Northeast Corridor

This article is about the Amtrak main line. For the New Jersey Transit service, seeNortheast Corridor Line.For the agglomeration of metropolitan areas, seeNortheast megalopolis.

Northeast Corridor
AmtrakAcelanearOld Saybrook, Connecticut
Overview
Owner	Massachusetts Department of Transportation(Boston–MA/RI border) Amtrak(MA/RI border–New Haven) Connecticut Department of Transportation(New Haven–CT/NY border) Metro-North Railroad(CT/NY border–New Rochelle) Amtrak (New Rochelle–Washington)
Locale	Northeastern megalopolis
Termini	Boston,Massachusetts Washington,D.C.
Stations	108 (30 Amtrak stations, 78 commuter-rail-only stations)
Website	nec-commission
Service
Type	High-speed rail Higher-speed rail Inter-city rail Commuter rail
System	Amtrak CSX Transportation Norfolk Southern Railway Providence and Worcester Railroad
Operator(s)	Amtrak,MBTA,CTrail,Metro-North Railroad,Long Island Rail Road,NJ Transit,SEPTA,MARC
Ridership	12,122,466 (Amtrak only, FY23)31.3%
History
Opened	1834 (first section) 1917 (final section)
Technical
Line length	457 mi (735 km)
Number of tracks	2–6
Track gauge	4 ft8+1⁄2in(1,435 mm)standard gauge
Electrification	Overhead line: 25 kV AC at 60 Hz(Boston–New Haven) 12.5 kV AC at 60 Hz(New Haven–New York) 12 kV AC at 25 Hz(New York–Washington)
Route map Boston South Greenbush,Old Colony, andFairmount Lines Back Bay Inland Route Boston to Route 128 Boston to Route 128 Ruggles Forest Hills Hyde Park Franklin/Foxboro Line andFairmount 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 Seaview Railroad Wickford Junction Kingston Westerly RI CT Mystic Groton Wharf Branch Norwich and Worcester Railroad New England Central Railroad 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 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 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 Lower Montauk Branch LIRR Main Line 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 Newark Penn Station Newark to Metropark Newark to Metropark Raritan Valley Line/Lehigh Line Newark Liberty Int'l Airport North Elizabeth Elizabeth Staten Island Railway Linden Linden Industrial Track Rahway North Jersey Coast Line 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 Trenton Trenton to Philadelphia Trenton to Philadelphia NJ PA Trenton Cutoff/ NJTMorrisville 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 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 T.C. 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 Port of Baltimore Baltimore Baltimore to BWI Airport Baltimore to BWI Airport West Baltimore Halethorpe Camden Line 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 Washington, D.C. RF&P Subdivision

TheNortheast Corridor(NEC) is an electrified railroad line in theNortheast megalopolisof the United States. Owned primarily byAmtrak,it runs fromBostonin the north toWashington, D.C.in the south, with major stops inProvidence,New Haven,Stamford,New York City,Newark,Trenton,Philadelphia,Wilmington,andBaltimore.The NEC closely parallelsInterstate 95for most of its length. Carrying more than 2,200 trains a day,it is (as of 2005) the busiest passenger rail line in the United States by ridership and service frequency.

The corridor is used by many Amtrak trains, including the high-speedAcela(formerlyAcela Express), intercity trains, and severallong-distancetrains. Most of the corridor also has frequentcommuter railservice, operated by theMBTA,CT Rail,Metro-North Railroad,Long Island Rail Road,New Jersey Transit,SEPTA,andMARC.While large through freights have not run on the NEC since the early 1980s, some sections still carry smaller local freights operated byCSX,Norfolk Southern,CSAO,Providence and Worcester,New York and Atlantic,andCanadian Pacific.CSX and NS partly own their routes.

Long-distance Amtrak services that use the Northeast Corridor include theCardinal,Carolinian,Crescent,Keystone Service,Northeast Regional,Palmetto,Pennsylvanian,Silver Meteor,Silver Star,andVermontertrains, which reach 125 mph (201 km/h), as well as itsAcelatrains, which reach 150 mph (240 km/h) throughout certain sections inMassachusetts,Rhode Island,andNew Jersey.Some express trains operated by MARC that reach 125 mph (201 km/h) also operate on the Northeast Corridor.Acelacan 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.

