NortheastDirect Service button, late 1990s.

When Amtrak began operations in 1971, many of the trains in the Northeast bore individual names, such as the Free State and Merchants Limited, that had carried over from the predecessor railroads. Amtrak retained the colorful names until fall 1995, when all the Northeast Corridor trains were rebranded under the NortheastDirect umbrella and simply known by their numbers. Only the premium, high-speed Metroliner Service trains maintained a separate identity. According to a November, 1995, article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, the NortheastDirect rebranding campaign included interior refurbishment of approximately 150 cars that received new seats, upholstery and carpeting. In 2008, Amtrak introduced the current Northeast Regional brand. As part of that process, the company refurbished café and Business Class cars and introduced new menus. Button courtesy of an anonymous donor.