Service type Inter-city rail Locale Northeast Corridor | Status Discontinued Predecessor Night Owl | |
 | ||
First service 10 July 1997 (1997-07-10) Last service 28 April 2003 (2003-04-28) | ||
The Twilight Shoreliner was a passenger train operated by Amtrak on the Northeast Corridor between Boston, Massachusetts, and Newport News, Virginia, via New York City and Washington, D.C. Amtrak introduced it in 1997 to replace the Night Owl. It was discontinued in 2003 in favor of the Federal.
Contents
History
The Twilight Shoreliner replaced the Night Owl as Amtrak's dedicated overnight service on the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak equipped the train with a Viewliner sleeping car, replacing the Heritage Fleet equipment used by the Night Owl. The new train also featured a Custom-class coach and the specially-branded "Twilight Café," which served hot meals and was restricted to sleeper- and custom-class passengers. Finally, Amtrak extended the southern terminus from Washington, D.C., to Newport News, Virginia, and moved the departure time from Boston from 10 PM to 8 PM. The Twilight Shoreliner provided a second daily frequency between the Northeast and Newport News, supplementing the Old Dominion.
Amtrak launched the Twilight Shoreliner on July 10, 1997. The cover of its Summer 1997 Northeast timetable called the train "An Unexpected Departure from the Northeast"; a full-page inset touted the many amenities available, including showers and in-room first-run movies for sleeping car passengers and the two cafe cars.
Amtrak discontinued the Twilight Shoreliner on April 28, 2003, replacing it with the Federal, which ran from Boston to Washington, D.C. Ridership from Newport News had declined in 2002–2003, and eliminating the Virginian portion of the route Amtrak could offer a better schedule to travelers on the Northeast Corridor. The Federal was merged into the Regional brand on April 26, 2004. Amtrak continues to offer overnight Washington-Boston trains 66 and 67 as part of the Northeast Regional brand; however, they do not include the sleeping car and lounge car.
Equipment
The Twilight Shoreliner operated with a mix of Heritage, Amfleet, and Viewliner equipment. A Heritage Fleet baggage car handled checked baggage for passengers and, beginning in 2001, bicycles. The train carried a Viewliner sleeping car except for a brief period in 2002 when Amtrak had to withdraw it because of equipment shortages elsewhere. The train carried four Amfleet coaches, two of which were configured for "Custom Class" seating. The train featured a first class-only lounge car, the "Twilight Lounge", for sleeper and Custom Class passengers. A second standard cafe car served regular coach passengers.