Amtrak's proposals for improvements to enable "true" high-speed rail on the corridor would roughly halve travel times at an estimated cost of $151 billion.

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 a part of a major railroad. Anchored in Washington, D.C., the stretch owned by thePennsylvania Railroad,approached New York City from the south, anchored at Boston, the stretch owned by theNew Haven Railroad,and enteredNew York StatefromConnecticut.The former terminated at New Jerseyferry slipsacross the Hudson River from Manhattan Island.The latter extended to the Bronx, where it continued into Manhattan via trackage rights on theNew York and Harlem Railroad.It also reached the Bronx via theHarlem River and Port Chester Railroad,which extended to the Bronx from the New Haven atNew Rochelle.

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 theNew York Tunnel Extension,which extended from New Jersey to Long Island (and was composed of theManhattan Transfer station,theNorth River Tunnels,a newPennsylvania Station,theEast River Tunnels), theNew York Connecting Railroad,and theHell Gate Bridge.Combined, these constituted a stretch that started just outside ofNewark, New Jersey,on the Pennsylvania Railroad side, and connected with theHarlem Riverand 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.

With the 1968 creation ofPenn 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-createdAmtrakon May 1, 1971.

Boston–The Bronx (New Haven Railroad)

• Boston–Providence:Boston and Providence Railroadopened 1835, partially realigned in 1847 and in 1899. Became part of theOld Colony Railroadin 1888.
• Providence–Stonington:New York, Providence and Boston Railroadopened 1837; partially realigned 1848.
• Stonington–New Haven:New Haven, New London and Stonington Railroadopened 1852–1889, realigned in New Haven, 1894.
• New Haven–New Rochelle:New York and New Haven Railroadopened 1849.
• New Rochelle–Port Morris (Bronx):Harlem River and Port Chester Railroadopened 1873.

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

• Newark–Trenton:United New Jersey Railroad and Canal Companyopened 1834–1839, 1841; partially realigned 1863 and 1870.
• Trenton–Frankford Junction:Philadelphia and Trenton Railroadopened 1834; partially realigned 1911.
• Frankford Junction–Zoo Tower:Connecting Railwayopened 1867.
• Zoo Tower–Grays Ferry Bridge:Junction Railroadopened 1863–1866.
• Grays Ferry–Bayview:Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroadopened 1837–1838,1866, 1906.
• Bayview Yard–Baltimore Union Station:Union Railroadopened 1873.
• Baltimore Union Station–Landover:Baltimore and Potomac Rail Roadopened 1872.
• Landover–Washington, D.C.:Magruder Branchopened 1907

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:

• Manhattan Transfer station
• New York Tunnel Extension
• Pennsylvania Station
• New York Connecting Railroad
• Hell Gate Bridge

• TheManhattan Transfer station(just above Newark), opened 1910
• New York Tunnel Extension,opened 1910
• Pennsylvania Station (1910–1963),completed 1910
• New York Connecting Railroad,completed 1917
• Hell Gate Bridge(connected to Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad), opened 1917

Electrification, 1905–38

New York section

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

In 1899,William J. Wilgus,the New York Central Railroad (NYC)'s chief engineer, proposedelectrifyingthe lines leading fromGrand Central Terminaland the split atMott Haven,using athird railpower system devised byFrank J. Sprague.Electricity was in use on some branch lines of the NYNH&H forinterurban streetcarsviathird railortrolley wire.An accident in thePark Avenue Tunnelnear the present Grand Central Terminal that killed 17 people on January 8, 1902, was blamed on smoke fromsteam locomotives;the resulting outcry led to a push for electric operation inManhattan.

