Clocker (Amtrak)
Encyclopedia
Clocker was an Amtrak
rail service operating between Philadelphia
and New York City
on the Northeast Corridor
. It was the first service to be officially operated by Amtrak, when train number 235 left New York's Penn Station
at 12:05 AM on May 1, 1971 bound for Philadelphia. The last Clocker train ran on October 28, 2005. To replace the discontinued Clocker service, New Jersey Transit
added four express trains on October 31, 2005 between Trenton
and New York City operating on about the same schedule as the former Clocker trains.
, as they were faster and more comfortable than NJT local trains.
Clockers made all, or almost all, Amtrak stops between 30th Street Station
in Philadelphia and Penn Station
in New York, unlike Amtrak's Regional
trains, which skip some stations. The trains were unreserved, coach class only, and used Amfleet
rolling stock after the 1970s.
which had hourly train service between Penn Station in New York and Broad Street Station
in Philadelphia. Although referred to as "clockers" throughout the 1970s, Amtrak did not officially label them as "Clockers" (or "Clocker Service") until the October 25, 1981 timetable. Between 1979 and 1981 the public timetable showed individual names for each Clocker. The Clockers were briefly rebranded as Acela Commuter in 2001 when Amtrak decided to use that moniker for most trains along the Northeast Corridor
. Following mass rider confusion between this service and the high-speed Acela Express
service, the name was returned to Clocker in 2003.
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
rail service operating between Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on the Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
. It was the first service to be officially operated by Amtrak, when train number 235 left New York's Penn Station
Pennsylvania Station (New York City)
Pennsylvania Station—commonly known as Penn Station—is the major intercity train station and a major commuter rail hub in New York City. It is one of the busiest rail stations in the world, and a hub for inbound and outbound railroad traffic in New York City. The New York City Subway system also...
at 12:05 AM on May 1, 1971 bound for Philadelphia. The last Clocker train ran on October 28, 2005. To replace the discontinued Clocker service, New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
added four express trains on October 31, 2005 between Trenton
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
and New York City operating on about the same schedule as the former Clocker trains.
Route
Amtrak's Clockers were rush-hour trains, mainly serving the commuter and day-trip market to New York City. New Jersey Transit (NJT) passholders could ride Clockers, which were listed in the NJT timetable in addition to Amtrak's. They were popular with those who commuted to New York from Trenton and Princeton JunctionPrinceton Junction, New Jersey
Princeton Junction is also a New Jersey Transit and Amtrak station on the Northeast Corridor line.Princeton Junction is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within West Windsor Township, in Mercer County, New Jersey...
, as they were faster and more comfortable than NJT local trains.
Clockers made all, or almost all, Amtrak stops between 30th Street Station
30th Street Station
30th Street Station is the main railroad station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the five stations in SEPTA's Center City fare zone. It is also a major stop on Amtrak's Northeast and Keystone Corridors...
in Philadelphia and Penn Station
Pennsylvania Station (New York City)
Pennsylvania Station—commonly known as Penn Station—is the major intercity train station and a major commuter rail hub in New York City. It is one of the busiest rail stations in the world, and a hub for inbound and outbound railroad traffic in New York City. The New York City Subway system also...
in New York, unlike Amtrak's Regional
Regional (Amtrak)
The Northeast Regional is an intercity rail service operated by Amtrak in the Northeastern United States. In the past, it has also been known as the NortheastDirect, Acela Regional, and Regional. It is by far the busiest Amtrak route, carrying 7.15 million passengers in fiscal year 2010...
trains, which skip some stations. The trains were unreserved, coach class only, and used Amfleet
Amfleet
Amfleet is a series of intercity railroad passenger cars built for the operator Amtrak by the manufacturer Budd Company in two series during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Today, Amfleet cars are used extensively throughout the Amtrak system outside the western United States...
rolling stock after the 1970s.
Naming
The term Clocker originated with the Pennsylvania RailroadPennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
which had hourly train service between Penn Station in New York and Broad Street Station
Broad Street Station (Philadelphia)
Broad Street Station at Broad & Market Streets was the primary passenger terminal for the Pennsylvania Railroad in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 1881 to the 1950s...
in Philadelphia. Although referred to as "clockers" throughout the 1970s, Amtrak did not officially label them as "Clockers" (or "Clocker Service") until the October 25, 1981 timetable. Between 1979 and 1981 the public timetable showed individual names for each Clocker. The Clockers were briefly rebranded as Acela Commuter in 2001 when Amtrak decided to use that moniker for most trains along the Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
. Following mass rider confusion between this service and the high-speed Acela Express
Acela Express
The Acela Express is Amtrak's high-speed rail service along the Northeast Corridor in the Northeast United States between Washington, D.C., and Boston via Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York...
service, the name was returned to Clocker in 2003.
Former names
| Name | Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Philadelphia | ||
| Philadelphian | 237 | |
| Betsy Ross | 211 | Sunday-only service ran Springfield-Washington |
| Keystone | 219 | Also the name of a Keystone Service Keystone Service Amtrak's Keystone Service provides frequent passenger train service along the Amtrak-owned Keystone Corridor and Northeast Corridor between the Harrisburg Transportation Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Station in New York via 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. It is... train 1980-1981; see Valley Forge |
| Garden State | 221 | |
| William Penn | 223 | |
| Quaker City | 225 | |
| Rittenhouse | 227,241 | |
| Schuylkill | 229 | Discontinued April 26, 1980 |
| Philadelphia-New York | ||
| Manhattan Limited | 252 | |
| Gotham | 254 | |
| Edison | 200 | |
| New Yorker | 202 | |
| Big Apple | 204 | Also the name of a Keystone Service Keystone Service Amtrak's Keystone Service provides frequent passenger train service along the Amtrak-owned Keystone Corridor and Northeast Corridor between the Harrisburg Transportation Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Station in New York via 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. It is... train 1980-1994; see Valley Forge |
| Central Park | 210 | Discontinued April 26, 1980 |
| Murray Hill | 220 | |
| Herald Square | 222 | |