Latest news with #AmtrakPresident
Condé Nast Traveler
2 days ago
- Business
- Condé Nast Traveler
Amtrak's New Acela Trains Are Finally Debuting This Month
This Labor Day Weekend, Amtrak is rolling out brand new high-speed trains along its most popular route. Starting Thursday, August 28, the train company will debut its long-awaited NextGen Acela, a reimagined high-speed train that runs along the Northeast Corridor between Boston and Washington DC. The much-anticipated trains were first slated to go into service in 2022, but their debut was delayed as Amtrak faced several hurdles to deploying them. Nonetheless, the momentous launch will be a significant milestone for the train line. 'NextGen Acela is more than a new train—it's an evolution of travel,' Amtrak President Roger Harris said in a statement. 'In just a few weeks, history will be made with the debut of NextGen Acela as we launch a new standard for American train travel.' Here's everything travelers need to know about Amtrak's new era of high-speed train travel. What to expect Amtrak's NextGen Acela trains will reach speeds of up to 160 mph (current Acelas go 150 mph at top speed). However, this may not immediately translate to shorter travel times come August, as the new trains will still be operating on old tracks. Eventually, NextGen Acela trips between Washington DC and Boston could be about 20 minutes faster than the current Acelas, according to Amtrak's 2040 plan. Instead, the most noticeable difference off the bat will be the onboard rider experience. The new Acela trains will feature a redesigned café car with a new grab-and-go section containing pre-packaged meals and soft drinks—making long-distance journeys all the more bearable. Excitingly, Amtrak is also bringing back its food and beverage cart service, so travelers in business class will be able to purchase refreshments right from their seats. First-class passengers will still be served full meals.
CNN
3 days ago
- Business
- CNN
Amtrak announces debut date for new Acela trains
Amtrak's NextGen Acela highspeed trains are set to debut this month after years of delays. New faster Acela trains will begin revenue service on August 28 along the Northeast Corridor between Washington, New York and Boston, Amtrak announced on Thursday. 'In just a few weeks, history will be made with the debut of NextGen Acela as we launch a new standard for American train travel,' said Amtrak President Roger Harris, in a statement. Five of the new trainsets will be part of the initial launch, with a total of 28 expected to enter service by 2027. Amtrak says the new trains will allow for 27% more seats per departure. The seats will feature individual power outlets, reading lights and winged headrests for comfort and privacy. The trains will be equipped with free, high-speed 5G-enabled Wi-Fi. The new trains can reach a maximum speed of 160 miles per hour, 10 miles per hour greater than current Acela models. A tilt system will provide a smoother, quieter ride on the new trains, Amtrak says. 'It's a fundamentally better experience than anything Americans have been able to travel on to date in this country,' said Amtrak executive vice president Laura Mason in a video introducing the new trains. The maximum speed of the NextGen Acela is still considerably slower than the world's fastest trains in Asia and Europe, some of which can travel at more than 200 miles per hour. Amtrak first introduced its Acela product in 2000. The NextGen trains were outlooked to enter service in 2022, but experienced numerous hurdles delaying their introduction. Amtrak said it would provide more information as the launch approaches about how passengers can locate and select NextGen Acela trains. Both the current and NextGen models will be in operation in the coming months.
CNN
3 days ago
- Business
- CNN
Amtrak announces debut date for new Acela trains
FacebookTweetLink Amtrak's NextGen Acela highspeed trains are set to debut this month after years of delays. New faster Acela trains will begin revenue service on August 28 along the Northeast Corridor between Washington, New York and Boston, Amtrak announced on Thursday. 'In just a few weeks, history will be made with the debut of NextGen Acela as we launch a new standard for American train travel,' said Amtrak President Roger Harris, in a statement. Five of the new trainsets will be part of the initial launch, with a total of 28 expected to enter service by 2027. Amtrak says the new trains will allow for 27% more seats per departure. The seats will feature individual power outlets, reading lights and winged headrests for comfort and privacy. The trains will be equipped with free, high-speed 5G-enabled Wi-Fi. The new trains can reach a maximum speed of 160 miles per hour, 10 miles per hour greater than current Acela models. A tilt system will provide a smoother, quieter ride on the new trains, Amtrak says. 'It's a fundamentally better experience than anything Americans have been able to travel on to date in this country,' said Amtrak executive vice president Laura Mason in a video introducing the new trains. The maximum speed of the NextGen Acela is still considerably slower than the world's fastest trains in Asia and Europe, some of which can travel at more than 200 miles per hour. Amtrak first introduced its Acela product in 2000. The NextGen trains were outlooked to enter service in 2022, but experienced numerous hurdles delaying their introduction. Amtrak said it would provide more information as the launch approaches about how passengers can locate and select NextGen Acela trains. Both the current and NextGen models will be in operation in the coming months.
