68-1091: Metroliner or Metro Liner may refer to: Metroliner (train) , a former train service between New York and Washington, D.C. Budd Metroliner , rail coaches and cabs used on the Metroliner service above Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner , an aircraft MCW Metroliner , a British bus NABI 60-BRT , the buses developed for the Metro Liner bus rapid transit system in California See also [ edit ] [REDACTED] Search for "metroliner" or "metro-liner" on Misplaced Pages. Metro line (disambiguation) All pages with titles beginning with Metro Liner All pages with titles beginning with Metroliner All pages with titles containing Metro Liner All pages with titles containing Metroliner Metrolina (disambiguation) Liner (disambiguation) Metro (disambiguation) Topics referred to by
136-581: A cross-platform transfer to Turboliner service to Boston was offered at Penn Station. However, top speed was soon reduced again to 100 mph (160 km/h), making the Metroliners scarcely faster than conventional trains. Amtrak took over intercity passenger service from private operators on May 1, 1971. Although many trains were discontinued with the takeover, Metroliner service increased to 9 round trips. Schedules further increased to 12 round trips on an hourly schedule on November 14, 1971; one trip
204-476: A 54% share of the combined train and air market. The entire 457-mile (735 km) route from Boston to Washington takes between 6 hours, 38 minutes and 6 hours, 50 minutes, at an average speed of around 70 miles per hour (110 km/h). The present Acela Express equipment will be replaced by new Avelia Liberty trainsets, beginning in 2024. The new trains will have greater passenger capacity and an enhanced active tilt system that will allow higher speed on
272-720: A corresponding evening trip to serve regular commuters was not offered. The Downingtown trip was discontinued on October 25, 1991. Acela Express The Acela ( / ə ˈ s ɛ l ə / ə- SEL -ə ; originally the Acela Express until September 2019) is Amtrak 's flagship passenger train service along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) in the Northeastern United States between Washington, D.C. and Boston via 13 intermediate stops, including Baltimore , New York City and Philadelphia . Acela trains are
340-649: A limited 4 mi (6.4 km) stretch in New York State and rarely exceed 60 mph (97 km/h) at any time eastbound through Connecticut until reaching New Haven. In 1992, ConnDOT began plans to upgrade the catenary system and replace outdated bridges on the New Haven Line to enable the Acela to run slightly faster. As of May 2017 the catenary replacement and bridge work were under way and expected to be completed by mid-2018. On July 9, 2007, Amtrak introduced
408-477: A limited-stop round trip, with trains stopping only at Philadelphia between New York and Washington. This shortened the trip between the two cities to 2 hours 35 minutes, making the trip roughly an hour faster than some of the Northeast Regional train services. These trains were an experiment to find ways to expedite travel time on the Acela ; Amtrak has since dropped them. The dense population of
476-557: A request for proposals on 28 or more new model Acela trainsets, in a combined order with the California High-Speed Rail Authority . These bids were due May 17, 2014. After discussions with manufacturers, Amtrak and the California High Speed Rail Authority concluded their needs were too disparate for common rolling stock and decided not to pursue the joint option. Before the introduction of
544-431: A single daily round trip leaving New York in the morning and Washington in the afternoon. A second round trip on a corresponding reversed schedule was added on February 10. A non-stop round trip on a 2.5 hour schedule was added on April 2, 1969. However, problems with the cars persisted; maximum speeds temporarily dropped from 120 mph (190 km/h) to 110 mph (180 km/h) soon after. Despite difficulties,
612-473: Is burdened by sharp turns and grade crossings , the crossings being of special concern. Tilting enables passengers to ride more comfortably on curved sections of track faster than would otherwise be possible, by leaning into the bend. Acela trainsets use active tilting above 60 mph (97 km/h) on most of the system, but some segments of track in the Northeast Corridor are too close together for
680-414: Is designated as a quiet car, where passengers are asked to refrain from loud talking and phone conversations. Automatic sliding doors between cars reduce noise. Acela offers two classes of seating, Business Class and First Class. Unlike most other Amtrak trains, Business Class is the de facto standard class on Acela trains; there is no coach service. Acela maintenance is generally taken care of at
