The history of Amtrak's new Acela trains, which will likely be delayed beyond their 2021 estimated date
In 2016, then-Vice President Joe Biden announced a $2.45 billion federal loan for Amtrak to improve transportation in the Northeast Corridor.
At this point, Biden and Amtrak officials acknowledged that the system was already facing a backlog of $7 billion in maintenance.
The Acela, which travels in the northeast between Washington D.C. and Boston, is the focus of this improvement project. New Acela train sets are supposed to start transporting passengers in 2021 as part of the Acela 21 project.
In September, Amtrak showed off mock-ups of the interiors of the new trains.
Source: Business Insider
Cafe cars were upgraded...
...with new features like a digital menu board.
Some construction for the $2.1 billion new trains took place in Illinois at LB Steel LLC.
The new trains are scheduled to begin service in 2021...
...replacing the decades-old trains that currently run on the Acela service.
The new high-speed trains can travel up to 160 mph, which is faster than the current trainsets can reach.
Amtrak recently added a non-stop option to the route, and Amtrak's chief marketing said that when the new fleet is introduced, Amtrak might consider incorporating other special trips into service.
But, a new report shows things might not be running so smoothly.
Management issues pose a "significant risk" to the Acela 21 project continuing on time, according to a report from the railroad's inspector general.
Source: Business Insider
For example, Amtrak took six months to fill a key management role for the new train-sets, according to the report.
Source: Business Insider
"Foremost is that project delays have eliminated any cushion in the schedule, and multiple indicators point to further delays beyond the planned service launch in 2021," the report said.
Source: Amtrak
Amtrak marketing officer Roger Harris said Amtrak is "fully committed to ensuring key leaders and contributors have the capacity and resources necessary to achieve the program goals and deliverables" in response to the report.
Source: Business Insider
If Amtrak faces more delays, it could be forced to cut service in the Northeast Corridor.
This week, Amtrak showed off the exteriors of its new train — known as the Avelia Liberty — in a video of the first built example on Wednesday.
Source: Business Insider
The set was constructed in Hornell, New York, south of Rochester, New York, by Amtrak contractor Alstom, as will the rest of the order.
This train, the first of the 28 that will eventually be built, will be moved Pueblo, Colorado in February for more testing.
With billions invested in other infrastructure updates, including upgrading old tunnels and constructing new ones, the Amtrak Acela 21's future remains uncertain.
Popular Right Now
Advertisement