Metroliner
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Metroliner is an express train service run by Amtrak between Washington DC and New York in the United States. The train offers reserved business class and first class seating. A trip between New York's Pennsylvania Station and Washington DC's Union Station takes 3 hours.
History
High Speed Ground Transportation Act of 1965 started a U.S. Government effort to develop a high speed train for Northeast Corridor service. The U.S. Department of Transportation worked with the Pennsylvania Railroad, Budd, General Electric and Westinghouse to develop a Multiple unit high speed passenger train with initial service target for 1967.
After several setbacks Metroliner service started on January 16, 1969 operated by the Penn Central, successor to the Pennsylvania Railroad. The initial trip between New York and Washington took 2:59, 36 minutes faster than the previous best. The train consisted of six cars; 2 club cars and six snack bar coaches, full coaches weren't added until October. By April of 1969 the fastest scheduled train took 2:30 running at 125 mph.
The Metroliner was wildly successful, some trains having as many three times people trying to buy tickets as there were seats. With the creation of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation in 1971, the Metroliner trains were transfered to Amtrak.
During the prolonged labor strike at Eastern Shuttle many passengers defected to the Metroliner service.
Current train
The original multiple-unit trains have since been replaced by AEM7 locomotives pulling conventional Amfleet I and II coaches (the design of the coaches a derived from the Metroliner design). The Metroliner is being phased out in favor of the high speed Acela Express. However due to technical difficulties delaying full implementation of the new trains, Metroliner named trains are still running.
For stations and track details, see Northeast Corridor.
External links
- Amtrak Metroliner homepage (http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Route/Vertical_Route_Page&cid=1081355909410&c=am2Route&ssid=134)
- Metroliner service during Acela outage of 2005 (http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Copy/Hot_Deals_Page&c=am2Copy&cid=1093553995723&ssid=25)