Amtrak Branding NEC: Acela, Metroliner, Regional

[Nasadowsk]

The airlines are not going to be looking forward to trying to compete with this. This service offerring could fundamentally end business travel by air between Washington and New York.

Ironically, I'll be flying from IAD to EWR this friday night, but I'll be connecting from a MSP flight. The choices were ORD or IAD, IAD has the punch of being able to Uber it to Union and get the next Amtrak out, if things go really bad. ORD? I'm stuck in Chicago with no options.

The airlines would probably rather the short haul goes to rail (IIRC, Crandall when he was at AA said as much). There's no way it's economic to run a 737 between DC and Newark. The thing's not even to altitude by the time it's ready to drop into EWR. Forget fuel costs, that's hell on the engines and the rest of the plane.

Why I can't get a direct flight in the evening from MSP to EWR is beyond me.

[mtuandrew]

Nasadowsk: because MSP is hell for reasonable airfare. Surprised you couldn’t get a BWI connecting flight at least though, or one of the Deltas to JFK or LGA.

[Nasadowsk]

Nasadowsk: because MSP is hell for reasonable airfare. Surprised you couldn’t get a BWI connecting flight at least though, or one of the Deltas to JFK or LGA.

MSP is hell, period. At least LGA is small and located somewhere interesting.

But, I live in NJ, thus going in/out of EWR is easier. I've done BWI to EWR and even PHL to LGA. Somehow, airlines find this economical, I don't see it.

More on topic (or, I guess being in MN, on Target, or Targét), I could see Metroliner being brought back for some sort of (premium) service. Even today, then name has value.

[penncenter]

For the new non-stop WAS/NYP, why not call it The Congressional.

For the new non-stop BOS/NYP, why not call it The Senator.

[STrRedWolf]

This is an Acela vs. airplane comparison from Amtrak's website:

Why Acela_ _ Amtrak.pdf

https://www.amtrak.com/route-content/why-acela.html

Not so sure it is very convincing or how accurate the $678 airfare is (I have never flown New York to D.C. - First Class maybe?), or the 2 hr 45 min Acela trip time, but it is interesting.

It's not. A quick look at Kayak says $169 for American Airlines and $106 for Amtrak. It also misses the 2 hour buffer required at Regan National, while the train is walk-on. So almost $200 to get from DC to NYC (and not taking transit in the meanwhile? Shame)

[bostontrainguy]

For the new non-stop WAS/NYP, why not call it The Congressional.

For the new non-stop BOS/NYP, why not call it The Senator.

God no! Sounds way too political in this toxic environment. Hate them, sorry.

You got to think more "Merchant's Limited" or "Metroliner" (Yes bring it back). Or even "Broadway Limited" which some may find sacrilegious.

But I have to add that Acela and Acela Express are just fine for this. The only real name I'd like to see comeback is "Night Owl" for the overnight train.

[penncenter]

Its clear Amtrak likes what the name Acela has done and what level of service the rider has come to expect. Thats all good for Amtrak. Using another "blanket" name like Metroliner will confuse people. Is Metroliner another tier of service? If so, what is it? The new non-stops will clearly be Acela-level of service, and Amtrak will not dilute the Acela name by calling a point-to-point Acela a Metroliner.

The trains can be Acela service, but with their own individual names to alert the riding public that although these are Acela-level-of-service runs, they are a bit different.

If you don't like reviving The Senator, it could be called The Patriot or The Minuteman. Should be just one word. Not The Paul Revere or the like. One word connotes class, power, stability. Patriot could work.

The PRR had it spot-on with The Congressional. Thats a winner in my opinion.

[mtuandrew]

Acela Ultra perhaps, for a nonstop NYP-WAS train.

For a limited-stop all-first conventional train (or a high-speed trainset, should Amtrak decide they can keep a number of AX-1 sets in service), Metroliner or Metroliner by Acela would be appropriate. Other names that come to mind beyond those already mentioned are The Federal, Wall Street or Gotham Limited northbound, Independence or Constitution southbound, and Metropolis.

[Jeff Smith]

Ultra sounds like a shaving creme LOL. How about "Limited"?

[mtuandrew]

Ultra sounds like a shaving creme LOL. How about "Limited"?

Appeals to a certain subset of people (foamers, haha) but doesn’t speak to the 50-and-younger crowd at large. Today the term “limited” sounds... limited, like you’d be riding Acela but subject to terms and conditions.

Considering that Acela is such a popular service despite sounding like a Gillette product, I figured that Acela Ultra would complete the image

[JamesRR]

When Acela launched, it was launched with 3 intended names: Acela Express (the new, high speed transits) Acela Regional (everything NE regional today) and Acela Commuter (the old Clocker). They even redid the Amfleet paint schemes to match the Acela schemes. The whole thing was dropped because it was confusing, and Acela worked better referring to the premium high speed service. In reality, it stuck because Acela "feels" like a different service. The trains are exclusive to it. Everything else is "Amtrak" in people's minds. Few people say "I take the Empire Service" or "I take the Carolinian." They say "I take Amtrak to Albany," or "I'm taking the Acela to Boston."

[electricron]

I suggest keeping to traditional railroad theme schemes;
Locals for all stoppers
Limiteds for limited stoppers
Express for non stoppers
Why reinvent something the entire world knows?

[ExCon90]

I think "local" has a downmarket connotation to most people, and doesn't really fit a train that does 110 between station stops.

[Greg Moore]

I suggest keeping to traditional railroad theme schemes;
Locals for all stoppers
Limiteds for limited stoppers
Express for non stoppers
Why reinvent something the entire world knows?

Because, I would suggest the entire world has no clue what those mean.

[mtuandrew]

Because, I would suggest the entire world has no clue what those mean.

Bingo. This isn’t the 1940s. Most people know what Local and Express mean (I maintain that Limited now refers to contracts first, transport much later) but they don’t associate Express with luxury necessarily. Besides, Amtrak already marketed their high speed service as Acela Express - they can’t very well call it Express Acela Express!

Acela Super-Express maybe.