torresdale
Bustleton Branch
Holmesburg Junction
Tacony
Bridesburg
Atlantic City Line
North Philadelphia
SEPTA Main Line
Chestnut Hill West Line
CSX
CSX
Keystone Corridor
Zoo Junction
NJ Transit
Philadelphia–30th Street
 Philadelphia to Wilmington
 Philadelphia to Wilmington
West Chester Line
Philadelphia Subdivision
Airport Line
Darby
Curtis Park
Sharon Hill
Folcroft
Glenolden
Norwood
Prospect Park
Ridley Park
Crum Lynne
Eddystone
Chester
Highland Avenue
Chester Secondary
Marcus Hook
PA
DE
Claymont
Shellpot Branch
Wilmington
Wilmington to Baltimore
Wilmington to Baltimore
Philadelphia Subdivision
Shellpot Branch
Churchmans Crossing
Delmarva Secondary
Newark, DE
DE
MD
Port Road Branch
Perryville
Aberdeen
Edgewood
Martin State Airport
Martin State Airport
Port of Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore to BWI Airport
Baltimore to BWI Airport
West Baltimore
Halethorpe
Camden Line
Baltimore Washington International Airport
BWI Airport
BWI Airport to Washington
BWI Airport to Washington
Odenton
Bowie State
Pope's Creek Subdivision
Seabrook
New Carrollton
Landover Subdivision
Alexandria Extension
MD
DC
Camden Line
Brunswick Line
Virginia Railway ExpressDC Streetcar
Washington, D.C.
RF&P Subdivision
This diagram:

The Northeast Corridor (NEC) is an electrified railroad line in the Northeast megalopolis of the United States. Owned primarily by Amtrak, it runs from Boston in the north to Washington, D.C., in the south, with major stops in Providence, New Haven, Stamford, New York City, Newark, Trenton, Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore. The NEC is roughly paralleled by Interstate 95 for most of its length. Carrying more than 2,200 trains a day,[2] it is the busiest passenger rail line in the United States by ridership and service frequency.[3]

The corridor is used by many Amtrak trains, including the high-speed

Canadian Pacific
. CSX and NS partly own their routes.

Silver Meteor trains, which reach 125 mph (201 km/h), as well as its Acela trains, which reach 150 mph (240 km/h) in parts of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Jersey. Some express trains operated by MARC that reach 125 mph (201 km/h) also operate on the Northeast Corridor. Acela can travel the 225 mi (362 km) between New York City and Washington, D.C., in under three hours, and the 229 mi (369 km) between New York and Boston in under 3.5 hours.[4][5]

In 2012, Amtrak proposed improvements to enable "true" high-speed rail on the corridor, which would have roughly halved travel times at an estimated cost of $151 billion.[6][7]

History

Origins

Sections owned by Amtrak are in red; sections with commuter service are highlighted in blue.

Most of what is now called the Northeast Corridor was built, piece by piece, by several railroads constructed as early as the 1830s. Before 1900, their routes had been consolidated as two long and unconnected stretches, each of them a part of a major railroad. Anchored in Washington, D.C., the stretch owned by the

New York State from Connecticut. The former terminated at New Jersey ferry slips across the Hudson River from Manhattan Island.[8] The latter extended to the Bronx, where it continued into Manhattan via trackage rights on the New York and Harlem Railroad. It also reached the Bronx via the Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad, which extended to the Bronx from the New Haven at New Rochelle.[9]

From 1903 to 1917, the two railroads undertook a number of projects that connected their lines and completed, in effect, the Northeast Corridor. These included the New York Tunnel Extension, which extended from New Jersey to Long Island (and was composed of the Manhattan Transfer station, the North River Tunnels, a new Pennsylvania Station, the East River Tunnels), the New York Connecting Railroad, and the Hell Gate Bridge. Combined, these constituted a stretch that started just outside of Newark, New Jersey, on the Pennsylvania Railroad side, and connected with the Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad (and thus New Rochelle) on the New Haven side. With the opening of the Hell Gate Bridge in 1917, this final connecting stretch, and thus the Northeast Corridor itself, was complete.[citation needed]

With the 1968 creation of Penn Central, which was a combination of those two railroads and the New York Central Railroad, the entire corridor was under the control of a single entity for the first time. After successor Penn Central’s 1970 bankruptcy, the corridor was almost entirely subsumed by the subsequently-created Amtrak on May 1, 1971.[citation needed]

Boston–The Bronx (New Haven Railroad)

Newark–Washington, D.C. (Pennsylvania Railroad)

New York City area

Annotated map of projects that the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New Haven Railroad undertook between 1903 and 1917, connecting their lines and effectively completing the Northeast Corridor. From left to right:

Electrification, 1905–38

New York section

See also:
Electrification of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad

In 1899,

Park Avenue Tunnel near the present Grand Central Terminal that killed 17 people on January 8, 1902, was blamed on smoke from steam locomotives; the resulting outcry led to a push for electric operation in Manhattan.[18][19][20]

The NH announced in 1905 that it would electrify its main line from New York to

Highbridge station on the Hudson Line;[21]: 97 [22] regular service began on December 11.[23][24] Electric locomotives began serving Grand Central on February 15, 1907,[21]: 115  and all NYC passenger service into Grand Central was electrified on July 1, 1907.[24][25] NH electrification began in July to New Rochelle, August to Port Chester and October the rest of the way to Stamford.[26] Steam trains last operated into Grand Central on June 30, 1908: the deadline after which steam trains were banned in Manhattan.[21]: 55–56  Subsequently, all NH passenger trains into Manhattan were electrified. In June 1914, the NH electrification was extended to New Haven, which was the terminus of electrified service for over 80 years.[27]

The PRR was building its

H&M trains to downtown Manhattan.[citation needed
]

On July 29, 1911, NH began electric service on its

Harlem River Branch: a suburban branch that would become a main line with the completion of the New York Connecting Railroad and its Hell Gate Bridge.[32][33] The bridge opened on March 9, 1917,[16] but was operated by steam with an engine change at Sunnyside Yard east of Penn Station until 1918.[citation needed
]

Further information: Amtrak's 60 Hz traction power system

Electrification north of New Haven to Providence and Boston had been planned by the NH, and authorized by the company's board of directors shortly before the United States entered World War I. This plan was not carried out because of the war and the company's financial problems. Electrification north of New Haven did not occur until the 1990s, by Amtrak, using a 60 Hz system.

