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Acela

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This article is about the U.S. passenger train. For other uses, see Acela (disambiguation).

Acela
File:Acela logo.png
Amtrak Acela Express train, led by power car #2009,
at Old Saybrook, Connecticut
Overview
Service typeInter-city, high speed tilting train
StatusOperating
LocaleUnited States
PredecessorMetroliner
First serviceDecember 11, 2000 (2000-12-11)
Current operator(s)Amtrak
Ridership3,489,311 (FY2016)[1]
Route
TerminiSouth Station, Boston
Union Station, Washington, D.C.
Stops16
Distance travelled457 mi (735 km)
Average journey time6 hours, 38 minutes–6 hours, 50 minutes[2]
Service frequency20 per day[2][3]
Train number(s)2100–2290
On-board services
Class(es)Business and first class
Disabled accessFully accessible
Seating arrangements
4 across in Business Class, 3 across in First Class
Catering facilitiesOn-board café; at-seat meals in first class
Baggage facilitiesOverhead bins and racks; no checked luggage
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Operating speedUp to 150 mph (240 km/h)[4]
84 mph (135 km/h) average[5]
70 mph (110 km/h) average including stops[6]
Map of the areas and stations served by Acela (interactive map)

The Acela (/əˈsɛlə/ ə-SEL-ə; originally the Acela Express until September 2019) is Amtrak's flagship high speed service along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) in the Northeastern United States between Washington, D.C. and Boston via 16 intermediate stops, including Providence, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City. The route contains segments of high-speed rail, and Acela trains are the fastest trainsets in the Americas; they attain 150 mph (240 km/h) on 33.9 mi (54.6 km) of the route.[7]

Acela carried more than 3.4 million passengers in fiscal year 2016; second only to the slower and less expensive Northeast Regional, which had over 8 million passengers in FY 2016. Its 2016 revenue of US$585 million was 25% of Amtrak's total.[1]

Acela operates along routes that are used by freight and slower regional passenger traffic, and reaches the maximum allowed speed of the tracks only along some sections, with the fastest peak speed along segments between Mansfield, Massachusetts and Richmond, Rhode Island. Acela trains use active tilting technology, which helps control lateral centrifugal force, allowing the train to travel at higher speeds on the sharply curved NEC without disturbing passengers.[8] The high-speed operation occurs mostly along the 226 mi (364 km) route from Pennsylvania Station in New York City to Union Station in Washington, D.C., with a fastest scheduled time of 2 hours and 45 minutes and an average speed of 82.2 mph (132.3 km/h), including time spent at intermediate stops.[3][9] Over this route, Acela and the Northeast Regional service captured a 75% share of air/train commuters between New York and Washington in 2011, up from 37% in 2000.[10]

The Acela's speed is limited by traffic and infrastructure on the route's northern half. On the 231 mi (372 km) section from Boston's South Station to New York's Penn Station, the fastest scheduled time is 3 hours and 30 minutes, or an average speed of 66 mph (106 km/h).[2][11] Along this section, Acela has still captured a 54% share of the combined train and air market.[12][13] The entire 457 mi (735 km) route from Boston to Washington takes between 6 hours, 38 minutes and 6 hours, 50 minutes,[2] at an average of around 70.3 mph (113.1 km/h).[14]

The present Acela Express equipment will be replaced by new Avelia Liberty trainsets, beginning in 2021. The new trains will have greater passenger capacity and an enhanced active tilt system that will allow faster speed on the many curved sections of the route. Amtrak plans to retire all current Acela trains by the end of 2022.[15]

History

Background

Following the success of Japan's newly inaugurated Shinkansen network, the High Speed Ground Transportation Act of 1965 authorized the U.S. government to explore the creation of high-speed rail, which resulted in the introduction of Metroliner trains, the predecessor to Acela. During the 1980s the U.S. Federal Railroad Administration explored the possibilities of high-speed rail in the United States. On December 18, 1991, five potential high speed rail corridors were authorized ("Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) (PL 102-240)") including the Northeast Corridor.[16]

Amtrak asked railway equipment manufacturers to submit proposals. An X 2000 train was leased from Sweden for test runs from October 1992 to January 1993. It was operated from Washington, D.C. to New York City from February to May and August to September 1993. Siemens showed the ICE 1 train from Germany, organizing the ICE Train North America Tour which started to operate on the Northeast Corridor on July 3, 1993.[17] This testing allowed Amtrak to define a set of specifications that went into a public tender in October 1994.[18]

Building and development

Acela Express trainset undergoing testing at TTCI in 2000

On March 9, 1999, Amtrak unveiled its plan for a high-speed train, the Acela Express.[19] Twenty new trains were to run on the Northeast Corridor.[20] Several changes were made to the corridor to make it suitable for the Acela. The Northend Electrification Project extended existing electrification from New Haven to Boston to complete the overhead power supply along the 454-mile (731 km) route, and several grade crossings were improved or removed.[20][21][22] Prior to 2000, all trains bound for Boston had to switch to diesel power at New Haven.

