Amtrak is getting a piece of $66 billion for rail from the infrastructure bill, but Amtrak is already debuting new trains that will take travelers across the US - see inside

Thomas PalliniNov 14, 2021, 19:44 IST

An Amtrak GE Genesis P42 locomotive.Thomas Pallini/Insider

Amtrak is a big winner in the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill with $66 billion going towards rail.
More cities across the US may receive rail service while existing lines, stations, and services will see upgrades and improvements.

Amtrak is on the verge of a new era as it will soon find itself flush with capital following the passage of a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill in Congress.

An Amtrak long-distance train. Shutterstock

A total of $66 billion has been allocated for rail including $22 billion in Amtrak grants and $44 billion for items like intercity rail and the modernization of the Northeast Corridor.

AJ Packer/Shutterstock.com

A total of $66 billion has been allocated for rail including $22 billion in Amtrak grants and $44 billion for items like intercity rail and the modernization of the Northeast Corridor.

"The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provides historic levels of investment for intercity passenger rail in this country and the start of a whole new era for improved and expanded Amtrak service," Anthony Coscia, Amtrak's chairman of the board, said in a statement.

An Amtrak train passes through Elizabeth train station Saturday, March 12, 2016, in Elizabeth, N.J., along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. AP Photo/Mel Evans

"The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provides historic levels of investment for intercity passenger rail in this country and the start of a whole new era for improved and expanded Amtrak service," Anthony Coscia, Amtrak's chairman of the board, said in a statement.

Amtrak has wasted no time telling Americans where it wants to expand service, with cities such as Nashville, Tennessee and Phoenix, Arizona potentially getting connections to the national network. And taking rail passengers on long-distance journeys across the country will be a newly upgraded fleet of familiar trains.

An Amtrak long-distance train. Shutterstock

Amtrak has wasted no time telling Americans where it wants to expand service, with cities such as Nashville, Tennessee and Phoenix, Arizona potentially getting connections to the national network. And taking rail passengers on long-distance journeys across the country will be a newly upgraded fleet of familiar trains.

Insider previewed the new cars over the summer at Amtrak's mid-continent hub at Chicago's Union Station. Here's what they're like onboard.

An Amtrak GE Genesis P42 locomotive. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Amtrak regulars won't immediately notice the difference when approaching their long-distance trains, and that's because the cars themselves haven't actually changed. Rather, it's only the interiors that are receiving an upgrade.

An Amtrak GE Genesis P42 locomotive. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Amtrak regulars won't immediately notice the difference when approaching their long-distance trains, and that's because the cars themselves haven't actually changed. Rather, it's only the interiors that are receiving an upgrade.

A total of $28 million is being spent to update its fleet of Superliner and Viewliner trains, in all classes of services, including coach class.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

While a small drop in the bucket compared to $66 billion, Amtrak travelers will immediately notice the difference between the old and new products. The tired blue cloth that has traversed the country more often than most is being replaced with modern leatherette.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

While a small drop in the bucket compared to $66 billion, Amtrak travelers will immediately notice the difference between the old and new products. The tired blue cloth that has traversed the country more often than most is being replaced with modern leatherette.

But travelers paying up to book the most exclusive and expensive accommodations onboard an Amtrak train will see the most improvements, starting in the sleeper cars.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Amtrak offers five types of bedrooms on Superliners including roomettes, bedrooms, bedroom suites, accessible bedrooms, and family bedrooms. Overall bedroom layouts will remain the same but will feature updates throughout.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Amtrak offers five types of bedrooms on Superliners including roomettes, bedrooms, bedroom suites, accessible bedrooms, and family bedrooms. Overall bedroom layouts will remain the same but will feature updates throughout.

The largest, bedrooms, are perhaps the most quintessential when thinking about long-distance Amtrak travel.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Inside each one are a large sofa and an armchair that can house two adults, despite having seating room for at least three. The blue cloth has been upgraded to gray leatherette cushioning.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Inside each one are a large sofa and an armchair that can house two adults, despite having seating room for at least three. The blue cloth has been upgraded to gray leatherette cushioning.