New York to Washington electrification

Main article: Amtrak's 25 Hz traction power system
interlocking tower
on the Northeast Corridor south of Philadelphia

In 1905, the PRR began to electrify its suburban lines at Philadelphia: an effort that eventually led to

Chestnut Hill (now the Chestnut Hill West Line), including a stretch of the NEC, began on March 30, 1918.[citation needed] Local electric service to Wilmington, Delaware, on the NEC began on September 30, 1928, and to Trenton, New Jersey, on June 29, 1930.[citation needed
]

Electrified service between

Exchange Place, the Jersey City terminal, and New Brunswick, New Jersey, began on December 8, 1932, including the extension of Penn Station electric service from Manhattan Transfer.[citation needed] On January 16, 1933, the rest of the electrification between New Brunswick and Trenton opened, giving a fully-electrified line between New York and Wilmington. Trains to Washington began running under electricity to Wilmington on February 12, 1933, with the engine-change moved from Manhattan Transfer to Wilmington.[citation needed] The same was done on April 9, 1933, for trains running west from Philadelphia, with the change point moved to Paoli.[citation needed
]

In 1933, the electrification south of Wilmington was stalled by the Great Depression, but the PRR got a loan from the Public Works Administration to resume work.[36] The tunnels at Baltimore were rebuilt as part of the project. Electric service between New York and Washington began on February 10, 1935.[37] On April 7, the electrification of passenger trains was complete, with 639 daily trains: 191 hauled by locomotives and the other 448 under multiple-unit power.[citation needed] New York–Washington electric freight service began on May 20, 1935, after the electrification of freight lines in New Jersey and Washington,DC. [citation needed] Extensions to Potomac Yard across the Potomac River from Washington, as well as several freight branches along the way, were electrified in 1937 and 1938.[citation needed] The Potomac Yard retained its electrification until 1981.[citation needed]

Re-signaling

In the 1930s, PRR equipped the New York–Washington line with Pulse code cab signaling. Between 1998 and 2003, this system was overlaid with an Alstom Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System (ACSES), using track-mounted transponders similar to the Balises of the modern European Train Control System.[38] The ACSES will enable Amtrak to implement positive train control to comply with the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008.[citation needed]

Founding and operation of Amtrak

Reorganization and bankruptcy

Pennsylvania Railroad's Congressional west of the North River Tunnels on its way to Washington, D.C.

In December 1967, the UAC TurboTrain set a speed record for a production train: 170.8 miles per hour (274.9 km/h) between New Brunswick and Trenton, New Jersey.[39]

In February 1968, PRR merged with its rival New York Central Railroad to form the Penn Central (PC).[40] Penn Central was required to absorb the New Haven in 1969 as a condition of the merger.[41]

On September 21, 1970, all New York–Boston trains except the Turboservice were rerouted into Penn Station from Grand Central;[citation needed] the Turboservice moved on February 1, 1971, for cross-platform transfers to the Metroliners.[42]

In 1971, Amtrak began operations, and various state governments took control of portions of the NEC for their commuter transportation authorities. In January, the

Woodlawn, New York, and New Haven, Connecticut.[42]

In 1973, the Regional Rail Reorganization Act opened the way for Amtrak to buy sections of the NEC not already been sold to these commuter transportation authorities. These purchases by Amtrak were controversial at the time, and the Department of Transportation blocked the transaction and withheld purchase funds for several months until Amtrak granted it control over reconstruction of the corridor.[43]

In February 1975, the Preliminary System Plan for Conrail proposed to stop running freight trains on the NEC between Groton, Connecticut, and Hillsgrove, Rhode Island, but this clause was rejected the following month by the U.S. Railway Association.[44]

By April 1976, Amtrak owned the entire NEC except Boston to the RI state line, which is owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and New Haven to New Rochelle, New York, which is owned by the States of Connecticut and New York. Amtrak still operates and maintains the portion in Massachusetts, but the line from New Haven to New Rochelle, New York, is operated by the Metro-North Railroad, which has hindered the establishment of high-speed service.[45][46]

Northeast Corridor Improvement Project

Northeast Corridor Improvement Project track work in April 1979

In 1976,

AEM-7 locomotive, which lowered travel times and became the most successful engine on the Corridor. The NECIP set travel time goals of 2 hours and 40 minutes between Washington and New York, and 3 hours and 40 minutes between Boston and New York.[48] These goals were not met because of the low level of funding provided by the Reagan Administration and Congress in the 1980s.[49]

Electrification between New Haven and Boston was to be included in the 1976 Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act.[47]

The last grade crossings between New York and Washington were closed about 1985; eleven grade crossings remain in Connecticut.

1990s implementation of high-speed rail

Main article: Amtrak's 60 Hz traction power system
Acela Express crosses the Susquehanna River in Maryland on a bridge
built by the PRR in 1906.

In the 1990s, Amtrak upgraded the NEC north of New Haven, CT to get it ready for the high-speed

continuous welded rail (CWR) was laid-down.[50]

In 1996, Amtrak began installing electrification gear along the 157 miles (253 kilometres) of track between New Haven and Boston. The infrastructure included a new overhead catenary wire made of high-strength silver-bearing copper, specified by Amtrak and later patented by Phelps Dodge Specialty Copper Products of Elizabeth, New Jersey.[51]

2000–present

View along the Northeast Corridor tracks between Hamilton and Trenton in central New Jersey

Service with electric locomotives between New Haven and Boston began on January 31, 2000.[52] The project took four years and cost close to $2.3 billion: $1.3 billion for the infrastructure improvements and close to $1 billion for both the new Acela Express trainsets and the Bombardier–Alstom HHP-8 locomotives.[53]

On December 11, 2000, Amtrak began operating its higher-speed Acela Express service.[54] Fastest travel time by Acela is three and a half hours between Boston and New York, and two hours forty-five minutes between New York and Washington, D.C.[55]

In 2005, there was talk in Congress of splitting the Northeast Corridor, which was opposed by then-acting Amtrak president David Gunn. The plan, supported by the Bush administration, would "turn over the Northeast Corridor – the tracks from Washington to Boston that are the railroad's main physical asset – to a federal-state consortium."[56]

With the passage of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008, the Congress established the Northeast Corridor Commission (NEC Commission) in the U.S. Department of Transportation to facilitate mutual cooperation and planning and to advise Congress on Corridor rail and development policy. The commission members include USDOT, Amtrak and the Northeast Corridor states.

