Amtrak has launched, what the company claims, is the “future of high-speed rail” as, on Wednesday, the mass transit provider added new ‘NextGen Acela’ trains to its fleet running along the Northeast Corridor, which runs from Washington D.C. to Boston.
“Acela is synonymous with American high-speed trains, and today marks a new era of next-generation service,” said Amtrak President Roger Harris during a presentation on Wednesday. “On behalf of everyone at Amtrak, I’m proud to welcome you aboard NextGen Acela. The future of high-speed rail starts now.”
The first of these new trains — that can carry 27% more people than prior Acela trains and can hit speeds of 160 mph — will stop in Philadelphia on Thursday morning.
Amtrak officials noted that the 28 ‘NextGen Acela’ trains that are entering service through 2027 mark the first new “premium high-speed trainsets” are operating along the Northeast Corridor since the Acela’s debut in 2000.
On Wednesday, while touting the new trains, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced that the federal Department of Transportation will be reclaiming management of Washington Union Station.
“With these new Acela trainsets, Amtrak will provide more reliable service and lower prices for the American people – all while increasing the organization’s profitability,” said Duffy when the new trains were unveiled in Washington D.C. “But we’re not stopping there. Instead of being a point of pride, Washington’s Union Station has fallen into disrepair. By reclaiming station management, we will help make this city safe and beautiful at a fraction of the cost.”
Among other new features, the new ‘NextGen Acela’ trains will offer free, high-speed wi-fi along with an “enhanced onboard dining experience,” Amtrak officials noted in a statement on the new trains.
The launch of the new trains come at an interesting time as Amtrak officials recently said that SEPTA’s financial woes could “lead to a deterioration” of Amtrak services all along the Northeast Corridor.
“The potential reduction in SEPTA’s financial contribution will have a negative impact on Amtrak’s ability to reinvest in the rail network,” Amtrak officials said in a statement last week. “This could lead to a deterioration in infrastructure condition and authorized train operating speeds, negatively impacting Amtrak-operated, PennDOT-sponsored Keystone Service and Pennsylvanian service between Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and Pittsburgh, as well as Northeast Corridor services.”
To find a “NextGen Acela” for your commute, look for “NextGen Acela” trains marked with a special tag on Amtrak.com and in the Amtrak app.
Amtrak officials said that the following train numbers will operate “NextGen Acela” trains:
- Weekdays: Trains 2153, 2154, 2170, and 2173
- Saturdays: Trains 2250 and 2251
- Sundays: Trains 2248, 2258, 2259, and 2271
Also, Amtrak officials said, in a statement, that the “NextGen Acela” train fleet was assembled at a facility in Hornell, New York by union workers using “components from over 180 suppliers across 29 states—creating approximately 15,000 U.S. jobs.”
Hayden Mitman
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