The NH announced in 1905 that it would electrify its main line from New York toStamford, Connecticut.Along with theconstruction of Grand Central Terminal,which was opened in 1913, the NYC electrified its lines. On September 30, 1906, the NYC conducted a test of suburbanmultiple unitservice toHighbridge stationon theHudson Line;regular service began on December 11.Electric locomotivesbegan serving Grand Central on February 15, 1907,and all NYC passenger service into Grand Central was electrified on July 1, 1907.NH electrification began in July toNew Rochelle,August toPort Chesterand October the rest of the way to Stamford.Steam trains last operated into Grand Central on June 30, 1908: the deadline after which steam trains were banned in Manhattan.Subsequently, all NH passenger trains into Manhattan were electrified. In June 1914, the NH electrification was extended toNew Haven,which was the terminus of electrified service for over 80 years.

The PRR was building itsPennsylvania Stationand electrified approaches, which were served by the PRR's lines inNew Jerseyand theLong Island Rail Road(LIRR). LIRR electric service began in 1905 on theAtlantic Branchfromdowntown BrooklynpastJamaica,and in June 1910 on the branch toLong Island City:part of the main line to Penn Station.Penn Station opened on September 8, 1910, for LIRR trainsand November 27 for the PRR;trains of both railroads were powered byDCelectricity from a third rail. PRR trains changed engines (electric to/from steam) atManhattan Transfer;passengers could also transfer there toH&Mtrains to downtown Manhattan.

On July 29, 1911, NH began electric service on itsHarlem River Branch:a suburban branch that would become a main line with the completion of theNew York Connecting Railroadand itsHell Gate Bridge.The bridge opened on March 9, 1917,but was operated by steam with an engine change atSunnyside Yardeast of Penn Station until 1918.

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 enteredWorld 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

"K" Tower, north ofWashington Union Station,is the only remaininginterlocking toweron the Northeast Corridor south of Philadelphia

In 1905, the PRR began to electrify its suburban lines at Philadelphia: an effort that eventually led to11 kV, 25 Hz AC catenaryfrom New York and Washington.Electric service began in September 1915, withmultiple unittrains west toPaolion the PRR Main Line (now theKeystone Corridor).Electric service toChestnut Hill(now theChestnut Hill West Line), including a stretch of the NEC, began on March 30, 1918.Local electric service toWilmington, Delaware,on the NEC began on September 30, 1928, and toTrenton, New Jersey,on June 29, 1930.

Electrified service betweenExchange Place,theJersey Cityterminal, andNew Brunswick, New Jersey,began on December 8, 1932, including the extension of Penn Station electric service from Manhattan Transfer.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.The same was done on April 9, 1933, for trains running west from Philadelphia, with the change point moved to Paoli.

In 1933, the electrification south of Wilmington was stalled by theGreat Depression,but the PRR got a loan from thePublic Works Administrationto resume work.The tunnels at Baltimore were rebuilt as part of the project. Electric service between New York and Washington began on February 10, 1935.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.New York–Washington electric freight service began on May 20, 1935, after the electrification of freight lines in New Jersey and Washington,DC.Extensions toPotomac Yardacross thePotomac Riverfrom Washington, as well as several freight branches along the way, were electrified in 1937 and 1938.The Potomac Yard retained its electrification until 1981.

Re-signaling

In the 1930s, PRR equipped the New York–Washington line withPulse code cab signaling.Between 1998 and 2003, this system was overlaid with anAlstomAdvanced Civil Speed Enforcement System (ACSES),using track-mounted transponders similar to theBalisesof the modernEuropean Train Control System.The ACSES will enable Amtrak to implementpositive train controlto comply with theRail Safety Improvement Act of 2008.

Founding and operation of Amtrak

Reorganization and bankruptcy

Pennsylvania Railroad'sCongressionalwest of theNorth River Tunnelson its way toWashington, D.C.

In December 1967, theUAC TurboTrainset a speed record for a production train: 170.8 miles per hour (274.9 km/h) betweenNew BrunswickandTrenton, New Jersey.

In February 1968, PRR merged with its rivalNew York Central Railroadto form thePenn Central(PC).Penn Central was required to absorb the New Haven in 1969 as a condition of the merger.

On September 21, 1970, all New York–Boston trains except theTurboservicewere rerouted into Penn Station from Grand Central;theTurboservicemoved on February 1, 1971, for cross-platform transfers to the Metroliners.