CNN
3 days ago
- Business
- CNN
Amtrak announces debut date for new Acela trains
FacebookTweetLink Amtrak's NextGen Acela highspeed trains are set to debut this month after years of delays. New faster Acela trains will begin revenue service on August 28 along the Northeast Corridor between Washington, New York and Boston, Amtrak announced on Thursday. 'In just a few weeks, history will be made with the debut of NextGen Acela as we launch a new standard for American train travel,' said Amtrak President Roger Harris, in a statement. Five of the new trainsets will be part of the initial launch, with a total of 28 expected to enter service by 2027. Amtrak says the new trains will allow for 27% more seats per departure. The seats will feature individual power outlets, reading lights and winged headrests for comfort and privacy. The trains will be equipped with free, high-speed 5G-enabled Wi-Fi. The new trains can reach a maximum speed of 160 miles per hour, 10 miles per hour greater than current Acela models. A tilt system will provide a smoother, quieter ride on the new trains, Amtrak says. 'It's a fundamentally better experience than anything Americans have been able to travel on to date in this country,' said Amtrak executive vice president Laura Mason in a video introducing the new trains. The maximum speed of the NextGen Acela is still considerably slower than the world's fastest trains in Asia and Europe, some of which can travel at more than 200 miles per hour. Amtrak first introduced its Acela product in 2000. The NextGen trains were outlooked to enter service in 2022, but experienced numerous hurdles delaying their introduction. Amtrak said it would provide more information as the launch approaches about how passengers can locate and select NextGen Acela trains. Both the current and NextGen models will be in operation in the coming months.
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Business
- Washington Post
After years of delays, new Acelas launching on August 28
New Amtrak Acela trains, delayed for years over production and testing issues, are coming to the Northeast Corridor on Aug. 28, the agency announced Friday. In a statement, Amtrak President Roger Harris called the 28 new train sets 'an evolution' that will set 'a new standard for American train travel.' Only five of the trains will go into service immediately on the route from Boston to D.C.; the rest will be added to the fleet over the next two years. The new Acelas can reach top speeds of 160 mph versus 150 on the older model and tilt around curves more easily. The current Acela takes two hours and 50 minutes to get from D.C. to New York; Amtrak's near-term plans estimate a trip can be 20 minutes faster. The trains will also have upgraded WiFi connectivity, brighter lighting, bigger windows and more comfortable seats, the agency said, and carry 25 percent more riders while using less energy. Every seat will have its own USB port. 'It's a fundamentally better experience than anything Americans have been able to travel on to date in this country,' Laura Mason, who is in charge of major capital projects at Amtrak, said in a video promoting the change. The current Acelas are a quarter-century old, and replacements were supposed to roll out in 2021. But they were delayed for years in part due to difficulties posed by the aging track and catenary wire along the corridor, as well as logistical issues with testing the trains. The disruption of the coronavirus pandemic caused further problems. 'The legacy Acela trainsets are past their useful service life,' Amtrak's inspector general wrote in 2023. 'Delays have already resulted in significant cost increases, operational impacts, and delayed revenue.' Ridership on the Acela, Amtrak's highest-speed service, was at an all-time high before the pandemic. While overall Amtrak ridership has bounced back, more affordable options have been growing faster than the premier trains. The new trains were built by French manufacturer Alstom at a plant in Hornell, New York, at a cost of $2.5 billion, including maintenance. Amtrak says it will also have new trains in service on the East Coast and in the Pacific Northwest next year, part of a $7.3 billion upgrade. President Joe Biden's infrastructure bill provided funding for long-overdue repairs and improvements along the Northeast Corridor and elsewhere. Next month will also see the reopening of the line between Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans for the first time since Hurricane Katrina.
