A Ride on the Northeast Corridor: America’s High-Speed Showcase

Photo Credit: Bryan Littel

ATLANTA - From the July 2025 issue of Railway Track and Structures, Editor-in-Chief David Lester writes about his recent experience on board Amtrak's Northeast Regional.

I recently had the opportunity to ride the Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C. and New York. I don’t get out on the rails as much as I’d like, so I thought I’d share my experience with readers. Overall, the experience was good, and the trains operated on time but there were a few flies in the ointment. Here are some details. 

First, the ticketing and boarding processes at both Washington Union Station and the new Moynihan Train Hall (Penn Station) were smooth and efficient. When boarding the train, you’re reminded of the large number of people who use the NEC service. The queue to board the train is long before boarding begins, but once it starts, moves quickly. I had ridden the Acela on several occasions but thought I would try a Northeast Regional for this trip. While the Acela offers first class and business class service only (i.e., no coach), the Northeast Regional trains offer business class and coach class. The only real difference in amenities between these two service levels is more leg room in business class, which is what I chose. Also, in business class, at least, seats were assigned at the time of ticketing. An electronic ticket came right to my cell phone when I purchased tickets a few days earlier, which the conductor scanned once the trip was under way. 

My first impression of the train before boarding was not good. The outside was dirty. Now, I know this equipment is used in high-frequency service and there is not a lot of time for polishing, but the engine and cars could have used a bath. Airliners can stay clean since there’s not a lot of dirt build-up moving along at 30,000 ft. at 600 m.p.h., so they usually look freshly washed when they pull up to the gate. And clean equipment instills passenger confidence and adds to the pleasure of the trip. A train that has a thick layer of dirt, grime, and a million dead bugs on the outside is not inviting. What really matters, though, is the condition of the equipment and the track (which all seemed good, judging from the quality of the ride), but still –– Amtrak, can you fire up the train washer at least every other trip? 

Speaking of the quality of the ride, there were a few bumpy spots on the track but nothing major. And the speed at which the train traveled along tangent track was impressive, particularly for a Northeast Regional with conventional Amfleet equipment. Interestingly, moving along these tracks, at what I guessed to be about 110 m.p.h., offered the smoothest ride of all. Congratulations to the Amtrak NEC engineering teams for keeping the track in such good condition. If trains are going to run this fast, there is little or no margin for less than top quality track and roadbed maintenance. 

The inside of the train, including the rest rooms, was clean. I’ve been on some NEC trains where an attendant was sitting in a seat while the bathroom near him had water and toilet paper all over the floor and was a generally unkempt mess. Not so on this trip. Clean floors, toilets, and sinks. The upholstery on the car seats was a bit worn, but not badly. The seats were comfortable, and their mechanics worked properly. The only problem I had was having to push hard on the seat in front of me (which was occupied) to return the tray table to its upright and locked position. It worked as designed but required an extra push that rocked my fellow passenger a bit. 

The Café car offered a variety of light fare, and I opted for a cheeseburger and soft drinks. The lady behind the counter said it was one of the most popular items on the menu and, as cheeseburgers go, it was quite good. The Café car worked well for me because my trip length was about three hours. However, if I were traveling all the way to Boston, a traditional dining car would be much better than the Café car. 

As I have noticed on all my Amtrak trips, the crew had a very positive attitude and was very friendly. I’m sure some readers have had different experiences, but Amtrak on-board staff seem to care about the passengers and do their best to provide a nice experience for them. I don’t know anything about Amtrak’s customer service training program but they either do a fantastic job or have simply been wise and fortunate in their hiring.