Metroliner (train)

The Metroliners were extra-fare high-speed trains between Washington, D.C., and New York City which operated from 1969 to 2006. They were briefly first operated by Penn Central Transportation (successor to the Pennsylvania Railroad, which originally ordered the equipment), then by Amtrak for 35 years. Service originally ran with Budd Metroliners, self-powered electric multiple unit cars designed for high-speed service. These proved unreliable and were replaced with locomotive-hauled trains in the 1980s. The trains had reserved business-class and first-class seating. The fastest trips between New York Penn Station and Washington Union Station were scheduled for 2.5 hours, though some midday trains around 1980 had schedules as long as 4 hours. Amtrak replaced Metroliner service with the high-speed Acela Express, which runs up to 150 mph (240 km/h) in revenue service. The first Acela Express trains ran in 2000, but due to equipment difficulties at the time they did not fully replace the Metroliners until 2006.