748-467: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Metroliner (train) The Metroliners were extra-fare high-speed trains between Washington, D.C. , and New York City which operated from 1969 to 2006. They were briefly first operated by Penn Central Transportation (successor to the Pennsylvania Railroad , which originally ordered
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#1732851235866816-454: The Clocker trains as Acela Commuter . The Acela Regional name was first applied to NortheastDirect trains 130–133 on January 31, 2000. Those trains were the first electrified trains to run on the full Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C., and Boston. As more trains were electrified, they too were rebranded. Following mass rider confusion between the three services, the branding
884-451: The Acela 's power-to-weight ratio being about 22.4 hp per tonne, compared to 30.8 hp for a SNCF TGV Reseau trainset. The Tier II crash standards, adopted in 1999, have also resulted in the passenger cars being designed without steps and trapdoors, which means that the trainsets can only serve lines with high-level platforms such as the Northeast Corridor. Acela trains are semi-permanently coupled (but not articulated as in
952-569: The Acela launch. Although this area contains the fastest current operating speeds (150 mph (241 km/h)), it also has the slowest section of the NEC: between New Rochelle, New York , and New Haven, Connecticut. This section is owned by Metro-North Railroad and the Connecticut Department of Transportation and is heavily used by commuter trains which limit the speed of the Acela . Amtrak's trains achieve 90 mph (145 km/h) only on
1020-901: The Acela 's top speed is 135 mph (217 km/h). One limiting factor is the overhead catenary support system which was constructed before 1935 and lacks the constant-tension features of the new catenary east of New Haven. The Pennsylvania Railroad ran Metroliner test trains in the late 1960s as fast as 164 mph (264 km/h) and briefly intended to run the Metroliner service at speeds reaching 150 mph (241 km/h). Certification testing for commercial operation at 160 mph (257 km/h) involving test runs at up to 165 mph (266 km/h) began between Trenton and New Brunswick in September 2012. Passenger operation at 150 mph (241 km/h) began in this region in late May 2022. The fastest schedule between New York and Washington, DC
1088-596: The COVID-19 pandemic . The first-generation Acela trainset is a unique set of vehicles designed specifically to satisfy governmental rolling stock requirements established primarily by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). This includes the ability to withstand a collision with a freight train at speed without collapsing. Most manufacturers that bid on the Acela were unable to meet the structural requirements, due to increased costs and complications for
1156-650: The ICE 1 train from Germany, organizing the ICE Train North America Tour which started to operate on the Northeast Corridor on July 3, 1993. With the testing of the trains from Europe complete, Amtrak was able to define a set of specifications for high-speed equipment and in October 1994, Amtrak requested bids from train manufacturers for a trainset that could reach 150 miles per hour (240 km/h). A consortium of Bombardier (75%) and GEC Alsthom (now Alstom ) (25%)
1224-736: The North River Tunnels causing lasting delays and reliability problems. In March 2020, all Acela trips were suspended as part of a round of service reduction in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States . Amtrak resumed Acela service on June 1, 2020. The production sets are formed as follows: The Acela Express trainset consists of two power cars, a Café car, a First Class car, and four Business Class cars, semi-permanently coupled together. It has fewer seats than its regional service counterparts. The First Class car has 44 seats, being three seats across (one on one side, two on
1292-490: The Northeast Regional service captured an 83% share of air/train commuters between New York and Washington in 2021, up from 37% in 2000. The Acela 's speed is limited by traffic and infrastructure on the route's northern half. On the 231-mile (372 km) section from Boston's South Station to New York's Penn Station, the fastest scheduled time is 3 hours and 30 minutes, or an average speed of 66 miles per hour (106 km/h). Along this section, Acela has captured
1360-524: The September 11 attacks , have made the Acela Express more competitive with the air shuttles . Due to this competition, Southwest Airlines canceled service between Washington and New York. Due to the high speed at which Acela trains bypass platforms of local stations, concerns have mounted in some communities over inadequate warnings and safeguards for passengers waiting for other trains, including that