In October 1994, Amtrak requested bids from train manufacturers for a trainset that could reach 150 miles per hour (240 km/h).[18] A joint project of Bombardier (75%) and GEC Alsthom (now Alstom) (25%) was selected in March 1996.[18] An inaugural VIP run of the Acela occurred on November 16, 2000,[23] with the VIP train being led by power car number 2020 with no. 2009 at the opposite end, followed by the first revenue run on December 11, 2000, a few months after the intended date.[24]

Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Arlen Specter riding the Acela Express to Philadelphia in February 2009

By 2005, Amtrak's share of the common-carrier market between New York and Boston had reached 40%, from 18% pre-Acela.[25] With the increasing popularity of the faster, modern Acela Express, Metroliner service was phased out in late 2006.[26][27] To meet the demand, more Acela services were added in September 2005.[28] By August 2008 crowding had become noticeable.[29]

By 2011, the Acela fleet had reached half of its designed service life. Amtrak proposed several replacement options, including one as part of its A Vision for High-Speed Rail in the Northeast Corridor.[5] In 2011, Amtrak announced that forty new Acela coaches would be ordered in 2012 to increase capacity on existing trainsets. The existing trains would have received two more coaches, lengthening the trainsets from a 1-6-1 configuration to 1-8-1 (power car — passenger cars — power car). The longer trainsets would have required the modifications of the Acela maintenance facilities in Boston, New York and Washington. The first of the stretched trainsets was to have entered service in fiscal year 2014.[30] This plan was cancelled in 2012 in favor of replacing, rather than refurbishing, the Acela fleet.[31]

In January 2014, Amtrak issued a request for proposals on 28 or more new model Acela trainsets, in a combined order with the California High-Speed Rail Authority. These bids were due May 17, 2014.[32] After discussions with manufacturers, Amtrak and the California High Speed Rail Authority concluded their needs were too disparate for common rolling stock and decided not to pursue the joint option.[33]

Cost

Amtrak's original contract with the Bombardier-Alstom consortium was for the delivery of 20 trainsets (6 coaches each, with power cars at front and rear) for $800 million.[34] By 2004, Amtrak had settled contract disputes with the consortium, paying a total of $1.2 billion for the 20 trainsets plus 15 extra high-speed locomotives and the construction of maintenance facilities in Boston, New York, and Washington.[35]

Branding

An Acela Regional train at South Station, Boston in 2002

The Acela name was announced on March 9, 1999, as a part of the original announcement of the service itself.[36] Amtrak originally intended for this move to be part of a rebranding of the majority of their Northeast services,[37] forming three levels: Acela Express, Acela Regional, and Acela Commuter.[38] The branding team based the name "Acela" on the ideas of acceleration and excellence.[39][40]

There were then three classes of trains on the Northeast Corridor (and its extension south to Newport News, Virginia)— Philadelphia-New York Clockers, the express Metroliners, and the umbrella term NortheastDirect, applied to other trains on the corridor (in addition to unique names assigned to each departure). Empire Service trains used the Empire Corridor from New York City to Niagara Falls, and Keystone Service ran along the Keystone Corridor from Philadelphia to Harrisburg.

The Acela Regional name was first applied to NortheastDirect trains 130–133 on January 31, 2000.[41] Those trains, 130 and 131 running weekdays only and 132 and 133 running every day, were the first electrified trains to run on the full Northeast Corridor.[42] As more trains were electrified, they too were rebranded. In 2003, due to confusion between the lower-speed Acela Regional trains and the Acela Express, the Acela branding was removed from the NortheastDirect service (now the Northeast Regional) and the Acela Commuter had its name changed back to the Clocker for a similar reason; the Clocker was ultimately discontinued on October 28, 2005.[43]

2019: Acela Nonstop and dropping of "Express"

On September 23, 2019 Amtrak introduced the Acela Nonstop, a direct train from Washington, D.C. to New York's Penn Station. At the same time, it stopped using the term "Express" from both the regular and nonstop Acela services.[44] The nonstop service was suspended as of March 10, 2020 due to low ridership because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[45]

Engineering

First-generation train design

Acela Express (first-generation)
Business Class interior
ManufacturerBombardier, Alstom
Constructed1998–2001
Entered service2000
Number built20 trainsets[18]
Number in service20 trainsets
Formation8 cars (2 x power car; 6 x passenger car)
Fleet numbers2000–2039 (power cars)
Capacity304 (44 First Class; 260 Business Class)
OperatorsAmtrak
DepotsIvy City, Washington, D.C.
Sunnyside Yard, New York City
Southampton Street Yard, Boston
Lines servedNortheast Corridor
Specifications
Car body constructionStainless steel
Train length663 feet 8+3⁄4 inches (202.30 m)
Car length69 feet 7+3⁄8 inches (21.22 m) (Power car)
87 feet 5 inches (26.64 m) (passenger car)
Width10 feet 5 inches (3.18 m) (Power car)
10 feet 4+1⁄2 inches (3.16 m) (passenger car)
Height14 feet 2 inches (4.32 m) (Power car; rail to roof)
13 feet 10+5⁄8 inches (4.23 m) (passenger car)
Floor height4 feet 3 inches (1.30 m)
DoorsSingle leaf sliding plug doors
Intermediate passenger cars: 4
End Passenger Cars: 2
Wheel diameter40 inches (1,016 mm) (power car)
36 inches (914 mm) (passenger car)
Wheelbase35 feet 3 inches (10.74 m) (power car)
59 feet 6 inches (18.14 m) (passenger car)
Maximum speed165 mph (266 km/h) (design)
150 mph (240 km/h) (service)
Weight1,246,000 lb (565,000 kg) (Trainset)
204,000 lb (93,000 kg) (power car)
142,000 lb (64,000 kg) (end cars; Business and First)
139,000 lb (63,000 kg) (Intermediate business cars)
137,000 lb (62,000 kg) (Bistro car)
Axle load51,000 lb (23,000 kg) (Power car)
35,750 lb (16,220 kg) (passenger cars)
Traction systemAlstom GTO inverters and 3-phase asynchronous AC traction motors (Model 4-FXA-4559C)
Power output1,150 kW (1,540 hp) (per motor)
4,600 kW (6,200 hp) (per power car)
Tractive effortStarting:
49,500 lbf (220.2 kN) (per power car)
TransmissionAC-DC-AC
Power supply2850 V DC (PWM rectified) voltage regulated from mains re-inverted to three-phase, frequency and voltage controlled AC waveform.
Electric system(s)Catenary
25 kV 60 Hz AC, 12 kV 60 Hz AC, 12 kV 25 Hz AC
Current collector(s)Pantograph, 2 per power car
UIC classificationBo'Bo'-2'2'-2'2'-2'2'-2'2'-2'2'-2'2'-Bo'Bo'
Braking system(s)Dynamic and regenerative (power cars)
Electro-pneumatic disk and tread (trainset)
Safety system(s)Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Notes/references
Specifications:[46][47]
Overhead view of an Acela power car in Boston; an MBTA Orange Line subway train is also visible in the background.