In October 2010, Amtrak released "A Vision for High-Speed Rail on the Northeast Corridor," an aspirational proposal for dedicated high-speed rail tracks between Washington, D.C., and Boston.[57] Many of these proposals are unfunded.

In August 2011 the United States Department of Transportation committed $450 million to a six-year project to support capacity increases on one of the busiest segments on the NEC: a 24-mile (39 km) section between New Brunswick and Trenton, passing through Princeton Junction. The Next Generation High-Speed project is designed to upgrade electrical power, signal systems and overhead catenary wires to improve reliability and increase speeds up to 160 mph (260 km/h), and, after the purchase of new equipment, up to 186 miles per hour (299 km/h).[58] In September 2012, speed tests were conducted using Acela trainsets, achieving a speed of 165 miles per hour (266 km/h).[59][60] The improvements were scheduled to be completed in 2016, but, due to delays, the project had not been completed until 2020.[61][62]

In 2012, the Federal Railroad Administration began developing a master plan for bringing high-speed rail to the Northeast Corridor titled NEC FUTURE, and released the final environmental impact statement in December 2016.[63] Multiple potential alignments north of New York City were studied.[64] The proposed upgrades have not been funded.

2015 derailment
Main article: 2015 Philadelphia train derailment
Frankford Junction in the Port Richmond section of the city, while entering a 50 mph (80 km/h) speed limited (but at the time non-ATC protected) 4° curve at 106 mph (171 km/h), killing eight and injuring more than 200 (eight critically) of the 238 passengers and five crew on board as well as causing the suspension of all Philadelphia–New York NEC service for six days.[65][66]

This was the deadliest crash on the Northeast Corridor since 16 died when Amtrak's Washington–Boston Colonial (TR#94) rear-ended three stationary Conrail locomotives at Gunpow Interlocking near Baltimore on January 4, 1987.[67] Frankford Junction curve was the site of a previous fatal accident on September 6, 1943, when an extra section of the PRR's Washington to New York Congressional Limited derailed there, killing 79 and injuring 117 of the 541 on board.[68]

Infrastructure

Main article: List of Northeast Corridor infrastructure

The NEC is a cooperative venture between Amtrak and various state agencies. Amtrak owns the track between Washington and New Rochelle, New York, a northern suburb of New York City.[citation needed] The segment from New Rochelle to New Haven is owned by the states of New York and Connecticut; Metro-North Railroad commuter trains operate there.[citation needed] Amtrak owns the tracks north of New Haven to the border between Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The final segment from the border north to Boston is owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.[citation needed]

Electrification

Constant-tension catenary on Amtrak's 60 Hz system

At just over 453 miles (729 km), the Northeast Corridor is the longest electrified rail corridor in the United States.[69] Most electrified railways in the country are for rapid transit or commuter rail use; the Keystone Corridor is the only other electrified intercity mainline.[citation needed]

Currently, the corridor uses three catenary systems. From Washington, D.C., to Sunnyside Yard (just east of New York Penn Station),

former New Haven Railroad's system, since modified by Metro-North, supplies 12.5 kV at 60 Hz. From Mill River to Boston, the much newer 60 Hz traction power system supplies 25 kV at 60 Hz. All of Amtrak's electric locomotives can switch between these systems
.

In addition to catenary, the East River Tunnels have 750 V DC third rail for Long Island Rail Road trains, and the North River Tunnels have third rail for emergency use only.

In 2006, several high-profile electric-power failures delayed Amtrak and commuter trains on the Northeast Corridor up to five hours.[70] Railroad officials blamed Amtrak's funding woes for the deterioration of the track and power supply system, which in places is almost a hundred years old. These problems have decreased in recent years after tracks and power systems were repaired and improved.[71]

In September 2013, one of two feeder lines supplying power to the New Haven Line failed, while the other feeder was disabled for service. The lack of electrical power disrupted trains on Amtrak and Metro-North Railroad, which share the segment in New York State.[72]

Stations

30th Street Station in Philadelphia, Amtrak's third busiest train station in the nation, July 2016
Main article: List of Northeast Corridor infrastructure

There are 109 active stations on the Northeast Corridor; 30 are used by Amtrak. All but three (

Penn Station in Baltimore, and Union Station in Washington.[citation needed
]

The main services of the Northeast Corridor are indicated using the following abbreviations. Other services are listed in the right-most column. Note that not all trains necessarily stop at all indicated stations.

Table legend:

