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 Acela atRahway, New Jersey, in May 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Overview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Service type | Inter-city,high speedtilting train | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locale | Northeast megalopolis | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Metroliner | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First service | December 11, 2000 (2000-12-11) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current operator | Amtrak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Annual ridership | 3,238,130 (FY 24)  9.4%[a][1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Route | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Termini | Boston, Massachusetts Washington, D.C. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stops | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distance travelled | 457 miles (735 km) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average journey time | 63⁄4 hours[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service frequency | 20 per day[2][3] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Train number | 2100–2290 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| On-board services | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Classes | First Class Business Class | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Disabled access | Fully accessible | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Seating arrangements | 4 across in business class 3 across in first class | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Catering facilities | Café; at-seat meals in first class | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Baggage facilities | Racks and overhead bins; no checked luggage | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rolling stock | Acela Express Avelia Liberty | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)standard gauge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electrification | Overhead line;
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| Operating speed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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TheAcela (/əˈsɛlə/ə-SEL-ə; originally theAcela Express until September 2019) isAmtrak's flagshippassenger train service along theNortheast Corridor (NEC) in theNortheastern United States betweenWashington, D.C., andBoston via 13 intermediate stops, includingBaltimore,New York City andPhiladelphia.Acela trains are the fastest in theAmericas, reaching 150–160 miles per hour (240–260 km/h), qualifying ashigh-speed rail, but only for approximately 40 miles (64 km) of the 457-mile (735 km) route.[6]
In fiscal year 2024,Acela carried more than 3.2 million passengers, second only to the slower and less expensiveNortheast Regional, which had over 10.8 million passengers.[7] Ridership was down from the pre-COVID-19 pandemic high of 3,557,455 passengers in 2019.[8] Its 2024 revenue of $531 million was around 21% of Amtrak's total.[9]
Acela operates along routes that are used by slower regional passenger traffic, and only reaches themaximum allowed speed of the tracks along some sections, with the fastest peak speed along segments betweenMansfield, Massachusetts, andRichmond, Rhode Island, as well as betweenSouth Brunswick andTrenton, New Jersey.[10]Acela trains useactive tilting technology, which helps control lateralcentrifugal force, allowing the train to travel at higher speeds on the sharply curved NEC without disturbing passengers.[11] The high-speed operation occurs mostly along the 226-mile (364 km) route fromPennsylvania Station in New York City toUnion Station in Washington, D.C., with a fastest scheduled time of 2 hours and 45 minutes and an average speed of 82 miles per hour (132 km/h), including time spent at intermediate stops.[3][12] Over this route,Acela and theNortheast Regional service captured an 83% share of air/train commuters between New York and Washington in 2021, up from 37% in 2000.[13]
TheAcela's speed is limited by traffic and infrastructure on the route's northern half. On the 231-mile (372 km) section from Boston'sSouth Station to New York's Penn Station, the fastest scheduled time is 3 hours and 30 minutes, or an average speed of 66 miles per hour (106 km/h).[2][14] Along this section,Acela has captured a 54% share of the combined train and air market.[15][16] The entire 457-mile (735 km) route from Boston to Washington takes between 6 hours, 38 minutes and 6 hours, 50 minutes,[2] at an average speed of around 70 miles per hour (110 km/h).[17]
The originalAcela Express equipment began being replaced by newAvelia Liberty trainsets in 2025.[18] The new trains have greater passenger capacity and an enhanced active tilt system that allows higher speed on the many curved sections of the route.[19][20] The first five trainsets entered passenger service on August 28, 2025.[21][22]
Following the success of Japan's newly inauguratedShinkansen network in the 1960s, theHigh 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 the higher-speedMetroliner trains betweenWashington, D.C., andNew York City in 1969, the predecessor toAcela. During the 1980s, the U.S.Federal Railroad Administration explored the possibilities ofhigh-speed rail in the United States. On December 18, 1991, five potential high speed rail corridors were authorized, including the Northeast Corridor.[23]
In the early 1990s, Amtrak tested several different high-speed trains from Europe on the Northeast Corridor. AnX 2000 train was leased from Sweden for test runs from October 1992 to January 1993, followed by revenue service between Washington, D.C., and New York City from February to May and August to September 1993.Siemens showed theICE 1 train from Germany, organizing theICE Train North America Tour which started to operate on the Northeast Corridor on July 3, 1993.[24]
With the testing of the trains from Europe complete, Amtrak was able to define a set of specifications for high-speed equipment and in October 1994, Amtrak requested bids from train manufacturers for a trainset that could reach 150 miles per hour (240 km/h).[25] A consortium ofBombardier (75%) and GEC Alsthom (nowAlstom) (25%) was selected in March 1996.[25]
In 1999, Amtrak unveiled its plan for theAcela Express, a high-speed train on theNortheast Corridor between Washington, D.C., and Boston.[26][27] Several changes were made to the corridor to make it suitable for higher-speed electric trains. TheNorthend Electrification Project extended existing electrification fromNew Haven, Connecticut, to Boston to complete theoverhead power supply along the 454-mile (731 km) route, and several grade crossings were improved or removed.[27][28][29] Prior to 2000, all trains bound for Boston had to switch to diesel power at New Haven.