The first-generation Acela trainset is a unique set of vehicles designed specifically to satisfy governmental rolling stock requirements established primarily by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). This includes the ability to withstand a collision with a freight train at speed without collapsing. Most manufacturers which bid on the Acela were unable to meet the structural requirements, due to increased costs and complications for the manufacture of the trains, and the need for manufacturers to make significant engineering changes to their standard designs. In the end, only three qualified bidders remained: ABB (Swedish-Swiss manufacturer of the X 2000 train), Siemens (manufacturer of the German ICE), and a consortium of Bombardier (manufacturer of the LRC trains) and Alstom (manufacturer of the French TGV).[25]

The design, using identical 6,200 horsepower (4,600 kW) power cars at each end which operate on a voltage of 11,000 volts AC, and either 25 or 60 Hz frequency, derives several components from the TGV,[48] such as the third-generation TGV's traction system (including the four asynchronous AC motors per power car, rectifiers, inverters, and regenerative braking), the trucks/bogies structure (a long wheelbase dual transom H frame welded steel with outboard mounted tapered roller bearings), the brake discs (although there are only three per axle, versus four on the TGV), and crash energy management techniques to control structural deformation in the event of an accident.[47][48]

The tilting carriages are based upon Bombardier's earlier LRC trains used on Via Rail rather than the TGV's non-tilting articulated trailers. Acela power cars and passenger cars are much heavier than those of the TGV in order to meet the FRA's crash standards.[49] French and Canadian crews testing the Acela referred to it as "the pig" due to its weight.[50][51] The extra weight leads to the Acela's power-to-weight ratio being about 22.4 hp per tonne, compared to 30.8 hp for a SNCF TGV Reseau trainset.[48] The Tier II crash standards, adopted in 1999, have also resulted in the passenger cars being designed without steps and trapdoors, which means that the trainsets can only serve lines with high-level platforms such as the Northeast Corridor. Acela trains are semi-permanently coupled (but not articulated as in the TGV) and are referred to as trainsets. Bombardier later used the Acela carriage design and a diesel/gas turbine variant of the power car for its experimental JetTrain.[52]

Operating speeds

With a 71:23 gear ratio, the Acela is designed with a top speed of 165 mph (266 km/h) and reaches a maximum speed of 150 mph (240 km/h) in regular service on three sections of track totaling 33.9 miles (55 km) in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.[7] The Acela achieves an average speed (including stops) of 82.2 mph (132.3 km/h) between Washington and New York,[3][9] and an average speed of 66 mph (106 km/h) from New York to Boston.[2][11] The average speed over the entire route is a slightly faster 70.3 mph (113 km/h).[2][14]

In practice, the Acela's speed depends more on local restrictions along its corridor than on its trainset. In addition to speed restrictions through urban areas, the Acela's corridor includes several speed restrictions below 60–80 mph (97–129 km/h) over older bridges, or through tunnels a century old or more. Altogether, Amtrak has identified 224 bridges along Acela's route that are beyond their design life.[53]

To prepare for the Acela launch, Amtrak upgraded the track along the Connecticut shoreline east of New Haven to allow maximum speeds in excess of 110 mph (177 km/h).[54] West of New York City, the Acela's top speed is 135 mph (217 km/h).[7] One limiting factor is the overhead catenary support system which was constructed before 1935 and lacks the constant-tension features of the new catenary east of New Haven.[5] The Pennsylvania Railroad ran Metroliner test trains in the late 1960s as fast as 164 mph (264 km/h) and briefly intended to run the Metroliner service at speeds reaching 150 mph (241 km/h). Certification testing for commercial operation at 160 mph (257 km/h) involving test runs at up to 165 mph (266 km/h) began between Trenton and New Brunswick in September 2012.[55]

The slowest section of the electrified NEC is the portion owned by Metro-North Railroad and the Connecticut Department of Transportation between New Haven, Connecticut and New Rochelle, New York and is heavily used by commuter trains. Amtrak's trains here achieve 90 mph (145 km/h) only on a limited 4 mi (6.4 km) stretch in New York State and rarely exceed 60 mph (97 km/h) at any time eastbound through Connecticut until reaching New Haven.[56] In 1992, ConnDOT began plans to upgrade the catenary system, replace outdated bridges, and straighten certain sections of the New Haven Line to enable the Acela to run slightly faster. Curve straightening was later deemed too expensive.[citation needed] As of May 2017 the catenary replacement and bridge work were under way and expected to be completed by mid-2018.[57]

