A bold new plan aims to link America's coasts by high-speed rail—Delaware-based AmeriStarRail has proposed the "Transcontinental Chief," a privately funded passenger and freight train that will take you from Los Angeles to New York in under 72 hours, with service aiming to begin by 2026. While the company still needs to secure a partnership with Amtrak to begin, plans are already coming together, including the eight major stops the proposed train will make along the route.
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Starting from Hoboken Terminal—reachable from Manhattan via PATH or ferry—the train heads west, skipping Penn Station due to tunnel restrictions for Amtrak’s double-decker Superliners. The first leg runs to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where a single-level section branches toward Philly and D.C.
Next is Pittsburgh, PA and then Cleveland, OH. The halfway point is Chicago, IL, America’s rail hub and deep-dish capital, where the Transcontinental Chief will link with other long-distance routes. Then it’s across the plains to Kansas City, MO. Rolling into the Southwest, the train will stop in Albuquerque, NM, a desert gateway along Route 66. Finally, the journey ends at Union Station in Los Angeles, CA. The train will serve 54 cities in total, but these eight anchors form its spine.
AmeriStarRail says the route would replace Amtrak’s "Southwest Chief" and "Pennsylvanian" services and will add truck transport via a roll-on, roll-off system—turning the train into a "rolling rest stop" for long-haul drivers.
Not everyone’s convinced, however. Amtrak has publicly said the plan lacks a "fundamental business case," though AmeriStarRail insists it will share details under a non-disclosure agreement. If it launches, this could be the fastest, most scenic way to traverse the country. The company hopes to begin service on May 10, 2026, which just so happens to be National Train Day. Service would also begin just in time for the 250th birthday of the U.S. and just weeks before the 2026 FIFA World Cup—exciting stuff!