In 1971, Amtrak began operations, and various state governments took control of portions of the NEC for their commuter transportation authorities. In January, theCommonwealth of Massachusettsbought theAttleboro/Stoughton Linein Massachusetts,later operated by theMassachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.The same month, the New York State Metropolitan Transportation Authority bought, and Connecticut leased, from Penn Central their sections of theNew Haven Line,betweenWoodlawn,New York, andNew Haven, Connecticut.

In 1973, theRegional Rail Reorganization Actopened 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 theDepartment of Transportationblocked the transaction and withheld purchase funds for several months until Amtrak granted it control over reconstruction of the corridor.

In February 1975, the Preliminary System Plan forConrailproposed to stop running freight trains on the NEC betweenGroton, Connecticut,andHillsgrove, Rhode Island,but this clause was rejected the following month by theU.S. Railway Association.

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 toNew Rochelle, New York,is operated by theMetro-North Railroad,which has hindered the establishment of high-speed service.

Northeast Corridor Improvement Project

Northeast Corridor Improvement Project track work in April 1979

In 1976,Congressauthorized an overhaul of the system between Washington and Boston.Called the Northeast Corridor Improvement Project (NECIP), it included safety improvements, modernization of the signaling system byGeneral Railway Signal,and new Centralized Electrification and Traffic Control (CETC) control centers byChryslerat Philadelphia, New York and Boston.It allowed more trains to run faster and closer together, and set the stage for laterhigh-speedoperation. NECIP also introduced theAEM-7locomotive, 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.These goals were not met because of the low level of funding provided by the Reagan Administration and Congress in the 1980s.

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

The lastgrade crossingsbetween 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

AmtrakAcela Expresscrosses theSusquehanna Riverin Maryland on abridgebuilt by the PRR in 1906.

In the 1990s, Amtrak upgraded the NEC north of New Haven, CT to get it ready for the high-speedAcela Expresstrains.Dubbed the Northeast High Speed Rail Improvement Program (NHRIP), the effort eliminatedgrade crossings,rebuilt bridges and modified curves. Concreterailroad tiesreplaced wood ties, and heaviercontinuous welded rail (CWR)was laid-down.

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 ofElizabeth, New Jersey.

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.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 newAcela Express trainsetsand theBombardier–Alstom HHP-8locomotives.

On December 11, 2000, Amtrak began operating its higher-speedAcela Expressservice.Fastest travel time byAcelais three and a half hours between Boston and New York, and two hours forty-five minutes between New York and Washington, D.C.

In 2005, there was talk in Congress of splitting the Northeast Corridor, which was opposed by then-acting Amtrak presidentDavid 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."

With the passage of thePassenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008,the Congress established theNortheast 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.Many of these proposals are unfunded.

In August 2011 theUnited States Department of Transportationcommitted $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 betweenNew BrunswickandTrenton,passing through Princeton Junction. TheNext Generation High-Speedproject 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).In September 2012, speed tests were conducted usingAcelatrainsets, achieving a speed of 165 miles per hour (266 km/h).The improvements were scheduled to be completed in 2016, but, due to delays, the project had not been completed until 2020.

In 2012, theFederal Railroad Administrationbegan developing a master plan for bringing high-speed rail to the Northeast Corridor titled NEC FUTURE, and released the finalenvironmental impact statementin December 2016.Multiple potential alignments north of New York City were studied.The proposed upgrades have not been funded.

2015 derailment

Main article:2015 Philadelphia train derailment

NTSBofficials inspect the derailed locomotive 601

Eleven minutes after leaving30th Street Stationin Philadelphia on May 12, 2015, a year-oldACS-64locomotive (#601) and all sevenAmfleet Icoaches of Amtrak's northboundNortheast Regional(TR#188) derailed at 9:21pm atFrankford Junctionin thePort Richmondsection of the city, while entering a 50 mph (80 km/h) speed limited (but at the time non-ATCprotected)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.

This was the deadliest crash on the Northeast Corridor since 16 died when Amtrak's Washington–BostonColonial(TR#94)rear-endedthree stationaryConraillocomotives at Gunpow Interlocking near Baltimore on January 4, 1987.Frankford Junction curve was the site of a previousfatal accidenton September 6, 1943, when an extra section of thePRR'sWashington to New YorkCongressional Limitedderailed there, killing 79 and injuring 117 of the 541 on board.

