High-Speed Rail in the Northeast Corridor The Northeast Corridor (NEC) is one of the busiest, most complex, and economically vital transportation systems in the world. Connecting eight states and the District of Columbia, the NEC supports a $2.6 trillion economy. As a steward and majority owner of the NEC, Amtrak not only moves intercity riders, but provides access and/or operational support to eight commuter lines and six freight operators. As the popularity of rail travel soars, Amtrak and our NEC partners are challenged to ensure that the NEC can meet the demand for new capacity on this critical infrastructure asset, portions of which date back a century, and continue to deliver the safe, reliable and convenient service passengers expect from America's Railroad®. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR HERE