On July 9, 2007, Amtrak introduced a limited-stop round trip, with trains stopping only at Philadelphia between New York and Washington. This shortened the trip between the two cities to 2 hours 35 minutes, making the trip roughly an hour faster than some of the Northeast Regional train services. These trains were an experiment to find ways to expedite travel time on the Acela; Amtrak has since dropped them.[58]

Acela Express's fastest schedule between New York and Washington, DC was 2 hours and 45 minutes in 2012. $450 million was allotted by President Barack Obama's administration to replace catenary and upgrade signals[59] between Trenton and New Brunswick, which will allow speeds of 160 mph (257 km/h) over a 23 mi (37 km) stretch. The improvements were scheduled to be completed in 2016, but have been delayed; the project is now scheduled to be finished in 2020.[60] This section of track holds the record for the highest speed by a train in the US, which is 170.8 mph (274.9 km/h), achieved in a test run by the U.S./Canada-built UAC TurboTrain on December 20, 1967.[5][61]

An Acela Express train passes a Metro-North New Haven Line train in southwestern Connecticut

High speed infrastructure

The dense population of the northeastern United States makes the Northeast Corridor the most heavily traveled portion of the American passenger rail system. Two-thirds of rail passengers in the United States live in or near New York City, also home to the nation's busiest passenger rail station, Penn Station.[62] In order to compete with airliners, Amtrak needed to increase the speed of trains in the region. The former Shore Line from New Haven to Boston is burdened by sharp turns and grade crossings, the crossings being of special concern.[63]

Tilting enables passengers to ride more comfortably on curved sections of track faster than would otherwise be possible, by leaning into the bend. Acela trainsets use active tilting above 60 mph (97 km/h) on most of the system, but some segments of track in the Northeast Corridor are too close together for the cars to safely tilt while maintaining FRA minimum space between trains on parallel tracks. Metro-North Railroad restricts tilting on the segment of track north of New York which it owns. The system was originally designed for a 6.8° tilt, but the cars were redesigned 4 in (100 mm) wider to accommodate wider seats and aisles that reduced allowable tilt to 4.2° to fit within the clearance constraints of the existing tracks.[47] Traveling at higher than 135 mph (217 km/h) also requires constant-tension catenary, which is only implemented on the more modern catenary system north of New York City. South of New York City, the trains are restricted to 135 mph (217 km/h). By comparison, the Northeast Regional and the now-defunct Metroliner service reached 125 mph (201 km/h).

Acela service was originally expected to begin in late 1999 but was delayed. The catenary system could not support the intended speeds between Washington DC and New York City, but the newer system between New York City and Boston allows the higher speeds. Attention was drawn to the decreased 4.2° tilt, but this was not the root of the speed problem, as the tracks from New York to Boston are similar to those between New York and Washington, and the tilt mechanism is not the factor enabling higher speeds.[18][47] Following repairs, the first Acela service began on December 11, 2000, a year behind schedule.[64]

Acela travels between Boston and New York in about three and a half hours (an improvement of half an hour); New York to Washington runs take a minimum two hours and forty-five minutes.[2] These schedules, as well as the relative convenience of direct downtown-to-downtown rail service as opposed to air travel, especially after the September 11 attacks, have made the Acela Express more competitive with the air shuttles. Due to this competition, Southwest Airlines canceled service between Washington and New York.[65]

Platform track speeds

Due to the high speed at which Acela trains bypass platforms of local stations, concerns have mounted in some communities over inadequate warnings and safeguards for passengers waiting for other trains, including that the two-foot wide yellow platform markings may not keep people at a safe distance. At Kingston station in Rhode Island and Mansfield station in Massachusetts, Acela trains pass by at 150 mph (241 km/h).[66][67] Suggestions include platform safety barriers, or use of different announcements for approaching Acela trains versus slower ones.[68]

Outages

In August 2002, shortly after their introduction, Acela trainsets were briefly removed from service when the brackets that connected truck (bogie) dampers (shocks) to the powerunit carbodies ("yaw dampers") were found to be cracking.[69][70] The Acela returned to service when a program of frequent inspections was instituted. The damper brackets have since been redesigned and old brackets replaced by the newer design.

On April 15, 2005, the Acela was removed from service when cracks were found in the disc brakes of many passenger coaches.[71] The Bombardier-Alstom consortium replaced the discs under warranty. Limited service resumed in July 2005, as a portion of the fleet operated with new brake discs.[72] Metroliner trains, which the Acela Express was intended to replace, filled in during the outage. Amtrak announced on September 21, 2005, that all 20 trainsets had been returned to full operation.

In October 2012, Acela service was cancelled immediately before, during, and after Hurricane Sandy,[73] which damaged the North River Tunnels causing lasting delays and reliability problems.

In March 2020, all Acela trips were suspended as part of a round of service reduction in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.[74] Amtrak resumed Acela service on June 1, 2020.[75]

Future Acela trains

Main article: Avelia Liberty

On August 26, 2016, then-Vice President Joe Biden announced a $2.45 billion federal loan package to pay for new equipment for the Acela Express service, as well as upgrades to the NEC. The loans will finance 28 Avelia Liberty trainsets that will be built by Alstom in Hornell and Rochester, New York and will replace the existing fleet of twenty Acela trainsets.

