The U.S. presidential primaries on Tuesday, April 26, 2016, held in the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, were dubbed the “Amtrak Primary” or “Acela Primary.” Amtrak is the partially government-funded American passenger railroad that services these Northeast states. The Acela Express is Amtrak’s high-speed rail service along the Northeast Corridor.
 
“On to the ‘Amtrak Primary’” was cited on Twitter on April 19, 2016. “Tuesday’s ‘Amtrak’ primary runs on one timetable” was a story in USA Today on April 26. 2016.
 
“Acela primary” was first used in 2010. “Actually, it’s an Acela primary day. @jonkarl can say he was in voting states NY, DE, MD, plus DC, just on his way to work today” was tweeted by ABC political director Rick Klein on September 14, 2010. “@rickklein The ‘Acela Primary.’  I like it” was then tweeted by Daily Caller political commentator Matt Lewis. “The Acela Primary on 4/26 of CT/DE/PA/RI/MD” was tweeted on March 23, 2016.
 
The “Amtrak Series” was the 2009 World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees.
 
The primary day has also been called the “Atlantic Primary” (after the Atlantic Ocean) and the “I-95 Primary” (after Interstate 95).
     
   
Wikipedia: Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak /ˈæmtræk/, is a partially government-funded American passenger railroad service. It is operated and managed as a for-profit corporation, and provides medium- and long-distance intercity service in the contiguous United States. Amtrak was founded in 1971 through the government-sponsored consolidation of most of the preexisting passenger rail companies in the United States.
 
Amtrak operates more than 300 trains each day on 21,300 miles (34,000 km) of track with select segments having civil operating speeds of 150 mph (240 km/h) and connecting more than 500 destinations in 46 states in addition to three Canadian provinces. In fiscal year 2015, Amtrak served 30.8 million passengers and had $2.185 billion in revenue, while employing more than 20,000 people. Nearly two-thirds of passengers come from the ten largest metropolitan areas and 83% of passengers travel on routes shorter than 400 miles. Its headquarters is at Union Station in Washington, D.C.
 
The name “Amtrak” is a portmanteau of the words “America” and “trak”, the latter itself a sensational spelling of “track”.
 
Wikipedia: Acela Express
The Acela Express (/əˈsɛlə/ ə-sel-ə; colloquially abbreviated to Acela) is Amtrak’s high-speed rail service along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) in the Northeast United States between Washington, D.C., and Boston via 14 intermediate stops including Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City. Acela Express trains are the fastest trainsets in the Americas; the highest speed they attain is 150 mph (240 km/h) in revenue service. Acela trains use tilting technology, which helps control lateral centrifugal forces, allowing the train to travel at higher speeds on the sharply curved NEC without disturbing passengers.
(...)
Branding
The Acela name was announced on March 9, 1999, as a part of the original announcement of the service itself.[42] Amtrak originally intended for this move to be part of a rebranding of the majority of their Northeast services, forming three levels: Acela Express, Acela Regional, and Acela Commuter. The branding team based the name “Acela” on the ideas of acceleration and excellence.
     
Twitter
Rick Klein
‏@rickklein
actually, it’s an Acela primary day. @jonkarl can say he was in voting states NY, DE, MD, plus DC, just on his way to work today.
9:23 AM - 14 Sep 2010
 
Twitter
Matt Lewis
‏@mattklewis
@rickklein The ‘Acela Primary.’  I like it.
9:45 AM - 14 Sep 2010
 
Twitter
skywaker9
‏@skywaker9
Then you have NY on 4/19 (HRC win you’d assume), the Acela Primary on 4/26 of CT/DE/PA/RI/MD, and that’s the last big contest before CA.
10:25 AM - 23 Mar 2016
 
Twitter
Brian Stelter ‏@brianstelter Apr 5
Brian Williams: “We need a name” for the next primaries. Atlantic Tuesday? “We’ll name all of these things before it’s over. This is cable”

Michael Giblin
‏@MichaelEGiblin
@brianstelter It should clearly be the Acela primary
11:51 AM - 6 Apr 2016
   
Twitter
Jordan Tessler
‏@JZTessler
Here’s the national map. On to the “Amtrak Primary”
9:46 PM - 19 Apr 2016
 
Washington (DC) Post
Can Clinton and Trump ride to big victories in next week’s ‘Acela primary’?
By Sean Sullivan and Anne Gearan April 20, 2016
PHILADELPHIA — Emboldened by dominant victories in New York, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump plunged swiftly Wednesday into the next batch of primaries in five states along the Northeast Corridor, where they hope to bury or break their challengers for the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations.
 
Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island will vote Tuesday in what many are dubbing the “Acela primary,” putting Clinton and Trump on terrain well tailored to their campaigns.
 
Twitter
c.m. hostetler ‏@tijn2001 Apr 22 West Hollywood, CA
so what are we calling tuesday’s primaries - Atlantic Tuesday? Super Tuesday 3? Bernie & Ted’s Last Adventure? 😂😂😂😂
     
Dana Sandman
‏@dmsandman
@tijn2001 I’ve heard it called the Amtrak primary (as in Amtrak NE corridor). I like your suggestions 😊
2:17 AM - 23 Apr 2016
 
Breitbart.com
Breitbart News Daily: Acela Primary Eve
by BREITBART NEWS 24 Apr 2016
 
CNN.com
Republican Party braces ahead of critical ‘Acela primary’
By Tom LoBianco, CNN
Updated 7:59 AM ET, Mon April 25, 2016
(CNN) With New York in the rearview mirror, the focus of both the Democratic and Republican presidential battles turns to a series of Northeastern states unaccustomed to the primary spotlight.
 
Voters in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island will head to the polls Tuesday for the “Acela primary,” teeing up fights for one of the biggest batches of delegates up for grabs on both sides. The nickname for the day comes from the high-speed Amtrak train that runs between Washington and Boston, much traveled by those heading to cities such as Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York.
 
Twitter
Jean Podrasky
‏@JeanPodrasky
Today’s primary is called the ‘Acela Primary’ because of the Amtrak line that runs through the states.
10:12 AM - 26 Apr 2016
 
Twitter
Mark Halperin
‏@MarkHalperin
Another @MattNegrin special: 14 news anchors who can’t pronounce “Acela primary” on this big day
The Acela Primary
3:41 PM - 26 Apr 2016
     
USA Today
Tuesday’s ‘Amtrak’ primary runs on one timetable
Paul Singer, USA TODAY 3:54 p.m. EDT April 26, 2016
Tuesday’s presidential primaries in five states may be consequential, but they are not likely to be late. All five Amtrak corridor states — Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island — close their polls at 8 p.m. ET, and polling suggests that winners may be declared pretty early in many of the races. Here’s how to watch results of the Amtrak primaries: ...
 
The Right Scoop
ELECTION THREAD: IT’S SUPER TUESDAY FOR THE AMTRAK PRIMARIES
Posted by The Right Scoop on Apr 26, 2016 at 11:21 AM in Featured Politics
It’s election day again and this time it’s Super Tuesday for the Amtrak primaries. There are 172 delegates at stake. Here’s how they break down:
Tuesday, April 26—172 Delegates Total
 
Connecticut…28 Delegates, Proportional, Closed Primary
Delaware…...16 Delegates, Winner Take All, Closed Primary
Maryland…...38 Delegates, Winner Take All*, Closed Primary
Pennsylvania..71 Delegates, Winner Take All**, Closed Primary
Rhode Island..19 Delegates, Proportional, Open Primary