Station listing
Station Distance
from
NYP
 Amtrak services Commuter
services 		Additional rail
services/connections 		Location
Corridors Long-distance
A NR VT CL KS PA CD CS PL SM
City/Township State/District
South Station 228.7 mi (368.1 km) ● ● P/S NE FR Amtrak Amtrak: Lake Shore Limited
MBTA Commuter Rail MBTA Commuter Rail: Fairmount, Fall River/New Bedford, Framingham/Worcester, Greenbush, Kingston
MBTA subway:  Red Line   Silver Line  		Boston Massachusetts
Back Bay 227.6 mi (366.3 km) ● ● P/S NE FR Amtrak Amtrak: Lake Shore Limited
MBTA Commuter Rail MBTA Commuter Rail: Framingham/Worcester Line
MBTA subway:  Orange Line 
Ruggles 226.5 mi (364.5 km) | | P/S NE FR MBTA subway:  Orange Line 
Forest Hills 223.7 mi (360.0 km) | | P/S NE FR MBTA subway:  Orange Line 
Hyde Park 220.6 mi (355.0 km) | | P/S FR
Readville 219.2 mi (352.8 km) | | FR MBTA Commuter Rail MBTA Commuter Rail: Fairmount Line
Route 128 217.3 mi (349.7 km) ● ● P/S Westwood
Canton Junction 213.9 mi (344.2 km) | | P/S Canton
Sharon 210.8 mi (339.2 km) | | P/S Sharon
Mansfield 204.0 mi (328.3 km) | | P/S Mansfield
Attleboro 196.9 mi (316.9 km) | | P/S Attleboro
South Attleboro 191.9 mi (308.8 km) | | P/S
Pawtucket/​Central Falls 189.3 mi (304.6 km) | | P/S Pawtucket Rhode Island
Providence 185.1 mi (297.9 km) ● ● P/S Providence
T. F. Green Airport 177.3 mi (285.3 km) | | P/S Warwick
Wickford Junction 165.8 mi (266.8 km) | | P/S North Kingstown
Kingston 158.1 mi (254.4 km) | ● West Kingston
Westerly 141.3 mi (227.4 km) | ● Westerly
Mystic 132.3 mi (212.9 km) | ● Mystic Connecticut
New London 122.9 mi (197.8 km) | ● SLE New London
Old Saybrook 105.1 mi (169.1 km) | ● SLE Old Saybrook
Westbrook 101.2 mi (162.9 km) | | SLE Westbrook
Clinton 96.8 mi (155.8 km) | | SLE Clinton
Madison 93.1 mi (149.8 km) | | SLE Madison
Guilford 88.8 mi (142.9 km) | | SLE Guilford
Branford 81.4 mi (131.0 km) | | SLE Branford
New Haven State Street 72.7 mi (117.0 km) | | SLE NHV Amtrak Amtrak: Hartford Line
Hartford Line CT Rail: Hartford Line 		New Haven
New Haven Union Station 72.3 mi (116.4 km) ● ● ● SLE NHV Amtrak Amtrak: Hartford Line
Hartford Line CT Rail: Hartford Line
West Haven 69.4 mi (111.7 km) | | | SLE NHV West Haven
Milford 63.3 mi (101.9 km) | | | SLE NHV Milford
Stratford 59.0 mi (95.0 km) | | | SLE NHV Metro-North: ■ Waterbury Branch Stratford
Bridgeport 55.4 mi (89.2 km) | ● ● SLE NHV Metro-North: ■ Waterbury Branch Bridgeport
Fairfield–Black Rock 52.3 mi (84.2 km) | | | | NHV Fairfield
Fairfield 50.6 mi (81.4 km) | | | | NHV
Southport 48.9 mi (78.7 km) | | | | NHV
Green's Farms 47.2 mi (76.0 km) | | | | NHV Westport
Westport 44.2 mi (71.1 km) | | | | NHV
East Norwalk 42.1 mi (67.8 km) | | | | NHV Norwalk
South Norwalk 41.0 mi (66.0 km) | | | | NHV Metro-North: ■ Danbury Branch
Rowayton 39.2 mi (63.1 km) | | | | NHV
Darien 37.7 mi (60.7 km) | | | | NHV Darien
Noroton Heights 36.2 mi (58.3 km) | | | | NHV
Stamford 33.1 mi (53.3 km) ● ● ● SLE NHV Metro-North: ■ Danbury Branch, ■ New Canaan Branch Stamford
Old Greenwich 31.3 mi (50.4 km) | | | NHV Greenwich
Riverside 30.3 mi (48.8 km) | | | NHV
Cos Cob 29.6 mi (47.6 km) | | | NHV
Greenwich 28.1 mi (45.2 km) | | | NHV
Port Chester 25.7 mi (41.4 km) | | | NHV Port Chester New York State
Rye 24.1 mi (38.8 km) | | | NHV
Rye
Harrison 22.2 mi (35.7 km) | | | NHV Harrison
Mamaroneck 20.5 mi (33.0 km) | | | NHV Mamaroneck
Larchmont 18.7 mi (30.1 km) | | | NHV Larchmont
New Rochelle 16.6 mi (26.7 km) | ● | NHV New Rochelle
Penn Station 0.0 mi (0 km) ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● RARV NEC NJCL Amtrak Amtrak: Adirondack, Berkshire Flyer, Ethan Allen Express, Empire Service, Lake Shore Limited, Maple Leaf
LIRR: ■ City Terminal Zone, ■ Port Washington Branch
NJ Transit NJ Transit: ■ Gladstone Branch, ■ Montclair–Boonton Line, ■ Morristown Line
NYC Subway: "A" train​"C" train​"E" train"1" train​"2" train​"3" train
Port Authority Trans-Hudson PATH: HOB-33 JSQ-33 JSQ-33 (via HOB) 		New York City
Secaucus Junction 5.0 mi (8.0 km) | | | | | | | | | | RARV NEC NJCL
Montclair-Boonton, ■ Morristown, ■ Pascack Valley ■ Meadowlands Rail Line
Metro-North: ■ Port Jervis Line
 Secaucus New Jersey
Penn Station 10.0 mi (16.1 km) ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● RARV NEC NJCL
PATH: NWK-WTC
 		Newark
Newark Airport
 12.6 mi (20.3 km) | ● | | ● | | | | | NEC NJCL AirTrain Newark
North Elizabeth 14.4 mi (23.2 km) | | | | | | | | | | NEC NJCL Elizabeth
Elizabeth 15.4 mi (24.8 km) | | | | | | | | | | NEC NJCL
Linden 18.6 mi (29.9 km) | | | | | | | | | | NEC NJCL Linden
Rahway 20.7 mi (33.3 km) | | | | | | | | | | NEC NJCL Rahway
Metropark 24.6 mi (39.6 km) ● ● ● | ● | | ● ● | NEC
Woodbridge
Metuchen 27.1 mi (43.6 km) | | | | | | | | | | NEC Metuchen
Edison 30.3 mi (48.8 km) | | | | | | | | | | NEC Edison
New Brunswick 32.7 mi (52.6 km) | ● | | ● | | | | | NEC New Brunswick
Jersey Avenue 34.4 mi (55.4 km) | | | | | | | | | | NEC
Princeton Junction 48.8 mi (78.5 km) | ● | | ● | | | | | NEC NJ Transit NJ Transit: ■ Princeton Branch Princeton Junction
Hamilton 54.4 mi (87.5 km) | | | | | | | | | | NEC Hamilton Township
Trenton 58.1 mi (93.5 km) | ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
TRE
 NEC NJ Transit NJ Transit: ■ River Line Trenton
Levittown 64.7 mi (104.1 km) | | | | | | | | | |
TRE
 Tullytown Pennsylvania
Bristol 67.8 mi (109.1 km) | | | | | | | | | |
TRE
 Bristol
Croydon 70.7 mi (113.8 km) | | | | | | | | | |
TRE
 Croydon
Eddington 72.4 mi (116.5 km) | | | | | | | | | |
TRE
 Eddington
Cornwells Heights 73.7 mi (118.6 km) | | | | ● | | | | |
TRE
 Cornwells Heights
Torresdale 75.8 mi (122.0 km) | | | | | | | | | |
TRE
 Philadelphia
Holmesburg Junction 78.3 mi (126.0 km) | | | | | | | | | |
TRE
Tacony 79.3 mi (127.6 km) | | | | | | | | | |
TRE
Bridesburg 81.2 mi (130.7 km) | | | | | | | | | |
TRE
North Philadelphia 86.0 mi (138.4 km) | | | | ● | | | | |
TRE
 CHW SEPTA Metro:
30th Street Station 90.5 mi (145.6 km) ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
TRE
 NWK CHW SEPTA Regional Rail: all lines
NJ Transit NJ Transit: ■ Atlantic City Line
SEPTA Metro:
Darby 94.8 mi (152.6 km) | | | | | | | | NWK Darby
Curtis Park 95.5 mi (153.7 km) | | | | | | | | NWK Sharon Hill
Sharon Hill 96.2 mi (154.8 km) | | | | | | | | NWK
Folcroft 96.7 mi (155.6 km) | | | | | | | | NWK Folcroft
Glenolden 97.3 mi (156.6 km) | | | | | | | | NWK Glenolden
Norwood 98.0 mi (157.7 km) | | | | | | | | NWK Norwood
Prospect Park 98.7 mi (158.8 km) | | | | | | | | NWK Prospect Park
Ridley Park 99.4 mi (160.0 km) | | | | | | | | NWK Ridley Park
Crum Lynne 100.1 mi (161.1 km) | | | | | | | | NWK
Eddystone 101.3 mi (163.0 km) | | | | | | | | NWK Eddystone
Chester 102.4 mi (164.8 km) | | | | | | | | NWK Chester
Highland Avenue 104.5 mi (168.2 km) | | | | | | | | NWK
Marcus Hook 105.7 mi (170.1 km) | | | | | | | | NWK Marcus Hook
Claymont 108.6 mi (174.8 km) | | | | | | | | NWK Claymont Delaware
Wilmington 115.8 mi (186.4 km) ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● NWK Wilmington
Churchmans Crossing 121.5 mi (195.5 km) | | | | | | | | NWK
Newark 127.7 mi (205.5 km) | ● | | | | | | NWK Newark
Perryville 148.5 mi (239.0 km) | | | | | | | | PEN Perryville Maryland
Aberdeen 154.5 mi (248.6 km) | ● | | | | | | PEN Aberdeen
Edgewood 164.1 mi (264.1 km) | | | | | | | | PEN Edgewood
Martin State Airport 173.0 mi (278.4 km) | | | | | | | | PEN Middle River
Penn Station 184.7 mi (297.2 km) ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● PEN MTA Maryland: Light RailLink
Baltimore
West Baltimore 187.5 mi (301.8 km) | | | | | | | | PEN
Halethorpe 192.3 mi (309.5 km) | | | | | | | | PEN Halethorpe
BWI Airport 195.3 mi (314.3 km) ● ● ● | | ● ● | PEN Linthicum Heights
Odenton 202.6 mi (326.1 km) | | | | | | | | PEN Odenton
Bowie State 208.4 mi (335.4 km) | | | | | | | | PEN Bowie
Seabrook 213.7 mi (343.9 km) | | | | | | | | PEN Seabrook
New Carrollton 216.0 mi (347.6 km) | ● ● | | | ● | PEN Washington Metro: Orange Line New Carrollton
Union Station 224.7 mi (361.6 km) ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● PEN Amtrak Amtrak: Floridian
MARC: ■ Brunswick Line, ■ Camden Line
Virginia Railway Express VRE: ■ Fredericksburg Line, ■ Manassas Line
Washington Metro: Red Line
DC Streetcar: H Street/Benning Road Line 		Washington, D.C.