The fleet expansion will allow for hourly New York-Boston service all day and half-hourly New York-Washington service at peak hours.[76] The new trainsets will be longer, have 386 seats compared to 304 on Acela Express (a 27% increase) and will feature active tilt technology that will initially allow service to operate at 160 mph (260 km/h) and would allow for 186 miles per hour (299 km/h) service if proposed infrastructure improvements are completed.

The new trains will be phased in between 2021 and 2022, after which the current fleet is to be retired.[77] Amtrak will pay off the loans from increased NEC passenger revenue.

Service

Composition

The production sets are formed as follows:[47]

Car no. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total
Designation Power Business Class Business Class Cafe Business Class Business Class
(quiet car)		 First Class Power
Weight (US ton) 102.0 71.0 69.5 68.5 69.5 69.5 71.0 102.0 623.0
Weight (Long ton,
Metric ton) 		91.1 long tons; 92.5 t 63.4 long tons; 64.4 t 62.1 long tons; 63.0 t 61.2 long tons; 62.1 t 62.1 long tons; 63.0 t 62.1 long tons; 63.0 t 63.4 long tons; 64.4 t 91.1 long tons; 92.5 t 556.2 long tons; 565.2 t
Capacity 0 65 65 0 65 65 44 0 304

The Acela Express trainset consists of two power cars, a café car, a First Class car, and four Business Class cars, semi-permanently coupled together. It has fewer seats than regional service counterparts. The First Class car has 44 seats, being three seats across (one on one side, two on the other side), four seat tables and assigned seating. There are 260 Business Class seats on each trainset; these cars have four seats across (two on each side) and four-seat tables.[6][dead link] Reservations guarantee seating in Business Class, but seats are not assigned. Baggage may be stowed in overhead compartments or underneath seats. Trains are wheelchair-accessible. Each car has or two toilets, with one being ADA compliant.

The Business Class car adjacent to First Class is designated as the quiet car, where passengers are asked to refrain from loud talking and phone conversations. Automatic sliding doors between cars reduce noise.

Operations and staffing

Acela offers two classes of seating, Business Class and First Class. Unlike most other Amtrak trains, Business Class is the de facto standard class on Acela trains; there is no coach service.[78]

Acela maintenance is generally taken care of at the Ivy City facility in Washington, DC; Sunnyside Yard in Queens, New York; or Southampton Street Yard in Boston.

The Acela trainsets underwent minor refurbishments between mid-2009 and 2010 at Penn Coach Yard, next to 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. These refurbishments included new blue leather seats throughout the trainset.[79]

In May 2018, Amtrak announced a 14-month program to refresh the interiors of the Acela trainsets, including new seat cushions and covers, new aisle carpeting, and a deep clean. This refurbishment program has been completed as of June 2019.[80]

Wi-Fi service

Wireless Internet station service began in 2004.[81] In 2010, with services provided by The GBS Group, all Acela trains began offering "AmtrakConnect" supporting IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz and standard VPN connections.[82] In 2016, Amtrak made a successful effort to upgrade to a faster wifi service.[83]

Staffing

Generally Amtrak train crews consist of an engineer, a conductor, and at least one assistant conductor. Acela trains also have an On-Board Service crew consisting of two First Class attendants and a Cafe Car attendant. In addition to the food service provided in the Cafe Car, on most trains an attendant will also provide at seat cart service, serving refreshments throughout the train. First Class passengers are served meals at their seats on all services.[84] At Amtrak, the On-Board Service crew is considered separate and subordinate to the Train and Engine crews.

Notable incidents

  • During the Northeast blackout of 2003, a northbound Acela Express train was stuck on the Hell Gate Bridge for over nine hours, until a rescue engine from Sunnyside Yard was able to tow the train back to New York's Penn Station.[85]
  • The first Acela grade crossing accident occurred on September 27, 2005, when a car rolled under closed crossing gate arms in Waterford, Connecticut and was struck by a train traveling at 70 miles per hour (110 km/h), killing three automobile passengers. None of the 130 Acela passengers were injured. The gates were found to have been functioning properly,[86][87] but the incident drew much criticism regarding the eleven remaining grade crossings along Amtrak's busy Northeast Corridor.[88]
  • On March 24, 2017, an Acela Express train derailed at low speed in New York's Penn Station, during morning rush hour. All 248 passengers were safely evacuated.[89] The derailment was caused by a defective section of track, of which Amtrak was aware, but had not yet fixed.[90]
  • On February 6, 2018, Acela Express train No. 2150 split apart between the first and second cars in the trainset, at 124 mph (200 km/h), near Havre de Grace, Maryland. There were no injuries of the crew nor the 52 passengers on board, who were transferred to Northeast Regional train No. 180.[91][92]