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 andNew Rochelle,New York,a northern suburb of New York City.The segment from New Rochelle to New Haven is owned by the states of New York and Connecticut;Metro-North Railroadcommuter trains operate there.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.

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.Most electrified railways in the country are for rapid transit or commuter rail use; theKeystone Corridoris the only other electrified intercity mainline.

Currently, the corridor uses three catenary systems. From Washington, D.C., to Sunnyside Yard (just east of New York Penn Station),Amtrak's 25 Hz traction power system(originally built by the Pennsylvania Railroad) supplies 12 kV at 25 Hz. From Sunnyside to Mill River (just east of New Haven station), theformer New Haven Railroad's system,since modified by Metro-North, supplies 12.5 kV at 60 Hz. From Mill River to Boston, the much newer60 Hz traction power systemsupplies 25 kV at 60 Hz. All of Amtrak's electric locomotives canswitch between these systems.

In addition to catenary, theEast River Tunnelshave 750 V DCthird railforLong Island Rail Roadtrains, and theNorth River Tunnelshave 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.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.

In September 2013, one of two feeder lines supplying power to theNew Haven Linefailed, while the other feeder was disabled for service. The lack of electrical power disrupted trains on Amtrak andMetro-North Railroad,which share the segment in New York State.

Stations

30th Street StationinPhiladelphia,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 (Kingston,Westerly,andMystic) see commuter service. Amtrak ownsPennsylvania Stationin New York,30th Street Stationin Philadelphia,Pennsylvania Stationin Baltimore, andUnion Stationin Washington.

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.

• Amtrak corridor: A (Acela), KS (Keystone Service), NR (Northeast Regional), PA (Pennsylvanian), VT (Vermonter)
• Amtrak long distance: CD (Cardinal), CL (Carolinian), CS (Crescent), PL (Palmetto), SM (Silver Meteor), SS (Silver Star)
• MBTA Commuter Rail:P/S (Providence/Stoughton Line), NE (Needham Line), FR (Franklin/Foxboro Line)
• CTrail:SLE (Shore Line East)
• Metro-North Railroad:NHV (New Haven Line)
• NJ Transit Rail:NEC (Northeast Corridor Line), NJC (North Jersey Coast Line), RV (Raritan Valley Line)
• SEPTA Regional Rail:CHW (Chestnut Hill West Line), NWK (Wilmington/Newark Line), TRE (Trenton Line)
• MARC Train:PEN (Penn Line)

Station listing

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

Grade crossings

Passengers crossing the State Street crossing in New London after departing a northbound train

ANortheast Regionaltrain crosses Miner Lane in Waterford, the site of a fatal accident in 2005

The entire Northeast Corridor has 11grade crossings,all in southeasternNew London County, Connecticut.The remaining grade crossings are along a part of the line that hugs the shore ofLong 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 requiregrade separationto maintain access. Six of the grade crossings havefour-quadrant gateswithinduction loopsensors, which allow vehicles stopped on the tracks to be detected in time for an oncoming train to stop. The remaining five grade crossings, 3 nearNew London Union Stationand two in Stonington, have dual gates.

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.

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.In 1994, during planning for electrification and high-speedAcela Expressservice between New Haven and Boston, a law was passed requiringUSDOTto plan for the elimination of all remaining crossings (unless impractical or unnecessary) by 1997.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 inOld Lyme, Connecticut,andExeter, Rhode Island,were soon closed.

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.Instead, the crossings were supplied with additional protections. In 1998, School Street inGrotonwas the first four-quadrant gate installation in the country with vehicle detection sensors tied into the line's signal system.It cost $1 million rather than the $4 million for a bridge.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.

On September 28, 2005, a southboundAcela Expressstruck a car at Miner Lane inWaterford, Connecticut,the first such incident since the additional protections were implemented.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.The incident drew public criticism about the remaining grade crossings along the busy line.

Crossing list

Crossing are listed east to west.

