U.S., Amtrak History: Part Six, Routes That Have Come and Gone

By J. Bruce Richardson, Corridor Rail Development Corporation; February 3, 2021

Part Six

Amtrak is 50 years old this May. That’s a half century of train operations. Many of us are not aware of the number of Amtrak trains that have come and gone in those decades. Some contributors of Wikipedia have done yeoman’s work compiling lists of past and present Amtrak trains with a plethora of information about each route. Below is an abbreviated part of that work, focusing on Amtrak trains serving the Empire Corridor:

Adirondack
New York City – Montreal
August 1974 to April 1995

Washington, D.C. – Montreal
April 1995 to April 1996

New York City – Montreal
April 1996 to Present

Bear Mountain
New York City – Albany
February 1977 to April 1978
August 1980 to October 1980
April 1981 to Unknown

Capital City Express
Unknown

Catskill
New York City – Albany
Unknown

Cayuga
New York City – Buffalo
Unknown

Central Park
New York City – Albany
Unknown

DeWitt Clinton
New York City – Albany
May 1974 to April 1981

Electric City Express
New York City – Schenectady
April 1981 to Unknown

Empire Service
New York City – Buffalo
May 1971 to May 1975

New York City – Niagara Falls
October 1985 to Present

Empire State Express
New York City – Buffalo
May 1975 to October 1974

New York City – Detroit
October 1974 to April 1976

New York City – Niagara Falls
October 1978 to Unknown

Ethan Allen Express
New York City – Rutland
December 1996 to Present

Half Moon
New York City – Albany
Unknown

Hendrick Hudson
New York City – Albany
Unknown

Henry Hudson
New York City – Albany
May 1974 to April 1981

Hudson Highlander
New York City – Albany
April 1981 to Unknown

Hudson River Express
New York City – Albany
Unknown

Hudson Valley Express
New York City – Albany
Unknown

Knickerbocker
New York City – Albany
Unknown

Lake Shore
New York City – Chicago
May 1971 to January 1972

Lake Shore Limited
New York City/Boston – Chicago
October 1975 to Present

Maple Leaf
New York City – Toronto
April 1981 to Present

Mohawk
New York City – Niagara Falls
April 1986 to Unknown

New York City to Syracuse
Unknown

Niagara Rainbow
New York City – Detroit
April 1976 to January 1979

New York City – Niagara Falls
January 1979 to Unknown

New York City – Toronto
June 1994 to September 1995

Nieuw Amsterdam
New York City – Albany
Unknown

Oneida
New York City – Syracuse
Unknown

Palisades
New York City – Albany
Unknown

Patroon
New York City – Albany
Unknown

Rip Van Winkle
New York City – Albany
April 1981 to Unknown

Salt City Express
New York City – Syracuse
May 1974 to April 1981

Saratogian
New York City – Saratoga Springs
Unknown

Sleepy Hollow
New York City – Albany
Unknown

Spa Express
New York City – Saratoga Springs
Unknown

Spuyten Duyvil
New York City – Albany
Unknown

Storm King
New York City – Albany
April 1981 to Unknown

New York City – Schenectady
Unknown

Washington Irving
New York City – Albany
November 1974 to January 1981

New York City – Schenectady
February 1981 to April 1981

Water Level Express
New York City – Buffalo
May 1974 to January 1978

New York City – Niagara Falls
Unknown

Unnamed Nos. 483/484
Albany – Schenectady
February 1981 to April 1981