It's a sleek look for a centuries-old mode of transportation but emblematic of Amtrak's recent push to evolve with the times.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

These rooms can only sleep two, one on the sofa that can be made into a bed and the other on the top bunk directly above.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Most of the fixtures will remain as they are but updates can be found in the en-suite shower where single-use soap bottles are being replaced with dispensers.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

The refillable dispensers, Amtrak says, will help reduce the rail corporation's environmental footprint.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Roomettes are smaller alternatives that can similarly house two passengers, ideal for solo travelers or couples looking to save money while still having access to many of the perks that come with booking a room on Amtrak.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Roomettes are smaller alternatives that can similarly house two passengers, ideal for solo travelers or couples looking to save money while still having access to many of the perks that come with booking a room on Amtrak.

The two seats face each other and are divided by a table in the middle. There's not much space to walk around in the roomettes but the cost savings can be significant, especially for those that don't need a full bedroom.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

The two seats face each other and are divided by a table in the middle. There's not much space to walk around in the roomettes but the cost savings can be significant, especially for those that don't need a full bedroom.

Elsewhere on the train, a revamped dining car offering complements the onboard updates with the return of white tablecloth service and china.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Guests can take all three meals in the car with a renewed focus on high-quality meals, from french toast and omelets at breakfast to steak and salmon for dinner.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Communal dining will continue the tradition of sharing meals with fellow riders but those that prefer to dine alone can request their own table.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Meal costs are included in the price of a sleeper-car ticket, which can stretch into thousands of dollars depending on the route.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Coach class passengers can't currently dine in the elegant car but Amtrak is working on creating dining packages so they can enjoy a bit of the high life.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Guests can also choose to dine in their rooms instead of heading up to the dining car.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

It’s not the same white tablecloth service as in the dining car but Amtrak says the rooms are plenty comfortable to enjoy a meal. “We cater to each individual, it’s not a program,” Amtrak conductor David told Insider.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

It’s not the same white tablecloth service as in the dining car but Amtrak says the rooms are plenty comfortable to enjoy a meal. “We cater to each individual, it’s not a program,” Amtrak conductor David told Insider.

Separating the dining car from the coach class cars is the observation car, offering expansive views of the outside scenery.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Seats in this car are similarly being reupholstered with the new material while the layout is staying the same.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Passengers from any class can take a seat in the observation car on a first-come, first-serve basis. And directly below is the café where drinks and snacks can be purchased on-demand.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Passengers from any class can take a seat in the observation car on a first-come, first-serve basis. And directly below is the café where drinks and snacks can be purchased on-demand.

Coach class cars feature the bulk of the seating with two-seat pairs on both sides of the aisle.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Frequent Northeast Regional travelers will recognize the layout but the long-distance seats offer considerably more legroom. "This is like a 50-inch pitch on an airliner, Roger Harris, Amtrak's executive vice president and chief marketing and revenue officer, said.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Frequent Northeast Regional travelers will recognize the layout but the long-distance seats offer considerably more legroom. "This is like a 50-inch pitch on an airliner, Roger Harris, Amtrak's executive vice president and chief marketing and revenue officer, said.

And for groups traveling together, riders can even request an attendant swivel the seats to face each other.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

The seats don't lay flat but there's plenty of room to stretch out and leg rests help make the ride more comfortable, especially when it's time to sleep.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

And if there's no seat neighbor in a given row, the combined seat width is comparable to a double bed.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

The entire fleet of bi-level Superliners consisting of around 450 cars will be updated within the next two years. Amtrak debuted its first car over the summer immediately after the unveiling event in June.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

The entire fleet of bi-level Superliners consisting of around 450 cars will be updated within the next two years. Amtrak debuted its first car over the summer immediately after the unveiling event in June.