Miles	City	Street	DOT/AAR number	Coordinates	Details
140.6	Stonington	Palmer St.	500263U	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	41.340922°N 71.889912°W/41.340922; -71.889912	Provides sole access toElihu Island.Private crossing.
136.6		Walker's Dock	500269K	41.340073°N 71.891184°W/41.340073; -71.891184	Provides sole access to a small marina. Private crossing.
134.9		Wamphassuc Rd.	500272T	41.342016°N 71.921605°W/41.342016; -71.921605	Provides sole access to a residential area.
133.4		Latimer Point Rd.	500275N	41.341312°N 71.948967°W/41.341312; -71.948967	Provides sole access to a residential area.
132.3		Broadway Ave. Extension	500277C	41.350813°N 71.963872°W/41.350813; -71.963872	Next toMystic station.Provides sole access to a residential and industrial area, several marinas, and the northbound platform.
131.2	Groton	School St.	500278J	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	41.356984°N 72.094777°W/41.356984; -72.094777	Provides sole access toBlock IslandFerry and Cross Sound Ferry docks and other marine facilities. Does not have quad gates.
122.8		State St.	500295A	41.353845°N 72.092991°W/41.353845; -72.092991	Next toNew London Union Station.Provides access to theFisher's IslandFerry, City Pier, Waterfront Park, and the northbound platform.
122.5		Bank St. Connector	500297N	41.35128°N 72.095957°W/41.35128; -72.095957	Provides access to Waterfront Park.
120.2	Waterford	Miner Ln.	500307S	41.335726°N 72.123845°W/41.335726; -72.123845	Provides sole access to a residential and industrial area.

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%
Sources: 2004–2014;2015–2016 2017–2018 2018–2019 2019–20202019-20212021-2022

Current rail service

Intercity passenger services

New Orleans-boundCrescentinTrenton, 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, orbus).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.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.

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

• Acela:high-speed rail Boston–Washington, D.C.
• Cardinal:New York–Chicago via Washington, D.C. (Wednesdays, Fridays, & Sundays only)
• Carolinian:New York–Charlotte, North Carolina
• Crescent:New York–New Orleans
• Keystone Service:higher-speed railHarrisburg, Pennsylvania– New York
• Northeast Regional:higher-speed rail Boston/Springfield/New York–Washington D.C./Richmond/Newport News/Norfolk/Roanoke, Virginia
• Palmetto:Savannah, Georgia– New York
• Pennsylvanian:Pittsburgh–New York via NEC andPhiladelphia to Harrisburg Main Line
• Silver Meteor:Miami–New York
• Silver Star:Miami/Tampa, Florida–New York
• Vermonter:St. Albans, Vermont– Washington, D.C., via NEC andNew Haven–Springfield Line

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

• Hartford Line:operated in conjunction withConnDOT,runs across Amtrak-ownedNew Haven–Springfield linefromSpringfield UniontoNew Haven Union,the latter of which uses NEC infrastructure.
• Capitol Limited:runs fromWashington, D.C. UniontoChicago Union,the former of which uses NEC infrastructure.

Six Amtrak services operate via theEmpire Corridor,a line largely owned by CSX, with other sections owned by Metro-North Railroad and Amtrak. It meets the NEC atNew York Penn Station.

• Adirondack:runs from New York Penn toMontreal Central
• Berkshire Flyer:higher-speed rail from New York Penn toAlbany–Rensselaerand theJoseph Scelsi Intermodal Transportation CenterinPittsfield, Massachusetts
• Empire Service:higher-speed rail from New York Penn toAlbany–RensselaerandNiagara Falls
• Ethan Allen Express:runs fromBurlington Unionto New York Penn
• Lake Shore Limited:runs fromChicago Unionto New York Penn; also has a branch to the NEC's terminus atBoston South
• Maple Leaf:runs from New York Penn toToronto Union

Due to the wide availability of theNortheast Regional,Keystone Service,andAcela,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. TheVermonterandPalmettoare the only medium- and long-haul trains that allow local travel in both directions between New York and Washington. The southboundCarolinianallows local travel daily, while the northboundCarolinianonly allows local travel on Sundays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Additionally, the medium-haulPennsylvanianallows local NEC travel, but this train leaves the corridor in Philadelphia and does not travel all the way to Washington.

