By J. Bruce Richardson, Corridor Rail Development Corporation; April 29, 2021
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 Northeast Corridor. This installment begins with the Letter “G” and carries through to the conclusion of the list:
Garden State
Philadelphia – New York City
October 1979 to October 1981
Garden State Special
Unknown – Unknown
Unknown to Unknown
Georgetown
Washington, D.C. – New York City
Unknown to Unknown
Gotham
Philadelphia – New York City
October 1979 to October 1981
Gotham Express
Boston/Springfield – New York City
Unknown to October 1995
Gotham Limited
Newport News – New York City
July 1997 to May 1999
Herald Square
Philadelphia – New York City
October 1979 to October 1981
Washington, D.C. – New York City
October 1981 to Unknown
Independence
New York City – Washington, D.C.
October 1981 to Unknown
Washington, D.C. – Springfield
Unknown to October 1995
James River
Newport News – Washington, D.C.
October 1994 to October 1995
November 1996 to May 1999
Jeffersonian
New York City – Washington, D.C.
October 1981 to Unknown
John Adams
Philadelphia – Boston
June 1977 to April 1978
Keystone
Philadelphia – New York City
October 1979 to April 1980
Harrisburg – New York City
April 1980 to October 1981
Knickerbocker
New York City – Boston
May 1974 to June 1977
Legislator
Washington, D.C. – New York City
May 1971 to November 1971
Liberty Bell
Philadelphia – New York City
Unknown to Unknown
Liberty Express
Philadelphia – Boston
October 1979 to Unknown
Mail Express
Unknown – Unknown
Unknown to Unknown
Manhattan
New York City – Boston
May 1971 to November 1971
August 1973 to October 1973
Manhattan Express
Richmond – New York City
September 1995 to October 1995
Manhattan Limited
Philadelphia – New York City
October 1979 to October 1981
Washington, D.C. – New York City
October 1981 to Unknown
Manhattan Turbo
New York City – Boston
October 1971 to August 1973
Mayflower
Washington, D.C. – Boston
May 1974 to September 1975
Unknown to October 1995
Merchants
Washington, D.C. – Boston
November 1977 to April 1978
Merchants Limited
New York City – Boston
May 1971 to November 1971
Washington, D.C. – Boston
November 1971 to October 1995
Metroliner
Washington, D.C. – New York City
May 1971 to October 2006
Washington, D.C. – New Haven
November 1971 to October 1977
November 1977 to February 1978
Downington – Washington, D.C.
October 1989 to October 1991
Washington, D.C. – Boston
May 2005 to October 2005
Morning Executive
Washington, D.C. – New Haven
November 1971 to June 1972
Metropolitan
Washington, D.C. – New York City
April 1981 to Unknown
Midday Congressional
Washington, D.C. – New York City
May 1971 to November 1971
Minute Man
Philadelphia – Boston
June 1972 to April 1973
Washington, D.C. – Boston
April 1973 to October 1995
Morning Liberty Express
Philadelphia – Boston
April 1978 to October 1979
Mount Vernon
Washington, D.C. – New York City
May 1971 to November 1971
February 1976 to June 1976
April 1980 to Unknown
Murray Hill
New York City – Boston
May 1971 to November 1971
Washington, D.C. – New York City
October 1973 to October 1978
Philadelphia – New York City
October 1979 to October 1981
Narragansett
New York City – Boston
November 1971 to October 1973
Philadelphia – Boston
February 1976 to June 1976
New England Express
Richmond – Boston
April 1995 to October 1998
New England Metroliner
New York City – Boston
October 1982 to April 1984
New England Zip
Unknown – Unknown
Unknown to Unknown
New Englander
Philadelphia – Boston
May 1974 to October 1975
Hartford Line
New Haven – Springfield
October 1995 to Present
New Jerseyan
Unknown – Unknown
Unknown to Unknown
New York Executive
Unknown – Unknown
Unknown to Unknown
New Yorker
New York City – Boston
May 1971 to November 1971
Washington, D.C. – New York City
April 1973 to October 1976
Philadelphia – New York City
October 1979 to October 1981
Washington, D.C. – New York City
October 1981 to Unknown
Nightcap
Washington, D.C. – New York City
November 1971 to June 1972
October 1973 to February 1976
Northeast Direct
Newport News – Springfield/Boston
October 1995 to September 2001
Northeast Regional
Newport News – Springfield/Boston
June 2008 to September 2009
Lynchburg/Newport News – Springfield/Boston
October 2001 to December 2012
Lynchburg/Newport News/Norfolk – Springfield/Boston
December 2012 to October 2017
Newport News/Norfolk/Roanoke – Springfield/Boston
October 2017 to Present
Nutmeg State
Washington, D.C. – Springfield
Unknown to October 1995
Old Dominion
Newport News – New York City
October 1992 to April 1995
Richmond – New York City
April 1995 to September 1995
Richmond – Springfield
September 1995 to October 1995
Newport News – Boston
November 1996 to May 1999
Patriot
Washington, D.C. – Boston
May 1971 to October 1995
Philadelphian
Philadelphia – New York City
October 1979 to October 1981
Pilgrim
Philadelphia – Boston
October 1973 to February 1976
New York City – Boston
February 1976 to April 1978
Potomac
Washington, D.C. – Boston
October 1981 to April 1985
Newport News – New York City
April 1985 to September 1988
Washington, D.C. – Springfield
September 1988 to Unknown
President
Washington, D.C. – New York City
May 1971 to November 1971
Quaker
Philadelphia – Boston
October 1973 to May 1974
Quaker City
Philadelphia – New York City