Station stops

State City, town Station Connections[2]
Massachusetts Boston South Station Amtrak: Northeast Regional, Lake Shore Limited
MBTA Commuter Rail: Fairmount Line, Framingham/Worcester Line, Franklin Line, Needham Line, Old Colony Lines, Greenbush Line Providence/Stoughton Line
MBTA bus
MBTA subway: Red Line, Silver Line
Back Bay Amtrak: Northeast Regional, Lake Shore Limited
MBTA Commuter Rail: Framingham/Worcester Line, Franklin Line, Needham Line, Providence/Stoughton Line
MBTA bus
MBTA subway: Orange Line
Westwood Route 128 Amtrak: Northeast Regional
MBTA Commuter Rail: Providence/Stoughton Line
Rhode Island Providence Providence Amtrak: Northeast Regional
MBTA Commuter Rail: Providence/Stoughton Line
RIPTA Buses
Connecticut New London New London Amtrak: Northeast Regional
CTrail: Shore Line East
SEAT Buses
New Haven Union Station Amtrak: Northeast Regional, Amtrak Hartford Line, Vermonter
CTrail: Hartford Line, Shore Line East
CTtransit New Haven
Metro-North Railroad: New Haven Line
Greyhound Lines
Peter Pan Bus Lines[93]
Stamford Stamford Amtrak: Northeast Regional, Vermonter
CTrail: Shore Line East
CTtransit Stamford
Metro-North Railroad: New Haven Line, New Canaan Branch
New York New York City Penn Station Amtrak: Northeast Regional, Adirondack, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Keystone Service, Lake Shore Limited, Maple Leaf, Palmetto, Pennsylvanian, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Vermonter
LIRR: Main Line, Port Washington Branch
NJ Transit: North Jersey Coast Line, Northeast Corridor Line, Gladstone Branch, Montclair-Boonton Line, Morristown Line
NYC Subway: 1, ​2, ​3, A, ​C, ​E, B, ​D, ​F, <F>, ​M​, N, ​Q, ​R, and ​W
NYC Transit buses
PATH: Hoboken–33rd Street, Journal Square–33rd Street, Journal Square–33rd Street (via Hoboken)
New Jersey Newark Newark Penn Station Amtrak: Northeast Regional, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Keystone Service, Palmetto, Pennsylvanian, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Vermonter
NJ Transit: Newark City Subway, Newark Light Rail, North Jersey Coast Line, Northeast Corridor Line, Raritan Valley Line
PATH: Newark–World Trade Center
Coach USA
Iselin Metropark Amtrak: Northeast Regional, Keystone Service, Vermonter
NJ Transit: Northeast Corridor Line
Trenton Trenton Amtrak: Northeast Regional, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Keystone Service, Palmetto, Pennsylvanian, Silver Star, Silver Meteor, Vermonter
NJ Transit: Northeast Corridor Line, River Line
SEPTA Regional Rail: Trenton Line
SEPTA Suburban Transit Division
Pennsylvania Philadelphia 30th Street Station Amtrak: Northeast Regional, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Keystone Service, Palmetto, Pennsylvanian, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Vermonter
NJ Transit: Atlantic City Line
SEPTA City Transit Division
SEPTA Suburban Transit Division
SEPTA Regional Rail: Airport Line, Warminster Line, Wilmington/Newark Line, West Trenton Line, Media/Elwyn Line, Lansdale/Doylestown Line, Paoli/Thorndale Line, Manayunk/Norristown Line, Cynwyd Line, Trenton Line, Chestnut Hill East Line, Chestnut Hill West Line, Fox Chase Line
Delaware Wilmington Wilmington Amtrak: Northeast Regional, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Vermonter
Greyhound Lines
SEPTA Regional Rail: Wilmington/Newark Line
DART First State
Maryland Baltimore Penn Station Amtrak: Northeast Regional, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Vermonter
MARC Train: Penn Line
MTA Maryland: Light RailLink
Charm City Circulator
BWI Rail Station Amtrak: Northeast Regional, Vermonter
MARC Train: Penn Line
MTA Maryland
Howard Transit
UMBC Transit
District of Columbia Washington Union Station Amtrak: Northeast Regional, Capitol Limited, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Vermonter, Thruway Motorcoach to Charlottesville, Virginia
MARC Train: Brunswick Line, Camden Line, Penn Line
VRE: Manassas Line, Fredericksburg Line
Metro: Red Line
Metrobus
DC Circulator
DC Streetcar: H Street/Benning Road Line
MTA Maryland
Loudoun County Transit
PRTC