A pilot trainset was completed by early 2000 and sent toTransportation Technology Center (TTC) for testing in June 2000. An inaugural VIP run of theAcela occurred on November 16, 2000,[30] followed by the first revenue run on December 11, 2000, a few months after the intended date.[31]
Amtrak's original contract with the Bombardier-Alstom consortium was for the delivery of 20 trainsets (six coaches each, with power cars at front and rear) for $800 million.[32] 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.[33]
By 2005, Amtrak's share of the common-carrier market between New York and Boston had reached 40%, from 18% pre-Acela.[34] With the increasing popularity of the faster, modernAcela Express,Metroliner service was phased out in late 2006.[35][36] To meet the demand, moreAcela services were added in September 2005.[37] By August 2008 crowding had become noticeable.[38]
By 2011, theAcela fleet had reached half of its designed service life. Amtrak proposed several replacement options, including one as part of itsA Vision for High-Speed Rail in the Northeast Corridor.[39] In 2011, Amtrak announced that forty newAcela 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 theAcela maintenance facilities in Boston, New York and Washington. The first of the stretched trainsets was to have entered service infiscal year 2014.[40] This plan was cancelled in 2012 in favor of replacing, rather than refurbishing, theAcela fleet.[41]
In January 2014, Amtrak issued a request for proposals on 28 or more new modelAcela trainsets, in a combined order with theCalifornia High-Speed Rail Authority.[42] 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.[43]
Since its introduction, the Acela has become a symbol of modern passenger rail in the United States and has influenced subsequent high-speed rail planning efforts across the country. The Train's operational success demonstrated consistent public demand for faster, business-oriented intercity travel, reinforcing federal and state interest in high-speed rail corridors such asCalifornia High-Speed Rail andBrightline West. Amtrak's experience with Acela's maintenance and ridership patterns has also informed the design of future services and infrastructure standards along theNortheast Corridor and beyond.[44]
Before the introduction of the Acela, there were several classes of trains on the Northeast Corridor: the expressMetroliners, the Philadelphia-New YorkClockers,Empire Service trains between New York City andNiagara Falls via theEmpire Corridor,Keystone Service trains between New York City and toHarrisburg via theKeystone Corridor, and theumbrella termNortheastDirect, applied to other trains on the corridor (in addition to unique names assigned to many departures).
TheAcela name was announced in 1999 as a part of the original announcement of the service itself.[45] The branding team based the name "Acela" on the ideas ofacceleration and excellence.[46][47] At the same time, Amtrak launched what it called the Capstone Program, a short-lived plan torebrand theNortheastDirect,Keystone Service andEmpire Service trains asAcela Regional and theClocker trains asAcela Commuter.[48][49][50]
TheAcela Regional name was first applied toNortheastDirect trains 130–133 in 2000.[51] Those trains were the first electrified trains to run on the full Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C., and Boston.[52] As more trains were electrified, they too were rebranded.
