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7 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. Metroliner (24291720919): Roger Puta· Public domain
- 2. Metroliner1968: Lthomson1· Public domain
- 3. Amtrak 943 with a Metroliner at Seabrook, MD, November 12, 1987: Roger Puta· Public domain
- 4. Metroliner at Jenkinstown 1968 postcard: Unknown author Unknown author· Public domain
- 5. PASSENGERS ON ONE OF THE AMTRAK METROLINER TRAINS WHICH RUN BETWEEN WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND NEW YORK... - NARA - 556656: Jim Pickerell· Public domain
- 6. Penn Central Metroliner 851 at Glenn Dale, Maryland on March 23, 1969: Roger Puta· Public domain
- 7. Penn Central Train 2000, The Metroliner on the Inaugural Run of Metroliners passing Ivy City Terminal, Washington DC on January 16, 1969 (23271943613): Roger Puta· Public domain
what is it?
The Budd Metroliner was a class of American electric multiple unit (EMU) railcar designed for first-class, high-speed service between New York City and Washington, D.C., on the Northeast Corridor. They were designed for operation up to 150 miles per hour (240 km/h): what would have been the first high speed rail service in the Western Hemisphere. Although 164 mph (264 km/h) was reached during test runs, track conditions and electrical issues limited top speeds to 120 mph (190 km/h) in revenue service.
who runs it
base stats
Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.
fun facts
- First built 59 years ago, in 1967.
- Top speed is 1.9× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
- At full speed it would cover Amsterdam–Utrecht (≈ 40 km) in 10 minutes.
- 895 kW is about 11 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
- Weighs about as much as 13 African elephants (~6 t each).
- 25.9 m long: about 6 cars parked nose to tail.
high-speed train: Built for 200–350 km/h on dedicated lines, like the TGV, ICE or Shinkansen.
spec sheet
- built
- 1967–1970
- in service from
- 1969
- number built
- 61
- kind
- high-speed train
- traction
- electric
- origin
- 🇺🇸 United States
- builders
- Budd Company
- operators
- Penn Central Transportation Company, Amtrak
- top speed
- 241 km/h
- power
- 895 kW
- gauge
- 1,435 mm standard gauge
- electric system
- Overhead line:, 11–13.5 kvolt, V 25 Hz AC, 11–13.5 kvolt, V 60 Hz AC, 25 kV 60 Hz AC (never used)
- wheel arrangement
- Bo′Bo′
- length
- 25.9 m
- weight
- 75.3 t
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q4984107, Wikipedia: Budd Metroliner (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.