Grade crossings

Passengers crossing the State Street crossing in New London after departing a northbound train
A Northeast Regional train crosses Miner Lane in Waterford, the site of a fatal accident in 2005

The entire Northeast Corridor has 11 grade crossings, all in southeastern New London County, Connecticut. The remaining grade crossings are along a part of the line that hugs the shore of Long Island Sound. Some of these crossings constitute the only points of access to waterfront communities and businesses otherwise disconnected from the road network. As such, eliminating them would require grade separation to maintain access. Six of the grade crossings have four-quadrant gates with induction loop sensors, which allow vehicles stopped on the tracks to be detected in time for an oncoming train to stop. The remaining five grade crossings, 3 near New London Union Station and two in Stonington, have dual gates.[73]

FRA rules limit track speeds on the corridor to 80 miles per hour (130 km/h) over conventional crossings and 95 miles per hour (153 km/h) over crossings with four-quadrant gates and vehicle detection tied into the signal system.[74]

History

The New York to New Haven line has long been completely grade-separated, and the last grade crossings between Washington and New York were eliminated in the 1980s.[

USDOT to plan for the elimination of all remaining crossings (unless impractical or unnecessary) by 1997.[75] Some lightly used crossings were simply closed, while most were converted into bridges or underpasses. Only thirteen remained by 1999, of which lightly used crossings in Old Lyme, Connecticut, and Exeter, Rhode Island, were soon closed.[76]

Despite six nonfatal accidents in the previous sixteen years, there was substantial local opposition to closing the remaining 11 crossings. Outright closing the crossing would eliminate the sole access points to several of the places they served, while grade separation would be expensive and require land takings.[76] Instead, the crossings were supplied with additional protections. In 1998, School Street in Groton was the first four-quadrant gate installation in the country with vehicle detection sensors tied into the line's signal system.[77] It cost $1 million rather than the $4 million for a bridge.[78] Seven more crossings received similar installations in 1999 and 2000; only the three in New London (which are on a tight curve with speed limits under 30 miles per hour (48 km/h)) did not.[79]

On September 28, 2005, a southbound Acela Express struck a car at Miner Lane in Waterford, Connecticut, the first such incident since the additional protections were implemented.[80] The train was approaching the crossing at approximately 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) when the car reportedly rolled under the lowered crossing gate arms too late for the sensor system to fully stop the train. The driver and one passenger were killed on impact; the other passenger died nine days later from injuries sustained in the crash. The gates were later inspected and declared to have been functioning properly at the time of the incident.[81] The incident drew public criticism about the remaining grade crossings along the busy line.[82]

Crossing list

Crossing are listed east to west.[73]

