By J. Bruce Richardson, Corridor Rail Development Corporation; April 27, 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 “A” and carries through to the end of the Letter “F”:
Acela
Washington, D.C. – New York City
December 2000 to Present
Acela Regional
Newport News – Springfield/Boston
January 2000 to March 2003
Afternoon Congressional
Washington, D.C. – New York City
May 1971 to November 1971
Bankers
Springfield – Washington, D.C.
October 1975 to October 1995
Bay State
New York City – Boston
May 1971 to November 1971
Washington, D.C. – Boston
November 1971 to October 1972
Philadelphia – Boston
October 1972 to April 1973
New Haven – Boston
April 1973 to March 1971
Washington, D.C. – Boston
October 1984 to October 1995
Beacon Hill
Boston – New Haven
April 1978 to October 1979
February 1980 to October 1981
Benjamin Franklin
Philadelphia – Boston
February 1977 to Unknown
Betsy Ross
Washington, D.C. – New York City
February 1976 to June 1976
Unknown to October 1995
Bicentennial
Philadelphia – Boston
February 1976 to February 1977
Big Apple
Philadelphia – New York City
October 1979 to April 1980
Harrisburg – New York City
April 1980 to April 1994
Bostonian
New York City – Boston
May 1971 to November 1971
May 1974 to April 1978
Bowery
Washington, D.C. – New York City
Unknown to Unknown
Bunker Hill
Philadelphia – Boston
November 1971 to February 1976
Capitol
Washington, D.C. – New York City
April 1981 to Unknown
Capitol Hill
Washington, D.C. to New York City
Unknown to Unknown
Capitol Hill Express
Unknown – Unknown
Unknown to Unknown
Capitol Sunrise
Philadelphia – Washington, D.C.
Unknown to Unknown
Central Park
Philadelphia – New York City
October 1979 to April 1980
Charter Oak
New York City – Springfield
November 1971 to October 1972
Washington, D.C. – Springfield
November 1996 to July 1997
Richmond – Springfield
July 1997 to October 1997
Chesapeake
Washington, D.C. – New York City
April 1973 to June 1977
Philadelphia – Washington, D.C.
April 1978 to October 1983
New York City – Richmond
May 1994 to October 1995
Clamdigger
New Haven – New London
May 1971 to January 1972
New Haven – Providence
September 1976 to October 1977
January 1978 to April 1978
Clocker
Philadelphia – New York City
May 1971 to October 1979
October 1981 to October 2005
Colonial
Washington, D.C. – Boston
May 1971 to April 1973
February 1976 to June 1976
Newport News – New York City
June 1976 to February 1977
Newport News – Boston
February 1977 to October 1992
Richmond – Springfield
October 1997 to May 1999
Concord
Washington, D.C. – Boston
Unknown to Unknown
Congressional
Washington, D.C. – New York City
November 1971 to December 1971
April 1978 to Unknown
Boston – Washington, D.C.
Unknown to October 1995
Connecticut Valley Service
Springfield – New Haven
May 1971 to 1986
Connecticut Yankee
Washington, D.C. – Springfield
November 1971 to October 1972
Washington, D.C. – New Haven
October 1972 to April 1973
Philadelphia – Springfield
April 1973 to June 1977
Washington, D.C. – Springfield
Unknown to October 1973
East Wind
New York City – Boston
November 1971 to October 1973
Washington, D.C. – Boston
October 1973 to February 1976
Edison
Philadelphia – New York City
October 1979 to October 1981
Embassy
Washington, D.C. – New York City
May 1971 to November 1971
October 1976 to April 1981
Evening Executive
Washington, D.C. – New Haven
November 1971 to June 1972
Evening Liberty Express
Philadelphia – Boston
April 1978 to October 1979
Evening Metropolitan
Washington, D.C. – New York City
Unknown to Unknown
Philadelphia – New York City
Unknown to Unknown
Executive Sleeper
Washington, D.C. – New York City
April 1986 to August 1994
Fairfield
Unknown – Unknown
Unknown to Unknown
Fast Mail
Washington, D.C. – Boston/Springfield
Unknown to October 1995
Federal
Washington, D.C. – Boston
April 2003 to April 2004
First State
Unknown – Unknown
Unknown to Unknown
Flying Yankee
New York City – Boston
May 1974 to April 1978
Foggy Bottom
Washington, D.C. – New York City
Unknown to Unknown
Free State
Washington, D.C. – New York City
November 1971 to October 1973
The next installment will resume at the Letter “G.”