page_title: Colonial (Amtrak train)
section_title: Service changes
hierarchical_section_title: Colonial (Amtrak train) / History / Service changes
caption_attribution_description: English: The Sunday-only Tidewater at Newport News station in December 1978
context_page_description: The Colonial was an Amtrak intercity passenger train that operated between Boston, Massachusetts, and Newport News, Virginia, from 1976 to 1992. It was introduced on June 15, 1976, to replace the lightly-used Charlottesville-Newport News section of the James Whitcomb Riley. Certain trips were known as the Senator and Tidewater beginning in the late 1970s. The Richmond-New York City Virginian was added in 1984, with some trips called Potomac from 1985 to 1988.
  The Colonial was renamed Old Dominion on October 24, 1992, as part of a series of service changes. Several name changes of Virginia service over the next three years created the Chesapeake, Gotham Limited, James River, New England Express, Tidewater Express, and Manhattan Express, and added a second Richmond trip. Virginia service was merged into the NortheastDirect brand in 1995. A second daily round trip was added as the Twilight Shoreliner in 1997. After subsequent service changes, Amtrak service to Newport News continues as part of the Northeast Regional brand.
context_section_description: Initially, the Colonial ran between Newport News and New York City, except for the Saturday southbound train which originated in Boston. On February 15, 1977, all Colonial service was extended to Boston. Northbound Sunday service changed on May 1, 1977: the Colonial began to originate at Richmond, while the several-hours-later Senator originated at Newport News. A stop at Lee Hall was added on October 30, 1977. Beginning on July 30, 1978, northbound Sunday service became the Newport News-New York City Tidewater, and the Senator returned to its previous schedule. On January 4, 1987, the northbound Colonial collided with Conrail locomotives in Maryland, killing fourteen passengers and two Amtrak employees.
  By the early 1980s, Richmond was served by the Colonial/Tidewater plus three long-distance trains—the Palmetto, Silver Meteor, and Silver Star. Because the long-distance trains frequently ran late, only the Colonial/Tidewater provided reliable northbound service from Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Quantico. On October 28, 1984, Amtrak added the daily Richmond-New York Virginian, which was timed to allow commuting to Washington. On April 28, 1985, the northbound Sunday Virginian was moved two hours later as the Potomac. The Potomac was discontinued on September 15, 1988; the Colonial began running from Richmond to Boston on Sundays, with the Tidewater continuing to provide Sunday northbound service from Newport News. The April 1990 extension of one Atlantic City Express train to Richmond and the April 1991 separation of the New York–Charlotte Carolinian from the Palmetto increased Washington-Richmond service to seven daily round trips.
caption: The Tidewater at Newport News in 1978
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