The downside for travelers is that they can't book onto a car that has the updated interiors, given the interchangeability of Amtrak's trains. It would be "truly impossible" to book specifically on a train with the new interior, Amtrak said.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

The downside for travelers is that they can't book onto a car that has the updated interiors, given the interchangeability of Amtrak's trains. It would be "truly impossible" to book specifically on a train with the new interior, Amtrak said.

"People will be looking forward to them," an Amtrak executive said, but added that cars aren't assigned to trains more than just a few days out. Even trains that feature the new interiors might still have a mixture of the old interior with the new.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

"People will be looking forward to them," an Amtrak executive said, but added that cars aren't assigned to trains more than just a few days out. Even trains that feature the new interiors might still have a mixture of the old interior with the new.

Amtrak's Viewliners, the smaller long-distance trains that pass through New York City, will receive the same upgrades. Though, the implementation may look a bit different given the smaller size.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Amtrak's Viewliners, the smaller long-distance trains that pass through New York City, will receive the same upgrades. Though, the implementation may look a bit different given the smaller size.

The improvements are among the many currently underway at Amtrak, almost all of which were implemented before President Joe Biden was elected to the presidency.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

New Acela trains on the Northeast Corridor are slated to debut in 2022 to provide a high-speed experience closer to what's currently found in Europe.

Amtrak's new Acela trainset. Amtrak

And in New York, Pennsylvania Station just opened a new train hall that primarily serves Amtrak trains.

New York City's new Moynihan Train Hall. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

Powering the updated cars will be the new ALC-42 Siemens Chargers locomotives, offering a 4,200-horsepower output allowing speeds up to 125 miles per hour.

An Amtrak ALC-42 Siemens Chargers. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Larger trains will be able to travel further while making fewer stops for fuel thanks to increases in head-end power and fuel capacity.

An Amtrak ALC-42 Siemens Chargers. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Amtrak awarded an $850 million contract for 75 locomotives to be delivered through 2024.

An Amtrak ALC-42 Siemens Chargers. Thomas Pallini/Insider

And now that Amtrak is expecting a monetary windfall, it won't be too long before the upgraded trains roll through more US cities.

Touring Amtrak's newly-upgraded Superliner train. Thomas Pallini/Insider

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Amtrak is getting a piece of $66 billion for rail from the infrastructure bill, but Amtrak is already debuting new trains that will take travelers across the US - see inside

Amtrak is on the verge of a new era as it will soon find itself flush with capital following the passage of a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill in Congress.

A total of $66 billion has been allocated for rail including $22 billion in Amtrak grants and $44 billion for items like intercity rail and the modernization of the Northeast Corridor.

"The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provides historic levels of investment for intercity passenger rail in this country and the start of a whole new era for improved and expanded Amtrak service," Anthony Coscia, Amtrak's chairman of the board, said in a statement.

Insider previewed the new cars over the summer at Amtrak's mid-continent hub at Chicago's Union Station. Here's what they're like onboard.

Amtrak regulars won't immediately notice the difference when approaching their long-distance trains, and that's because the cars themselves haven't actually changed. Rather, it's only the interiors that are receiving an upgrade.

A total of $28 million is being spent to update its fleet of Superliner and Viewliner trains, in all classes of services, including coach class.

While a small drop in the bucket compared to $66 billion, Amtrak travelers will immediately notice the difference between the old and new products. The tired blue cloth that has traversed the country more often than most is being replaced with modern leatherette.

But travelers paying up to book the most exclusive and expensive accommodations onboard an Amtrak train will see the most improvements, starting in the sleeper cars.

Amtrak offers five types of bedrooms on Superliners including roomettes, bedrooms, bedroom suites, accessible bedrooms, and family bedrooms. Overall bedroom layouts will remain the same but will feature updates throughout.

The largest, bedrooms, are perhaps the most quintessential when thinking about long-distance Amtrak travel.

Inside each one are a large sofa and an armchair that can house two adults, despite having seating room for at least three. The blue cloth has been upgraded to gray leatherette cushioning.