Commuter rail

TwoMBTA Commuter Railtrains on the NEC atRuggles station

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

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority(MBTA)

• Providence/Stoughton Line:Wickford Junction–Boston
• Franklin/Foxboro Line:Readville–Boston
• Needham Line:Forest Hills–Boston
• Framingham/Worcester Line:Back Bay Station–Boston

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

CTrail

• Hartford Line:New Haven Union Station–New Haven-State Street
• Shore Line East:Stamford–New London, Connecticut

Metro-North Railroad(MNRR)

• New Haven Line:New Rochelle, New York–New Haven, Connecticut
• Danbury Branch:Stamford–Norwalk, Connecticut
• Waterbury Branch:Bridgeport–Stratford, Connecticut

Long Island Rail Road(LIRR)

• City Terminal Zone:Sunnyside Yard, Queens–New York

New Jersey Transit(NJT)

NJ Transitcommuter train on the Northeast Corridor inNew Brunswick, New Jersey

• Northeast Corridor Line:Trenton, NJ–New York
• North Jersey Coast Line:Rahway, NJ–New York
• Morristown Line,Gladstone Branch,Montclair-Boonton Line:Kearny Connection–New York
• Raritan Valley Line:Hunter Connection–New York
• Atlantic City Line:30th Street Station–Frankford Junction

SEPTA

• Trenton Line:Philadelphia–Trenton, New Jersey
• Airport Line:30th Street Station–Southwest Philadelphia
• Media/Wawa Line:30th Street Station–Arsenal Junction
• Chestnut Hill West Line:30th Street Station–North Philadelphia Station
• Wilmington/Newark Line:Newark, Delaware–Philadelphia

MARC Train

• Penn Line:Washington, D.C.–Perryville, Maryland,via Baltimore Penn Station

Freight services

Norfolk Southern Railwayfreight operating on the NEC inAberdeen, Maryland

Freight trains operate on parts of the NEC throughtrackage rights.Prior to the 1970s whenAmtraktook over all passenger service, the NEC routinely saw lengthy freight trains sometimes numbering over one hundred cars traversing great lengths of the corridor. All freight operations ultimately came under the control ofPenn Centralin the late 1960s and laterConrailupon 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 Railwayoperates over the line south of Philadelphia.CSX Transportationhas rights from New York to New Haven; in Massachusetts; and inMarylandfromLandover,where itsLandover Subdivisionjoins the NEC, toBowie,where itsPope's Creek Subdivisionleaves it. Between Philadelphia and New York,Conrailoperates as a local switching and terminal company for CSX and Norfolk Southern (seeConrail Shared Assets Operations). TheProvidence and Worcester Railroadoperates local freight service from New Haven into Rhode Island and hasoverhead trackage rightsfrom New Haven to New York (seeRail freight transportation in New York City and Long Island). Additionally, theCanadian Pacific Kansas Cityand theNew York and Atlantic Railwayboth have trackage rights over theHell Gate Bridgein order to connect with their own routes near New York.

Future NEC Projects

Gateway Program

Main article:Gateway Program (Northeast Corridor)

In February 2011, Amtrak announced plans for theGateway ProjectbetweenNewark Penn StationandNew York Penn Station.The planned project would create a high-speed alignment across theNew Jersey Meadowlandsand under theHudson River,including the replacement of thePortal 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-busiestrail junctionafterSunnyside Yard.The work will lay tracks to the New York Connecting Railroadright of way,allowing Amtrak trains arriving from or bound forNew Englandto avoidNJ TransitandLong Island Rail Roadtrains.Financing for the project was jeopardized in July 2011 by theHouse of Representatives,which voted to divert the funding to unrelated projects.The project was then funded by FRA and the MTA.As of 2018,the interlocking is being reconstructed for LIRR'sEast Side Accessproject.