Miles City Street DOT/AAR number Coordinates Details
140.6 Stonington Palmer St. 500263U 41°22′21″N 71°50′08″W / 41.372491°N 71.835678°W / 41.372491; -71.835678 Connects the Pawcatuck residential area to the Mechanic Street arterial.
136.7 Elihu Island Rd. 500267W 41°20′27″N 71°53′24″W / 41.340922°N 71.889912°W / 41.340922; -71.889912 Provides sole access to Elihu Island. Private crossing.
136.6 Walker's Dock 500269K 41°20′24″N 71°53′28″W / 41.340073°N 71.891184°W / 41.340073; -71.891184 Provides sole access to a small marina. Private crossing.
134.9 Wamphassuc Rd. 500272T 41°20′31″N 71°55′18″W / 41.342016°N 71.921605°W / 41.342016; -71.921605 Provides sole access to a residential area.
133.4 Latimer Point Rd. 500275N 41°20′29″N 71°56′56″W / 41.341312°N 71.948967°W / 41.341312; -71.948967 Provides sole access to a residential area.
132.3 Broadway Ave. Extension 500277C 41°21′03″N 71°57′50″W / 41.350813°N 71.963872°W / 41.350813; -71.963872 Next to Mystic station. Provides sole access to a residential and industrial area, several marinas, and the northbound platform.
131.2 Groton School St. 500278J 41°20′42″N 71°58′38″W / 41.344933°N 71.977092°W / 41.344933; -71.977092 Provides sole access to the Willow Point residential area and marina.
123.0 New London Ferry St. 500294T 41°21′25″N 72°05′41″W / 41.356984°N 72.094777°W / 41.356984; -72.094777 Provides sole access to Block Island Ferry and Cross Sound Ferry docks and other marine facilities. Does not have quad gates.
122.8 State St. 500295A 41°21′14″N 72°05′35″W / 41.353845°N 72.092991°W / 41.353845; -72.092991 Next to
Fisher's Island
Ferry, City Pier, Waterfront Park, and the northbound platform.
122.5 Bank St. Connector 500297N 41°21′05″N 72°05′45″W / 41.35128°N 72.095957°W / 41.35128; -72.095957 Provides access to Waterfront Park.
120.2 Waterford Miner Ln. 500307S 41°20′09″N 72°07′26″W / 41.335726°N 72.123845°W / 41.335726; -72.123845 Provides sole access to a residential and industrial area.

Bridges

Tunnels

Passenger ridership

Annual passenger ridership
FY* Northeast Regional Acela Total ridership % Change
2004 6,475,000 2,569,000 9,044,000
2005 7,116,000 1,773,000 8,889,000 -1.7%
2006 6,755,000 2,583,000 9,338,000 +5.1%
2007 6,837,000 3,184,000 10,021,000 +7.3%
2008 7,489,000 3,399,000 10,888,000 +8.7%
2009 6,921,000 3,020,000 9,941,000 -8.7%
2011 7,515,000 3,379,000 10,894,000 +5.1%
2012 8,014,000 3,395,000 11,409,000 +4.7%
2013 8,044,000 3,343,000 11,387,000 -0.2%
2014 8,083,000 3,545,000 11,628,000 +2.2%
2015 8,215,523 3,473,644 11,707,079 +0.7%
2016 8,409,662 3,489,311 11,909,847 +1.7%
2017 8,569,867 3,442,188 12,027,305 +1.0%
2018 8,686,930 3,428,338 12,123,643 +0.8%
2019 8,940,745 3,577,455 12,525,602 +3.3%
2020 4,486,837 1,656,764 6,147,481 -49.7%
2021 3,508,766 897,639 4,408,825
2022 7,091,325 2,144,369 9,235,694 +109.5%
2023 9,163,082 2,959,384 12,122,466 +31.3%
2024 10,814,407 3,239,130 14,052,537 +15.9%
Sources: 2004–2014;[83] 2015–2016[84] 2017–2018[85] 2018–2019[86]

2019–2020[87] 2019-2021[88] 2021-2022[89] 2023[90] 2024[91]

Current rail service

Intercity passenger services

New Orleans-bound Crescent in Trenton, New Jersey

In 2003, Amtrak accounted for about 14% of intercity trips between the cities served by the NEC and its branches (the rest were taken by airline, automobile, or

bus).[92] A 2011 study estimated that in 2010 Amtrak carried 6% of the Boston–Washington traffic, compared to 80% for automobiles, 8–9% for intercity bus, and 5% for airlines.[93] Amtrak's share of the air or rail passenger traffic between New York City and Boston has grown from 20 percent to 54 percent since 2001, and 75 percent between New York City and Washington, D.C.[94]

These Amtrak trains serve NEC stations and run at least partially on the corridor:

Seven other Amtrak trains terminate at NEC stations, but do not use any NEC infrastructure outside the terminus:

Six Amtrak services operate via the

New York Penn Station
.

The Floridian, which travels between Chicago Union and Miami, intersects with the Northeast Corridor at Washington Union.

Due to the wide availability of the Northeast Regional, Keystone Service, and Acela, as well as commuter rail, most long- and medium-haul trains operating along the New York-Washington leg of the NEC do not allow local travel between NEC stations. In most cases, long- and medium-haul trains only stop to discharge passengers from Washington (and in some cases, Alexandria) northward, and to receive passengers from Newark to Washington. This policy is intended to keep seats available for passengers making longer trips. The Vermonter and Palmetto are the only medium- and long-haul trains that allow local travel in both directions between New York and Washington. The southbound Carolinian allows local travel daily, while the northbound Carolinian only allows local travel on Sundays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Additionally, the medium-haul Pennsylvanian allows local NEC travel, but this train leaves the corridor in Philadelphia and does not travel all the way to Washington.

Commuter rail

Two MBTA Commuter Rail trains on the NEC at Ruggles station

In addition to Amtrak, several commuter rail agencies operate passenger service using the NEC tracks:

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)

The only section north of New York that does not have commuter service is the 43 miles between Wickford Junction and New London.

CT Rail

Metro-North Railroad (MNRR)

Long Island Rail Road (LIRR)

New Jersey Transit
(NJT)

NJ Transit commuter train on the Northeast Corridor in New Brunswick, New Jersey

SEPTA

MARC Train

Freight services

Norfolk Southern Railway freight operating on the NEC in Aberdeen, Maryland

Freight trains operate on parts of the NEC through

Penn Central in the late 1960s and later Conrail
upon its formation in 1976, however Amtrak, whose ridership was steadily increasing began demanding heavier taxes for longer trains. Ultimately Conrail began reducing freight service to only small, local trains on certain sections of the corridor where most needed once longer freights began causing congestion and bigger delays with passenger service.