See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Amtrak FY16 Ridership & Revenue Fact Sheet" (PDF). Amtrak. April 17, 2017. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Northeast Corridor Boston–Washington Timetable" (PDF). Amtrak. March 4, 2019. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c "Northeast Corridor New York–Washington Timetable" (PDF). Amtrak. March 4, 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 26, 2019. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  4. ^ "Acela Express Overview". Amtrak. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  5. ^ a b c d "The Amtrak Vision for the North East Corridor 2012 Update Report" (PDF). Amtrak. July 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Acela Express, United States of America". Railway Technology. Retrieved September 3, 2014.
  7. ^ a b c "Northeast Corridor Employee Timetable #5" (PDF). National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak). October 6, 2014. p. 110. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 12, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2017 – via National Transportation Safety Board.
  8. ^ "All Aboard Amtrak's Acela". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  9. ^ a b The timetable gives 2 hours and 45 minutes, minimum, between Washington and New York. Dividing that into the distance traveled, 226 mi (364 km), gives an average speed of 82.2 mph (132.3 km/h).
  10. ^ Nixon, Ron (August 15, 2012). "Frustrations of Air Travel Push Passengers to Amtrak". The New York Times.
  11. ^ a b The timetable gives 3 hours and 30 minutes, minimum, between New York and Boston. Dividing that into 231 mi (372 km) gives an average speed of 66 mph (106 km/h).
  12. ^ "The Information: Most popular airline routes". Financial Times. January 17, 2009. Archived from the original on January 21, 2009. Retrieved February 2, 2010.
  13. ^ "America's Not-So-Fast Trains". The New York Times. August 1, 2009. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
  14. ^ a b The timetable gives 6 hours and 30 minutes, minimum, between Washington and Boston. Dividing that into 457 mi (735 km) gives an average speed of 70.3 mph (113.1 km/h).
  15. ^ "Next-Generation High Speed Trains". Amtrak. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  16. ^ "CHRONOLOGY OF HIGH-SPEED RAIL CORRIDORS". Federal Railroad Administration. Archived from the original on February 19, 2012. Retrieved February 11, 2012.
  17. ^ "ICE Train North America Tour". Eisenbahntechnische Rundschau (in German). 42 (Nr. 11): 756. 1993. {{cite journal}}: |issue= has extra text (help)
  18. ^ a b c d e Dao, James; Wald, Matthew L.; Phillips, Don; Dao (April 24, 2005). "Acela, Built to Be Rail's Savior, Bedevils Amtrak at Every Turn". The New York Times. Retrieved March 4, 2008.
  19. ^ "Amtrak unveils high-speed shuttle trains for busy travelers – Service between Boston, Washington is designed to compete with airlines". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. March 10, 1999. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2009.
  20. ^ a b "Amtrak To Unveil High-Speed Service". Associated Press. March 9, 1999. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2009.
  21. ^ "At-grade crossings: Innovation, safety, sophisticated new technology". Railway Track and Structures. June 1, 1999. Retrieved August 29, 2009.
  22. ^ Public Archaeology Laboratory (2001). Amtrak's High Speed Rail Program, New Haven to Boston: History and Historic Resources (PDF). National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak).
  23. ^ "U.S. Transportation Secretary Slater celebrates inaugural run of Acela Express high-speed rail service". M2 Presswire. November 17, 2000. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2009.
  24. ^ "Amtrak postpones debut of high-speed rail line". Business Courier Serving Cincinnati – Northern Kentucky. March 3, 2000. Retrieved August 29, 2009.
  25. ^ a b Black, Clifford R. (March 2005). "The Acela Express" (PDF) (40). Japan Railway & Transport Review. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 13, 2011. Retrieved August 29, 2009. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  26. ^ MacHalaba, Daniel (March 28, 1999). "Metroliner name on past track". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 29, 2009.
  27. ^ "Amtrak to run last Metroliner". Trains.com. September 8, 2006. Retrieved September 8, 2006.
  28. ^ "Amtrak to increase service for Boston, New York and D.C." Boston Business Journal. September 8, 2005. Retrieved August 29, 2009.
  29. ^ Christopher Conkey (August 27, 2008). "All Aboard: Too many for Amtrak – Surge in ridership leads to crowding on Intercity trains". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved August 29, 2009.
  30. ^ "Amtrak To Add 40 Coach Cars To Acela Express Under FY 2012 Budget Plan" (PDF). Amtrak. February 14, 2011. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  31. ^ O'Toole, James (December 13, 2012). "Amtrak to replace high-speed Acela trains".
  32. ^ "Amtrak and California Request Bids for High-Speed Trainsets" (PDF). Amtrak. January 24, 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  33. ^ "Amtrak and California drop joint high-speed train tender". Global Rail News. June 24, 2014. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  34. ^ "Amtrak Sues Train's Manufacturer Over Design Flaws". Los Angeles Times. November 22, 2002. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
  35. ^ "Two equipment makers settle dispute with Amtrak". Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. March 18, 2004. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
  36. ^ "New trains, new name for Northeast Corridor: Amtrak's High-speed Acela service is due later this year". The Philadelphia Inquirer. March 10, 1999. Retrieved May 2, 2009.
  37. ^ Garland, Russell (March 12, 1999). "Amtrak switch: Is it on the right track? Advertising people say the new Acela name gives a mixed message". Providence Journal. Retrieved August 29, 2009.
  38. ^ Jay Jochnowitz (March 10, 1999). "New Amtrak trains on fast track". Times Union (Albany). p. A1.
  39. ^ "Acela". Corporate Design Foundation. Archived from the original on October 11, 2008. Retrieved May 2, 2009.
  40. ^ Vantuono, William (April 1, 1999). "Amtrak's vision: Today, the Northeast. Tomorrow America". Railway Age. Retrieved August 29, 2009.
  41. ^ "Amtrak begins Phila-Boston service that's 45 minutes faster "Acela Regionals" go into service as the first step in improvements on the Northeast Corridor line". The Philadelphia Inquirer. February 1, 2000. Retrieved August 30, 2009.
  42. ^ Johnston, Bob (April 2000). "Amtrak opens Boston electrification". Trains.
  43. ^ Arnold, Laurence (March 5, 2003). "Amtrak will use name 'Acela' to describe high-speed trains only". Associated Press.