It's a sleek look for a centuries-old mode of transportation but emblematic of Amtrak's recent push to evolve with the times.

These rooms can only sleep two, one on the sofa that can be made into a bed and the other on the top bunk directly above.

Most of the fixtures will remain as they are but updates can be found in the en-suite shower where single-use soap bottles are being replaced with dispensers.

The refillable dispensers, Amtrak says, will help reduce the rail corporation's environmental footprint.

Roomettes are smaller alternatives that can similarly house two passengers, ideal for solo travelers or couples looking to save money while still having access to many of the perks that come with booking a room on Amtrak.

The two seats face each other and are divided by a table in the middle. There's not much space to walk around in the roomettes but the cost savings can be significant, especially for those that don't need a full bedroom.

Elsewhere on the train, a revamped dining car offering complements the onboard updates with the return of white tablecloth service and china.

Guests can take all three meals in the car with a renewed focus on high-quality meals, from french toast and omelets at breakfast to steak and salmon for dinner.

Communal dining will continue the tradition of sharing meals with fellow riders but those that prefer to dine alone can request their own table.

Meal costs are included in the price of a sleeper-car ticket, which can stretch into thousands of dollars depending on the route.

Coach class passengers can't currently dine in the elegant car but Amtrak is working on creating dining packages so they can enjoy a bit of the high life.

Guests can also choose to dine in their rooms instead of heading up to the dining car.

It’s not the same white tablecloth service as in the dining car but Amtrak says the rooms are plenty comfortable to enjoy a meal. “We cater to each individual, it’s not a program,” Amtrak conductor David told Insider.

Separating the dining car from the coach class cars is the observation car, offering expansive views of the outside scenery.

Seats in this car are similarly being reupholstered with the new material while the layout is staying the same.

Passengers from any class can take a seat in the observation car on a first-come, first-serve basis. And directly below is the café where drinks and snacks can be purchased on-demand.

Coach class cars feature the bulk of the seating with two-seat pairs on both sides of the aisle.

Frequent Northeast Regional travelers will recognize the layout but the long-distance seats offer considerably more legroom. "This is like a 50-inch pitch on an airliner, Roger Harris, Amtrak's executive vice president and chief marketing and revenue officer, said.

And for groups traveling together, riders can even request an attendant swivel the seats to face each other.

The seats don't lay flat but there's plenty of room to stretch out and leg rests help make the ride more comfortable, especially when it's time to sleep.

And if there's no seat neighbor in a given row, the combined seat width is comparable to a double bed.

The entire fleet of bi-level Superliners consisting of around 450 cars will be updated within the next two years. Amtrak debuted its first car over the summer immediately after the unveiling event in June.

The downside for travelers is that they can't book onto a car that has the updated interiors, given the interchangeability of Amtrak's trains. It would be "truly impossible" to book specifically on a train with the new interior, Amtrak said.

"People will be looking forward to them," an Amtrak executive said, but added that cars aren't assigned to trains more than just a few days out. Even trains that feature the new interiors might still have a mixture of the old interior with the new.

Amtrak's Viewliners, the smaller long-distance trains that pass through New York City, will receive the same upgrades. Though, the implementation may look a bit different given the smaller size.

The improvements are among the many currently underway at Amtrak, almost all of which were implemented before President Joe Biden was elected to the presidency.

New Acela trains on the Northeast Corridor are slated to debut in 2022 to provide a high-speed experience closer to what's currently found in Europe.

And in New York, Pennsylvania Station just opened a new train hall that primarily serves Amtrak trains.

Powering the updated cars will be the new ALC-42 Siemens Chargers locomotives, offering a 4,200-horsepower output allowing speeds up to 125 miles per hour.

Larger trains will be able to travel further while making fewer stops for fuel thanks to increases in head-end power and fuel capacity.

Amtrak awarded an $850 million contract for 75 locomotives to be delivered through 2024.

And now that Amtrak is expecting a monetary windfall, it won't be too long before the upgraded trains roll through more US cities.