Currently, Norfolk Southern Railway operates over the line south of Philadelphia. CSX Transportation has rights from New York to New Haven; in Massachusetts; and in Maryland from Landover, where its Landover Subdivision joins the NEC, to Bowie, where its Pope's Creek Subdivision leaves it. Between Philadelphia and New York, Conrail Shared Assets Operations operates as a local switching and terminal company for CSX and Norfolk Southern. The Providence and Worcester Railroad operates local freight service from New Haven into Rhode Island and has overhead trackage rights from New Haven to New York over the Hell Gate Bridge to Fresh Pond Junction.[95] Additionally, the Canadian Pacific Kansas City and the New York and Atlantic Railway both have trackage rights over the Hell Gate Bridge in order to connect with their own routes near New York.[96]

Future NEC projects

Gateway Program

Main article: Gateway Program (Northeast Corridor)

In February 2011, Amtrak announced plans for the

New York Penn Station.[97] The planned project would create a high-speed alignment across the New Jersey Meadowlands and under the Hudson River, including the replacement of the Portal Bridge
, a bottleneck.

Harold Interlocking

Main article: Harold Interlocking

In May 2011, a $294.7-million federal grant was awarded to fix congestion at Harold Interlocking, the USA's second-busiest

right of way, allowing Amtrak trains arriving from or bound for New England to avoid NJ Transit and Long Island Rail Road trains.[98][99] Financing for the project was jeopardized in July 2011 by the House of Representatives, which voted to divert the funding to unrelated projects.[100] The project was then funded by FRA and the MTA.[101] As of 2018, the interlocking is being reconstructed for LIRR's East Side Access project.[102][103]

New Brunswick–Trenton high-speed upgrade

In August 2011, Congress obligated $450 million to a six-year project to add capacity on one of the busiest segments on the NEC in

Mid-Line Loop (a flyover for reversing train direction), and the re-construction of County Yard, to be done in coordination with NJ Transit.[108] Acela trains began operating at speeds up to 150 mph (240 km/h) between Princeton Junction and New Brunswick in June 2022. With the planned introduction of the Avelia Liberty in 2025, speeds will increase to 160 miles per hour (260 km/h).[109]

New trains for Acela

Main article: Avelia Liberty

On August 26, 2016, Vice President Joe Biden announced a $2.45 billion federal loan package to pay for new Acela equipment and upgrades to the NEC. The loans will finance 28 trainsets to replace the existing fleet. The trains are being built by Alstom in Hornell and Rochester, New York. Passenger service using the new trains had been expected to begin in 2024, but as of December 2024 the start date had been pushed to the spring of 2025.[110] The current fleet is expected to be retired when all the replacements have been delivered. Amtrak plans to repay the loans through increased NEC passenger revenue.[111]

Connecticut speed upgrade

The Connecticut Department of Transportation plans to replace a three-mile stretch of track in Bridgeport, Stratford, and Milford, including the reconstruction of eight bridges (one in Bridgeport and seven in Stratford), catenary replacement, the reconstruction of one interlocking for high-speed track changes, and the construction of an additional new high-speed interlocking.[112][113] These improvements will allow Metro-North and Amtrak trains to travel at 90 mph (140 km/h) instead of the current 70 mph (110 km/h) limit.[114][115] The $385 million project is planned to begin in 2025, with completion estimated in December 2028.[112][116]

Replacement of bridge over Housatonic River

Main article: Housatonic River Railroad Bridge § Replacement

In Milford and Stratford, Connecticut, the 1906 Devon Bridge over the Housatonic River causes delays and speed restrictions.[117] The four-track bascule bridge is planned to be rehabilitated and eventually replaced, improving reliability and reducing travel times.[118] The Connecticut Department of Transportation was awarded $119.3 million for interim repairs to the bridge in 2023.[116] Repairs are scheduled to run from June 2025 until June 2027. A new bridge to replace the existing span is to be built from October 2030 to August 2036.[117] Amtrak was awarded up to $246 million in Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds in November 2023 for the design of a replacement for the span. Amtrak will contribute an additional $16 million, while the state of Connecticut will provide $45 million.[116] The replacement bridge is being designed for a top speed of 70 mph (110 km/h), up from the current 40 mph (64 km/h) limit on the existing bridge.[119]

Replacement of bridge over Hutchinson River

Main article: Pelham Bay Bridge § Bridge replacement project

Amtrak is planning to replace the 1907 low-level movable rail Pelham Bay Bridge (just west of Pelham Bridge) over the Hutchinson River in the Bronx that has been limiting speed and train capacity. The goal is for a new bridge to support expanded service and speeds up to 70 mph (110 km/h).[120][121] Construction is anticipated to begin in 2029, with completion expected in 2034.[120][122] Funding for the replacement bridge will be provided by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.[122]

Replacement of bridge over Mianus River

Main article: Mianus River Railroad Bridge § Replacement Project

In the November of 2024, the Connecticut Department of Transportation awarded a $6.4 Million federal grant to explore options to find a replacement for the 1904-built Mianus River Railroad Bridge in Greenwich, Connecticut.[123]

Replacement of bridge over Norwalk River

Main article: Norwalk River Railroad Bridge § Replacement

In May 2023, construction began to replace the 1896 Walk Bridge, a swing bridge over the Norwalk River in Norwalk, Connecticut. The current bridge is a frequent point of failure and a source of speed restrictions for Amtrak and Metro-North trains.[124] The replacement bridge, a dual-span lift bridge, is expected to be completed in 2029.[125][126] The replacement bridge is designed for a speed increase of 15 mph (24 km/h).[127] Amtrak was awarded $465 million in Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds in November 2023. Amtrak will contribute an additional $27 million, while the state of Connecticut will provide $87 million.[128][129]

