TRANSPORTATION

Testing difficulties delay launch of faster Acela trains, Amtrak says

The new trains are now slated to enter service in 2024.

By Luz Lazo
May 27, 2023 at 6:00 a.m. EDT

Amtrak’s plan to roll out higher-speed trains in the Northeast Corridor this year has been derailed amid complications in completing testing of the new train sets along the route’s decrepit infrastructure.

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New Acela trains scheduled to debut this fall need more analysis to ensure they can safely operate on the curvy and aging tracks between Washington and Boston, railroad officials said, saying the new trains are now slated to enter service in 2024, at least three years behind schedule.

The 28 Avelia Liberty high-speed trains, which will replace Amtrak’s existing Acela fleet, are part of a $2.5 billion investment supporting upgrades to passenger service through the nation’s busiest rail stations. The trains will come with improved safety, reliability, rider comfort and capacity, railroad officials said.

But their delivery has been snarled by multiple delays, including some stemming from unforeseen complexities in testing and computer simulation processes required by the Federal Railroad Administration. Amtrak and train manufacturer Alstom have cited some compatibility hiccups between the high-tech train, modeled after those in operation across Europe, and infrastructure that dates back 190 years in some areas.

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Alstom workers install underframe fairings to an Amtrak Acela train at the Alstom production facility in Hornell, N.Y. (Heather Ainsworth for The Washington Post)

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By Luz Lazo
Luz Lazo is a transportation reporter at The Washington Post covering passenger and freight transportation, buses, taxis and ride-sharing services. She also writes about traffic, road infrastructure and air travel in the Washington region and beyond. She joined The Post in 2011. Twitter https://twitter.com/luzcita