- March 1, 1981: The MBTA Lowell Line is truncated to Lowell, with Nashua, Merrimack, Manchester, and Concord stations being closed, due to withdrawal of funding.
- June 30, 1981: The SEPTA Pottsville Line is truncated to Pottstown, with stations beyond Pottstown closed, with the end of diesel service.
- July 1: The SEPTA Bethlehem Line is discontinued between Bethlehem and Quakertown, with the end of diesel service.
- July 26: The Bethlehem Line is discontinued between Quakertown and Lansdale, and the Pottsville Line is discontinued between Pottstown and Norristown, with the end of diesel service.
- August 13, 1981: The Conrail Ocean City Branch is discontinued due to a ring gear failure on the Crook Horn Creek Bridge, poor track conditions and limited funding.
- October 5: Service to Cape May station ends due to poor track conditions and limited funding.
July 18, 1981: The Woodhead Line is closed to goods and mothballed between Hadfield and Penistone.
August 1: SEPTA ends through service to Newark Penn Station, with NJ Transit shuttles between West Trenton and Newark being put in place.