Replacement of bridge over Saugatuck River

Main article: Saugatuck River Railroad Bridge § Replacement Project

In Westport, Connecticut, the 1905-built Saugatuck River Bridge over the Saugatuck River is planned to be replaced with a new span, as the current four-track bascule bridge is a source of delays and speed restrictions.[130] Construction on the replacement bridge is expected to last from January 2030 to October 2033.[119] The replacement bridge is being designed for a top speed of 90 mph (140 km/h), up from the current 45 mph (72 km/h) limit on the existing bridge.[119] Amtrak was awarded up to $23.2 million in Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds in November 2023 for early design of a replacement for the span. Amtrak will contribute an additional $1.6 million, while the state of Connecticut will provide $4.2 million.[128]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Amtrak's Fiscal Year (FY) runs from October 1 of the prior year to September 30 of the named year.
  1. ^ "Amtrak Fiscal Year 2024 Ridership" (PDF). Amtrak. December 3, 2024.
  2. ^ Young, Elise; Pogkas, Demetrios (March 5, 2018). "How Trump's Hudson Tunnel Feud Threatens the National Economy". Bloomberg News. New York: Bloomberg, L.P. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
  3. ^ Transportation Statistics Annual Report (PDF) (Report). Washington: Bureau of Transportation Statistics. November 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 21, 2014. Retrieved February 18, 2007.
  4. ^ "Amtrak fact sheet: Acela service" (PDF). Washington: National Association of Railroad Passengers. 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  5. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  6. ^ The Amtrak Vision for the Northeast Corridor: 2012 Update Report (PDF) (Report). Washington: Amtrak. July 17, 2012. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  7. ^ Nussbaum, Paul (July 10, 2012). "Amtrak's high-speed Northeast Corridor plan at $151 billion". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia. Archived from the original on July 14, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
  8. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  9. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  10. ^ Report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners, February 15, 1911, page 408
  11. ^ Churella 2013, pp. 222–223
  12. ^ Churella 2013, p. 358
  13. ^ Churella 2013, p. 357
  14. ^ Churella 2013, p. 744
  15. ^
    ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  16. ^
    ISBN 9780988691605
    .
  17. S2CID 6729668
    .
  18. ^ Roberts, Sam (January 18, 2013). "The Birth of Grand Central Terminal". The New York Times. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  19. ISBN 978-1-4555-2595-9
    .
  20. ^ "WGBH American Experience: Grand Central". Boston: PBS. January 8, 1902. Retrieved November 8, 2015 – via WGBH Educational Foundation.
  21. ^
    ISBN 978-0-8018-6510-7
    .
  22. ISBN 978-0-915585-14-4
    .
  23. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  24. ^
    ISBN 978-1-9741-3212-6. Retrieved November 1, 2021. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help
    )
  25. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  26. ^ Goss, W.F.M. (1915). Smoke Abatement and Electrification of Railway Terminals in Chicago: Report of the Chicago Association of Commerce, Committee of Investigation on Smoke Abatement and Electrification of Railway Terminals. Rand, McNally. p. 635. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  27. ^ Middleton 2001, p. 85
  28. ISBN 978-0-486-15760-3
    . Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  29. ^
    ISBN 978-1-4396-3248-2
    . Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  30. ^ "Day Long Throng Inspects New Tube; 35,000 Persons Were Carried on the First Day of Pennsylvania's Tunnel Service". The New York Times. September 9, 1910. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  31. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  32. ^ Electric Railway Journal. McGraw Hill Publishing Company. 1912. p. 893. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  33. ^ Report. 1911. p. 1-PA9. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  34. ^ Chamberlin, Clint. "Pennsylvania RR Electrification". North East Rails. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  35. ^ Middleton 2001, p. 315
  36. ^ "P.R.R. WILL SPEND $77,000,000 AT ONCE; Atterbury Outlines Projects Under PWA Loan Giving Year's Work to 25,000. TO EXTEND ELECTRIC LINE Sees Buying Power Restored and Industry Stimulated by Wide Building Program". The New York Times. January 31, 1934. Retrieved August 8, 2012.
  37. The Daily Home News. New Brunswick, New Jersey. February 9, 1935. p. 3. Retrieved January 31, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  38. ^ "Acses to speed NE Corridor". Railway Gazette International. September 1, 1998. Archived from the original on September 10, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  39. ^ William D. Middleton (December 1999). "Passenger rail in the 20th Century". Railway Age. Archived from the original on May 4, 2007. Retrieved November 13, 2006.
  40. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  41. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  42. ^ a b Baer, Christopher T. (April 2015). "A GENERAL CHRONOLOGY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD COMPANY ITS PREDECESSORS AND SUCCESSORS AND ITS HISTORICAL CONTEXT" (PDF). The Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  43. ^ "A loss for Amtrak is Coleman's Gain". Business Week. September 13, 1976. p. 36.
  44. ^ United States Railway Association, Washington, D.C. (1975-07-26). Final System Plan for Restructuring Railroads in the Northeast and Midwest Region pursuant to the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973. ("FSP"):
    Vol. 1. Vol. 2
  45. ^ Amtrak to buy Northesast Corridor Modern Railways issue 333 June 1976 page 244
  46. ^ Amtrak, DOT agree on NE Corridor Railway Age September 13, 1976, page 8
  47. ^
    Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976, Pub. L. 94–210, 90 Stat. 31, 45 U.S.C. § 801
    . February 5, 1976. Sometimes referred to as the "4R Act."
  48. ^ USDOT. "NECIP Redirection Study."[dead link‍] January 1979. p. 1.
  49. ^ a b NEC Master Plan Working Group. "NEC Infrastructure Master Plan." May 2010. pp. 19–20.
  50. ^ "Building the Infrastructure for Acela Express". history.amtrak.com. Amtrak. February 25, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  51. ^ "Copper trolley wire and a method of manufacturing copper trolley wire".
  52. ^ Middleton 2003, p. 38
  53. ^ Middleton 2001, pp. 431–432
  54. ^ "Amtrak's New High-Speed Service Is Derailed by Mechanical Problem". Associated Press. December 13, 2000 – via LA Times.
  55. ^ "Timetables (see Northeast Corridor 1–3)". Amtrak. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  56. New York Times
    . Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  57. ^ "Amtrak Releases Concept for 220 mph Train Along Northeast Corridor". AASHTO Journal. Archived from the original on October 7, 2010. Retrieved October 10, 2010.
  58. ^ a b Schned, Dan (August 24, 2011). "U.S. DOT Obligates $745 Million to Northeast Corridor Rail Projects". America 2050. Archived from the original on February 20, 2012. Retrieved November 24, 2011.
  59. ^ Frassinelli, Mike (September 25, 2012). "Amtrak train looks to break U.S. speed record in Northeast Corridor test". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
  60. ^ "Amtrak tests of Acela express train at 165 MPH will not affect commuters | Science updates | NewJerseyNewsroom.com -- Your State. Your News". Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved November 24, 2013.
  61. ^ Higgs, Larry (September 14, 2017). "160 mph trains will speed from Trenton to New Brunswick by 2020". New Jersey On-Line. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  62. ^ "New Jersey high speed rail improvement program", Amtrak, retrieved November 10, 2020
  63. ^ "NEC FUTURE: Tier 1 Final EIS". NEC Future. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  64. ^ Guse, Clayton (June 2, 2021). "A 100-minute train ride to Boston: New York, New England lawmakers push high-speed service on tracks that would include Long Island Sound tunnel". nydailynews.com. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
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