Night Owl (train)

The Night Owl was a passenger train operated by Amtrak on the Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C., and Boston, Massachusetts, via New York City.

[3] Beginning on January 8, 1978, the Night Owl was combined with the Hilltopper, creating through service from Boston to Catlettsburg, Kentucky.

[8] One regular traveler on the Night Owl was then-senator Joe Biden, who recalled falling asleep (on more than one occasion) on the train north out of Washington and waking up in Philadelphia's 30th Street Station, well past his usual stop at Wilmington, Delaware.

Conversely, the northbound Night Owl dropped a sleeping car in New York at a similarly early hour, but passengers could remain aboard until 8:00 AM.

[12] On December 12, 1990, the Night Owl was involved in what was then the most serious accident in the history of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA).

While under the direction of an apprentice engineer, the Night Owl entered a curve near Back Bay station in Boston at excessive speed.

[13][14] In 1995 Amtrak applied the NortheastDirect branding to all intercity services on the Northeast Corridor, save long-distance trains, the New York-Philadelphia Clockers, and the premium Metroliners.

The schedule remained the same and timetables still showed the Night Owl name underneath the "Northeast Direct" brand.

Dave Nogar, then Amtrak's general manager for NortheastDirect services, reflected that "Anyone who rode the Night Owl knows it was a rather unique experience.