Following widespread rider confusion among the three services, the branding was removed from the lower-speedAcela Regional andAcela Commuter trains in 2003.[53][54]
In 2019, Amtrak shortened the name of the service fromAcela Express to simplyAcela.[55]
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The first-generationAcela 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 that bid on theAcela 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 theX 2000 train), Siemens (manufacturer of the GermanICE), and a consortium of Bombardier (manufacturer of the LRC trains) and Alstom (manufacturer of the FrenchTGV).[34]
The design, using identical 6,200 horsepower (4,600 kW)power cars at each end which operate on voltages of 12 kV, 12.5 kV, and 25 kVAC, and either 25 or 60Hz frequency, derives several components from the TGV,[56] 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.[57][56]
The tilting carriages are based upon Bombardier's earlierLRC trains used onVia 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.[58] French and Canadian crews testing theAcela referred to it as "the pig" due to its weight.[59][60] The extra weight leads to theAcela's power-to-weight ratio being about 22.4 hp per tonne, compared to 30.8 hp for aSNCF TGV Reseau trainset.[56] 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 withhigh-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 theAcela carriage design and adiesel/gas turbine variant of the power car for its experimentalJetTrain.[61]
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On August 26, 2016, then–Vice PresidentJoe Biden announced a $2.45 billion federal loan package to pay for new equipment for theAcela Express service, as well as upgrades to the NEC. The loans will finance 28Avelia Liberty trainsets that will be built by Alstom inHornell andRochester, 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.[62] The new trainsets will be longer, have 386 seats compared to 304 on Acela Express (a 27% increase) and will featureactive 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.[citation needed]
The new trains were expected to be phased in between 2021 and 2022, after which the current fleet was to be retired.[63] In December 2024, Amtrak updated the trainsets' announced release date to "spring 2025", which was revised a second time to "coming soon" after the spring season ended.[64] On August 7, 2025, Amtrak announced that the new trains would enter service on August 28, 2025.[65]
Although the first-generation Acela Express trainsets were designed with a top speed of 165 mph (266 km/h) and the second-generation Avelia Liberty trainsets will be designed to reach 220 mph (354 km/h), the existing infrastructure of the Northeast Corridor significantly limits speeds.[citation needed]
The maximum speed limit on the Northeast Corridor is 160 mph (260 km/h) on 40 miles (64 km) of the 457-mile (735 km) route, in four sections of track in Rhode Island, Massachusetts,[6] and New Jersey. TheAcela achieves an average speed (including stops) of 82 mph (132 km/h) between Washington and New York,[3][12] and an average speed of 66 mph (106 km/h) from New York to Boston.[2][14] The average speed over the entire route is 70.3 mph (113 km/h).[2][17]
Speeds are limited by the route the corridor takes through urban areas, and there are several speed restrictions below 60–80 mph (97–129 km/h) over bridges or through tunnels that are over a century old. Altogether, Amtrak has identified 224 bridges alongAcela's route that are beyond their design life.[66]
South of the Delaware River, theAcela's top speed is 135 mph (217 km/h).[6] One limiting factor is theoverhead catenary support system which was constructed before 1935 and lacks the constant-tension features of the new catenary east of New Haven.[39] ThePennsylvania Railroad ranMetroliner test trains in the late 1960s as fast as 164 mph (264 km/h) and briefly intended to run theMetroliner 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.[67] Passenger operation at 150 mph (241 km/h) began in this region in late May 2022.
The fastest schedule between New York and Washington, DC, was 2 hours, 43 minutes in 2012. $450 million was allotted by PresidentBarack Obama's administration to replace catenary and upgrade signals[68] betweenTrenton andNew 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 was partially completed in late May 2022, with the remainder projected in 2024.[69] 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-builtUAC TurboTrain on December 20, 1967.[39][70]
North of New York City,Amtrak upgraded the track along the Connecticut shoreline east of New Haven to allow maximum speeds in excess of 110 mph (177 km/h), in preparation for theAcela launch.[71] Although this area contains the fastest current operating speeds (150 mph (241 km/h)), it also has the slowest section of the NEC: betweenNew Rochelle, New York, and New Haven, Connecticut. This section is owned byMetro-North Railroad and theConnecticut Department of Transportation and is heavily used by commuter trains which limit the speed of theAcela. Amtrak's trains 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.[72] In 1992, ConnDOT began plans to upgrade the catenary system and replace outdated bridges on the New Haven Line to enable theAcela to run slightly faster. As of May 2017[update] the catenary replacement and bridge work were under way and expected to be completed by mid-2018.[73][needs update]
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 theNortheast Regional train services. These trains were an experiment to find ways to expedite travel time on theAcela; Amtrak has since dropped them.[74]
The dense population of the northeastern United States makes theNortheast 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.[75] In order to compete withairliners, Amtrak needed to increase the speed of trains in the region. The formerShore Line from New Haven to Boston is burdened by sharp turns andgrade crossings, the crossings being of special concern.[76]
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 (102 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.[57] 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, theNortheast Regional and the now-defunctMetroliner 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.[25][57] Following repairs, the firstAcela service began on December 11, 2000, a year behind schedule.[77]
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 of 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 theSeptember 11 attacks, have made theAcela Express more competitive with theair shuttles. Due to this competition,Southwest Airlines canceled service between Washington and New York.[78]
Due to the high speed at whichAcela 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 yellowplatform markings may not keep people at a safe distance. AtKingston station in Rhode Island andMansfield station in Massachusetts,Acela trains pass by at 150 mph (241 km/h).[79][80] Suggestions include platformsafety barriers, or use of different announcements for approachingAcela trains versus slower ones.[81]
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.[82][83] TheAcela 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, theAcela was removed from service when cracks were found in thedisc brakes of many passenger coaches.[84] 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.[85]Metroliner trains, which theAcela 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 afterHurricane Sandy,[86] which damaged theNorth River Tunnels causing lasting delays and reliability problems.
