After more than a decade of planning and years of testing, Amtrak’s next-generation Acela high-speed trains are set to enter service early next year.
The new Acela trains should enter revenue service sometime in the spring of 2025, the train operator confirmed this week.
It’s a milestone that should bring even more comfort — and power — to Amtrak’s vital Northeast Corridor service that runs between Washington, DC, and Boston via New York City.
The new trains will “enhance the travel experience for millions of passengers and set the stage for the next generation of rail travel in America and the Northeast Corridor,” Amtrak said.
Related: Amtrak rolls out new self-checkout option on Acela trains
Very delayed timeline
The fact that travelers won’t see the new Acela trains until next spring is a delay from Amtrak’s previously announced timeline, to be sure.
In fact, the new Acela trains are three years behind schedule, having encountered a series of obstacles – the coronavirus pandemic among them. Last year, a federal watchdog report flagged a number of faults with Acela train sets, warning of problems that threatened to continue delaying their arrival at work.
This time last year, Amtrak told me it hoped passengers could be on the new trains by the end of 2024.
The last extension
However, the wait for passengers seems to be coming to an end.
Daily Newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for the best news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG experts
In an update last week, Amtrak said it had recently compiled more than 900 test runs of the new Acela trains with Alstom (the locomotive manufacturer) and planned to send the data soon to the Federal Railroad Administration — a crucial last step.
Acela’s next-generation multibillion-dollar plan will replace its aging Acela fleet with 28 new train sets with personal stalls, USB ports, wireless toilets and a more advanced cafe car.
Infrastructure improvements along the Northeast Corridor should, eventually, allow trains to hit speeds of up to 160 mph.
Related: Amtrak Guest Rewards: How to earn and use points for rail travel
Everything is on board
The news comes as Amtrak recently announced a record fiscal year and revenue for the 2024 fiscal year, which ran from October 2023 to September 2024. That includes a 9% increase in Acela ridership over the previous year — and a jump in 18% for passengers. in the Northeast region, in general.
Related reading:
Source link
