By Shawn Gallagher
I passed by Amtrak’s new Acela train, the Avelia Liberty, at Boston South Station a couple of days ago. It seemed to be either finishing up a test run or having it moved up to Boston from elsewhere. Either way, it was the first time that I got to see the train up close.
It was very good looking in person, and I’m looking forward to riding these when they go in service as a frequent Amtrak traveler. Here are some of my thoughts about the new Acela train.
First Impressions
These new Acela trains are a breath of fresh air compared to the current, aging 1st gen Acela fleet. The modern design makes a cool presence.
The Acela logo is painted nicely on the locomotives.
All the passenger cars had window shades down, so there wasn’t much to see there. There’s one door per car, and First Class is at the end of the train.
These trains will have increased capacity compared to the current Acela fleet, carrying up to 386 passengers. It’s 11 cars total, with 9 of them being passenger cars. Amtrak has the option to add more cars in the future if demand allows.
These Avelia Liberty trains have been built based on the France TGV’s new train, the Avelia Horizon. They’ll have a top operating speed of 160mph, or 260kmh. The trains themselves can technically run at speeds up to 220mph or 350kmh, but we’re limited by the old infrastructure of the Northeast Corridor.
As a frequent Amtrak rider, I was thrilled to see these in person. I feel like photos don’t do it justice; it’s truly great to have a new, modern train running on the Northeast Corridor.
Related: Best Way From New York To Boston; Amtrak, Bus, Or Plane?
When Are They Entering Service?
The Avelia Liberty has been delayed several times due to several reasons, most notably being Alstom’s inability to meet North American requirements.
Earlier this year, however, the trains finally got approved by the Federal Railroad Administration and began testing all along the Northeast Corridor.
As of today (October 18th, 2024), they’re scheduled to enter service in the ladder months of 2024. Amtrak has kept quiet on these trains since the last update. This is pure speculation, but I do expect to see these in service soon, barring any major catastrophe. These trains have been in testing since January, and if all goes well, all that’s left is training for the engineers. It may not be in 2024, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see them in the first half of 2025.
I’ll definitely try to snag a First Class ticket when they enter service, so stay tuned!
All photos taken by the author.