  44. ^ Date and observation of train name change at "AMTRAK DEBUTS NEW AMENITIES FOR ACELA NONSTOP SERVICE BETWEEN NEW YORK CITY AND WASHINGTON, D.C." Amtrak., further examples of the dropping of "Express" on all press releases since then at "Media Room", Amtrak
  45. ^ Locke, Taylor (March 7, 2020). "Amtrak suspends nonstop Acela service between DC and New York as demand weakens amid coronavirus". CNBC.
  46. ^ "High-Speed Trainsets" (PDF). Bombardier Transportation.
  47. ^ a b c d e "Acela Express". Trainweb.org. February 2001. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
  48. ^ a b c Perren, Brian. TGV Handbook, Including Eurostar. 2nd ed. Harrow Weald (United Kingdom) : Capital Transport Publishing. p156.
  49. ^ McCaughrin, Eric (March 5, 2007). "How the FRA is Regulating Passenger Rail Out of Existence". East Bay Bicycle Coalition.
  50. ^ Philips, Don (January 2010). "Now it seems to be official: Freight rail is the future". Trains. Vol. 70, no. 1. p. 10. When the train was being tested at the technology center in Pueblo, Colo., I had lunch one day out on the ballast with the French and Canadian crews doing the testing. The conversation turned to the weight of the Acela, which the crews considered laughably too heavy. At one point, a French engineer confided that the crews called the train "le cochon", meaning "the pig". The man and his supervisor immediately realized he had said too much. They asked me to keep that a secret, and I did for many years until I was sure everyone on the program had moved on to other jobs.
  51. ^ Dao, James; Wald, Matthew L.; Phillips, Don; Dao (April 24, 2005). "Acela, Built to Be Rail's Savior, Bedevils Amtrak at Every Turn". The New York Times. Retrieved March 4, 2008. Before the first train was built, the Federal Railroad Administration required it to meet crash safety standards that senior Amtrak officials considered too strict. That forced the manufacturers, Bombardier Inc. of Canada and GEC Alstom of France, to make the trains twice as heavy as European models. Workers dubbed the trains le cochon -- the pig.
  52. ^ "Bombardier unveils new JetTrain locomotive". International Railway Journal. November 2002.
  53. ^ "The Acela Story Part 2: Planning for the Not-So-Distant Future — Northeast Alliance for Rail". Northeast Alliance for Rail. July 27, 2011.
  54. ^ "The Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Master Plan" (PDF). Amtrak. March 24, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  55. ^ "Amtrak Ink : Aug — Sept 2012" (PDF). Amtrak. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
  56. ^ "Metro-North Railroad EMPLOYEE TIMETABLE No. 4" (PDF). Metro-North Railroad. June 21, 2010 [February 5, 2006]. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2013. This notes, on p.41, that the 90 mph section is from MP (mile post) 17.2 to MP 21.4; that begins midway between New Rochelle and Larchmont, and ends between Mamaroneck and Harrison.
  57. ^ "New Haven Catenary Replacement Project Update (May 2017)". MTA. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
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  59. ^ Nusca, Andrew (May 20, 2011). "Amtrak lands $450 million to boost Acela to 160 mph". ZDNet. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
  60. ^ Higgs, Larry (September 14, 2017). "160 mph trains will speed from Trenton to New Brunswick by 2020". New Jersey On-Line. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
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  64. ^ Laurence Arnold (December 11, 2001). "Fast train begins service with Washington-Boston roundtrip". The Boston Globe. Associated Press. Retrieved November 13, 2006.
  65. ^ "Acela run expected to match U.S. rail speed record of 165 mph (266 km/h)". The Baltimore Sun. September 24, 2012. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  66. ^ Heppner, Frank (2012). Railroads of Rhode Island : shaping the Ocean State's railways. Charleston, SC: History Press. p. 182. ISBN 978-1-60949-333-2.
  67. ^ Weinstein, Susan Parkou (January 17, 2013). "Better warning sought for Acela at Mansfield station". Wicked Local. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  68. ^ Smith, Nell (January 17, 2013). "Mansfield sounds Acela warning". The Sun Chronicle. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
  69. ^ "Discovery of hairline cracks causes more problems for Amtrak's Acela Express". USA Today. August 20, 2002. Retrieved August 29, 2009.
  70. ^ Daniel, Mac (August 14, 2002). "Flaws Shut Down Amtrak's Acela Express Line". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 29, 2009.
  71. ^ Hauser, Kristine (April 15, 2005). "Amtrak Suspends Acela Trains After Finding Brake Problems". The New York Times. Retrieved April 15, 2005.
  72. ^ Reed, Keith (June 10, 2005). "Acela's return expected in July". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 29, 2009.
  73. ^ [1]
  74. ^ "Service Adjustments Due to Coronavirus" (Press release). Amtrak. March 24, 2020. Archived from the original on March 25, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  75. ^ Genovese, Daniella (May 8, 2020). "Amtrak to resume Acela service after coronavirus suspended operations". Fox Business. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  76. ^ "Amtrak's Next-Generation of High-Speed Trains" (Press release). Amtrak. August 26, 2016.
  77. ^ Aratani, Lori (August 26, 2016). "Biden announces upgrades for Amtrak's Northeast Corridor". The Washington Post.
  78. ^ Acela Express accommodations
  79. ^ Grynbaum, Michael (January 13, 2010). "Amtrak Introduces Blue, if Not Corinthian, Leather". The New York Times.
  80. ^ "Amtrak Refreshes Interiors of Acela Express Trains" (Press release). Amtrak. May 14, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  81. ^ Glenn Fleishman (July 8, 2004). "Behind the Curve; Access on Metro-North or Amtrak Cars? Not So Fast". The New York Times.
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  83. ^ "WiFi on Amtrak's Acela Express trains shifts into faster gear". Washington Post.
  84. ^ Sperandeo, Andy (May 1, 2006). "The people who work on trains". Trains.
  85. ^ Hayhurst, Paul (August 16, 2003). "Welcome to the Blackout of 2003". Slamtrak.
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  91. ^ Jacobo, Julia (February 6, 2018). "Amtrak cars separate on Boston-bound Acela train". ABC News. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
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  93. ^ "New Haven Union Station (NHV)". Hartford Line. Retrieved October 31, 2018.

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Acela Express.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Rail travel in the United States.
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