In March 2020, allAcela trips were suspended as part of a round of service reduction in response to theCOVID-19 pandemic in the United States.[87] Amtrak resumedAcela service on June 1, 2020.[88]
TheAcela Express trainset consists of twopower cars, aCafé car, aFirst Class car, and fourBusiness Class cars,semi-permanently coupled together. It has fewer seats than its 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), four-seat tables, and assigned seating.[5] Baggage may be stowed in overhead compartments or underneath seats. Trains are wheelchair-accessible. Each car has one or two toilets, with one being ADA compliant.
The Business Class car adjacent to First Class is designated as a quiet car, where passengers are asked to refrain from loud talking and phone conversations. Automatic sliding doors between cars reduce noise.
The original production sets are formed as follows:[57]
| Car no. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Power | First Class | Business Class (quiet car) | Business Class | Café | Business Class | Power | ||
| Weight Pounds (Metric ton) | 204,000 (93) | 142,000 (64) | 139,000 (63) | 139,000 (63) | 139,000 (63) | 139,000 (63) | 142,000 (64) | 204,000 (93) | 1,246,000 (565) |
| Capacity | — | 44 | 65 | 65 | — | 65 | 65 | — | 304 |
Compared to the original Acela trainsets, the NextGen trainsets have 43 seats in First Class and 343 seats in Business Class, of which 8 of these seats are a wheelchair space. The quiet car has been moved to the opposite end of the train from the First Class car. The First Class galley has also been moved into the Business Class car adjacent to the First Class car, resulting in a 10-seat reduction in that car compared to the rest of the intermediate Business Class cars. Each car aside from the Café car is equipped with one ADA compliant toilet.[89]
The NextGen Acela trainsets are formed as follows:[89]
| Car no. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Power | First Class | Business Class | Café | Business Class | Business Class (quiet car) | Power | |||||
| Capacity | — | 43 | 39 | 49 | 49 | 49 | — | 49 | 49 | 59 | — | 386 |
Acela offers two classes of seating, Business Class and First Class. Unlike most other Amtrak trains, Business Class is thede facto standard class onAcela trains; there is no coach service.[90]
Acela maintenance is generally taken care of at the Ivy City facility in Washington, DC;Sunnyside Yard inQueens, New York; or Southampton Street Yard in Boston.
TheAcela trainsets underwent minor refurbishments between mid-2009 and 2010 at Penn Coach Yard, next to 30th Street Station inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania. These refurbishments included new blue leather seats throughout the trainset.[91]
In May 2018, Amtrak announced a 14-month program to refresh the interiors of theAcela trainsets, including new seat cushions and covers, new aisle carpeting, and a deep clean. This refurbishment program has been completed as of June 2019.[92]
Wireless Internet station service began in 2004.[93] In 2010, with services provided by The GBS Group, allAcela trains began offering "AmtrakConnect" supportingIEEE 802.11a/b/g/n, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz and standardVPN connections.[94] In 2016, Amtrak upgraded to a faster wifi service.[95]
Generally, Amtrak train crews consist of an engineer, a conductor, and at least one assistant conductor.[96]Acela trains also have an On-Board Service crew consisting of two First Class attendants and a Café Car attendant. In addition to the food service provided in the Café 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.[97]
A limited number of Acela trains previously stopped atNew Rochelle, New York;New London, Connecticut; andTrenton, New Jersey; service was eliminated in 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively.[106][107][108][109]
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.
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 trainsle cochon -- the pig.
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