October 1979 to October 1981
Unknown to October 1995
Regional
Newport News – Springfield/Boston
March 2003 to June 2008
Representative
Washington, D.C. – New York City
May 1971 to November 1971
Rittenhouse
Philadelphia – New York City
October 1979 to October 1981
Schuylkill
Philadelphia – New York City
October 1979 to April 1980
Senator
Washington, D.C. – Boston
May 1971 to October 1981
Unknown to October 1995
Shoreliner
New York City – Boston
January 1974 to May 1974
October 1979 to Unknown
Statesman
Washington, D.C. – Boston
October 1973 to February 1977
Sundown
Washington, D.C. – Boston
October 1973 to February 1976
New York City – Boston
February 1976 to April 1978
Tidewater
Newport News – New York City
July 1978 to October 1995
Richmond – New York City
November 1996 to May 1999
Tidewater Express
Boston – Newport News
September 1995 to October 1995
Times Square
Washington, D.C. – New York City
April 1981 to October 1981
Turbo
Providence – Boston
October 1972 to April 1973
Turboservice
New York City – Boston
May 1971 to November 1971
Turbo Yankee Clipper
New York City – Boston
November 1971 to October 1972
Twilight Shoreliner
Newport News – Boston
July 1997 to April 2003
Valley Forge
Philadelphia – Boston
November 1971 to June 1972
Washington, D.C. – Boston
June 1972 to April 1973
Philadelphia – New Haven
April 1973 to October 1973
Harrisburg – New York City
October 1973 to March 1990
Boston – Harrisburg
May 1974 to October 1975
Verrazano
Washington, D.C. – New York City
October 1981 to October 1995
Virginian
Richmond – New York City
October 1984 to April 1995
November 1996 to May 1999
Wall Street
Washington, D.C. – New York City
Unknown to Unknown
Washington Executive
Washington, D.C. – New York City
October 1984 to April 1986
Washington Express
Washington, D.C. – New York City
Unknown – October 1995
Weekend Metroliner
Washington, D.C. – New York City
Unknown to Unknown
William Penn
Philadelphia – New York City
October 1979 to October 1981
Yankee Clipper
New York City – Boston
May 1971 to November 1971
August 1973 to February 1976
New York City – Providence
February 1976 to September 1976
Washington, D.C. – Boston
October 1979 to October 1995
Yankee Clipper Turbo
New York City – Boston
October 1972 to August 1973
This concludes the ten part series on all of Amtrak’s past and present route changes in its first fifty years. Below, from the same Wikipedia source is a complete listing of all of Amtrak’s current routes.
Acela
Northeast Corridor
Boston – New York City – Washington, D.C.
Adirondack
State Supported
Montreal – New York City
Amtrak Cascades
State Supported
Vancouver – Seattle – Portland – Eugene
Auto Train
Long Distance/Inter-Regional
Lorton – Sanford
Blue Water
State Supported
Chicago – Port Huron
California Zephyr
Long Distance/Inter-Regional
Chicago – Emeryville, California
Capitol Corridor
State Supported
Auburn – Sacramento – Oakland – San Jose
Capitol Limited
Long Distance/Inter-Regional
Chicago – Washington, D.C.
Cardinal – One of only two permanent tri-weekly routes
Long Distance/Inter-Regional
Chicago – New York City
Carolinian
Northeast Corridor/State Supported
New York City – Charlotte
City of New Orleans
Long Distance/Inter-Regional
Chicago – New Orleans
Coast Starlight
Long Distance/Inter-Regional
Seattle – Los Angeles
Crescent
Long Distance/Inter-Regional
New York City – New Orleans
Downeaster
State Supported
Brunswick – Portland – Boston
Empire Builder
Long Distance/Inter-Regional
Chicago – Spokane – Portland/Seattle
Empire Service
State Supported
New York City – Albany – Niagara Falls
Ethan Allen Express
State Supported
New York City – Rutland
Heartland Flyer
State Supported
Oklahoma City – Fort Worth
Hiawatha Service
State Supported
Chicago – Milwaukee
Illini and Saluki
State Supported
Chicago – Carbondale
Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg
State Supported
Chicago – Quincy
Keystone Service
State Supported
New York City – Philadelphia – Harrisburg
Lake Shore Limited
Long Distance/Inter-Regional
New York City/Boston – Albany – Chicago
Lincoln Service
State Supported
Chicago – St. Louis
Maple Leaf
State Supported
New York City – Toronto
Missouri River Runner
State Supported
St. Louis – Kansas City
Hartford Line
State Supported
Springfield – New Haven
Northeast Regional
Northeast Corridor/State Supported
Boston/Springfield – New York City – Washington, D.C. – Norfolk/Newport News/Roanoke
Pacific Surfliner
State Supported
San Luis Obispo – Goleta – Los Angeles – San Diego
Palmetto
Long Distance/Inter-Regional
New York City – Savannah
Pennsylvanian
State Supported
New York City – Pittsburgh
Pere Marquette
State Supported
Chicago – Grand Rapids
Piedmont
State Supported
Raleigh – Charlotte
San Joaquins
State Supported
Oakland/Sacramento – Bakersfield
Silver Meteor
Long Distance/Inter-Regional
New York City – Miami
Silver Star
Long Distance/Inter-Regional
New York City – Miami
Sunset Limited – One of only two permanent tri-weekly routes
Long Distance/Inter-Regional
New Orleans – Los Angeles
Texas Eagle
Long Distance/Inter-Regional
Chicago – San Antonio
Through-Cars to Los Angeles on the Sunset Limited
Valley Flyer
State Supported
Greenfield – Springfield – New Haven
Vermonter
Northeast Corridor/State Supported
St. Albans – Washington, D.C.
Wolverine
State Supported
Chicago – Pontiac