One of Amtrak's first state-supported trains was the Bay State, providing service from Boston to Washington via Springfield and Hartford (the "Inland Route"). Starting up two weeks after Amtrak's debut, in its first incarnation the Bay State ran until 1975. Here a Penn Central GP9 leads the westbound run through Wellesley, MA, on the former Boston & Albany.
The three biggest passenger carriers - Pennsylvania, New York Central, and New Haven - merged to create the ill-fated Penn Central, whose passenger losses and poor service led to the formation of Amtrak and state-owned commuter lines.