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 inNew Jersey.The project is designed to upgrade electrical power, signal systems and catenary wires on a 24-mile (39 km) section betweenNew BrunswickandTrentonto improve reliability, increase speeds up to 160 mph (260 km/h), and support more frequent high-speed service.The improvements were scheduled to be completed in 2016, but have been delayed repeatedly.The track work is one of several projects planned for the "New Jersey Speedway" section of the NEC, which include a new station atNorth Brunswick,theMid-Line Loop(a flyover for reversing train direction), and the re-construction ofCounty Yard,to be done in coordination withNJ Transit.Acelatrains began operating at speeds up to 150 mph (240 km/h) betweenPrinceton Junctionand New Brunswick in June 2022. With the planned introduction of theAvelia Libertyin 2024, speeds will increase to 160 miles per hour (260 km/h).

New trains for Acela

Main article:Avelia Liberty

On August 26, 2016, Vice PresidentJoe Bidenannounced a $2.45 billion federal loan package to pay for newAcelaequipment, as well as upgrades to the NEC. The loans will finance 28 trainsets that will replace the existing fleet. The trains are being built byAlstominHornellandRochester, New York.Passenger service using the new trains is expected to begin in 2024 and the current fleet was expected to be retired by the end of 2022, or when all the replacements have been delivered. Amtrak will pay off the loans from increased NEC passenger revenue.

Replacement of bridge over Hutchinson River

Amtrak has applied for $15 million for the environmental impact studies and preliminary engineering design to examine replacement options for the more than 100-year-old, low-level movable railPelham Bay Bridge(just west ofPelham Bridge) over theHutchinson Riverinthe Bronxthat has been limiting speed and train capacity. The goal is for a new bridge to support expanded service and speeds up to 110 mph (180 km/h).

See also

• High-speed rail in the United States
• North Atlantic Rail
• Northeast Maglev
• Corridor (Via Rail)

References

• Churella, Albert J. (2013).The Pennsylvania Railroad: Volume I, Building an Empire, 1846–1917.Philadelphia:University of Pennsylvania Press.ISBN978-0-8122-4348-2.OCLC759594295.
• Cudahy, Brian J. (2002),Rails Under the Mighty Hudson(2nd ed.), New York:Fordham University Press,ISBN978-0-82890-257-1,OCLC911046235
• Middleton, William D.(2001) [1974].When the Steam Railroads Electrified(2nd ed.). Bloomington, Indiana:Indiana University Press.ISBN978-0-253-33979-9.
• Middleton, William D.(March 2003). "Super Railroad".Trains.63(3): 36–59.ISSN0041-0934.

Further reading

• The Amtrak Vision for the Northeast Corridor – 2012 Update Report– July 2012
• Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Master Plan– June 2010
• Geddes, RichardNortheast Corridor Future: Options for High-Speed Rail Development and Opportunities for Private-Sector Participation: Hearing Before the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, Second Session, December 13, 2012
• New York Division(Map). Pennsylvania Railroad. 1963.
• Spavins, Jim. (2010)Diesels on the Northeast Corridor(1st ed.).ISBN1-4537-8765-8

External links

Template:Attached KML/Northeast Corridor

KML is from Wikidata

• The Northeast Corridor– Amtrak
• Northeast Corridor Infrastructure and Operations Advisory Commission
• NEC Future– A Rail Investment Plan for the Northeast Corridor
• Map of the Northeast CorridoronOpenStreetMap
• Historic American Engineering Record(HAER) No. MA-19, "Northeast Railroad Corridor"
• HAER No. RI-19, "Northeast Railroad Corridor"
• HAER No. CT-11, "Northeast Railroad Corridor"
• HAER No. NY-121, "Northeast Railroad Corridor"
• HAER No. NJ-40, "Northeast Railroad Corridor"
• HAER No. PA-71, "Northeast Railroad Corridor"
• HAER No. DE-21, "Northeast Railroad Corridor"
• HAER No. MD-45, "Northeast Railroad Corridor"
• HAER No. DC-3, "Northeast Railroad Corridor"
• Video:"A Short History of A Short Stretch of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor", Bradley Peniston, August 26, 2015. Animated look at the development of the Philadelphia rights-of-way that became part of the Northeast Corridor.