The Metroliner was the fast train service that operated on the US Northeast Corridor before the Acela Express. It linked Washington, D.C., and New York City, offering reserved, premium service for passengers travelling between the two major cities.
The service began in 1969 with Budd Metroliner electric multiple-unit cars. The trains were developed through a US government high-speed rail programme involving the Pennsylvania Railroad, the Budd Company, General Electric and Westinghouse. Their high-level boarding platforms and frequent schedules helped establish a faster intercity option on the corridor.
Amtrak inherited the service in 1971. Although the original electric cars eventually faced reliability problems and some Metroliner-branded trains used locomotive-hauled coaches, the name remained associated with premium Northeast Corridor travel. Acela began service in 2000 and gradually replaced Metroliner, whose final trip ran in October 2006.