Amtrak’s closest thing to a bullet train is getting new rolling stock, set to debut in 2021. The Acela trains, which run between Boston and Washington, DC, will make their runs only a little faster, but significantly more comfortably.
Unlike Japan’s Shinkansen and France’s TGV trains, Acela doesn’t have custom-built lines, which limits its speed. The new trains will be able to hit 160 mph, up 10 mph faster than the old ones, but well below the 200 mph speeds of Japan and others. And, that speed can only be achieved on part of the route, which is also shared with conventional trains and freight.
But the new trains, being built in Hornell, NY by French manufacturer Alstom, will enhanced baggage space, more information panels, ADA-compliant WCs in all cars, gap-fillers to match platforms and—a nice touch—seatback handles to steady passengers walking down the aisle. Old-timers may remember that feature from pre-Amtrak trains on the Pennsylvania and Baltimore & Ohio railroads.