1428-457: The overhead power supply along the 454-mile (731 km) route, and several grade crossings were improved or removed. Prior to 2000, all trains bound for Boston had to switch to diesel power at New Haven. A pilot trainset was completed by early 2000 and sent to Transportation Technology Center (TTC) for testing in June 2000. An inaugural VIP run of the Acela occurred on November 16, 2000, with
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#17328512358661496-579: The 1980s, the U.S. Federal Railroad Administration explored the possibilities of high-speed rail in the United States . On December 18, 1991, five potential high speed rail corridors were authorized, including the Northeast Corridor. In the early 1990s, Amtrak tested several different high-speed trains from Europe on the Northeast Corridor. An X 2000 train was leased from Sweden for test runs from October 1992 to January 1993, followed by revenue service between Washington, D.C., and New York City from February to May and August to September 1993. Siemens showed
1564-705: The Acela, there were several classes of trains on the Northeast Corridor: the express Metroliners , the Philadelphia-New York Clockers , Empire Service trains between New York City and Niagara Falls via the Empire Corridor , Keystone Service trains between New York City and to Harrisburg via the Keystone Corridor , and the umbrella term NortheastDirect , applied to other trains on
1632-676: The Ivy City facility in Washington, DC; Sunnyside Yard in Queens, New York ; or Southampton Street Yard in Boston. The Acela trainsets underwent minor refurbishments between mid-2009 and 2010 at Penn Coach Yard, next to 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania . These refurbishments included new blue leather seats throughout the trainset. In May 2018, Amtrak announced a 14-month program to refresh
1700-582: The Metroliner service. As of 2023, those trains have not been restored and the fastest travel time is now 2 hours 45 minutes with stops in Baltimore , Wilmington , Philadelphia , and Newark . Amtrak operated several other short-lived services under the Metroliner brand. On October 31, 1982, Amtrak added two New England Metroliner round trips between New York City and Boston, which ran with diesel locomotives north of New Haven. These were discontinued on April 28, 1984. The next day, an additional round trip
1768-474: The Northeast Corridor is 150 mph (240 km/h) on 49.9 miles (80.3 km) of the 457-mile (735 km) route, in four sections of track in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. The Acela achieves an average speed (including stops) of 90 mph (140 km/h) between Washington and New York, and an average speed of 66 mph (106 km/h) from New York to Boston. The average speed over
1836-740: The PRR decided on the "Metroliner" name for the vehicles and service, and announced that the trains would have higher fares than conventional service. The first cars were delivered in September 1967, but soon proved to have numerous electric issues. Start of service was delayed to January 1968, then postponed indefinitely in March 1968. The PRR folded into Penn Central on February 1, 1968. SEPTA refused its 11 Metroliners, intended for Philadelphia-Harrisburg service , in August; Penn Central eventually leased them, increasing its fleet to 61. In October 1968, testing proved that
1904-563: The Pennsylvania Railroad, Budd Company , General Electric and Westinghouse to develop an electric multiple unit high speed passenger train. An initial order of 50 Budd Metroliner cars was placed on May 6, 1966, with a target service date of October 1967. Service was to operate at 110 mph (180 km/h) with later increases to 150 mph (240 km/h), with hourly New York – Washington service and half-hourly New York – Philadelphia service. The Johnson Administration saw
1972-651: The TGV) and are referred to as trainsets. Bombardier later used the Acela carriage design and a diesel / gas turbine variant of the power car for its experimental JetTrain . On August 26, 2016, then-Vice President Joe Biden announced a $ 2.45 billion federal loan package to pay for new equipment for the Acela Express service, as well as upgrades to the NEC. The loans will finance 28 Avelia Liberty trainsets that will be built by Alstom in Hornell and Rochester, New York , and will replace
2040-500: The TGV, such as the third-generation TGV's traction system (including the four asynchronous AC motors per power car, rectifiers, inverters, and regenerative braking), the trucks/bogies structure (a long-wheelbase dual transom H frame welded steel with outboard mounted tapered roller bearings), the brake discs (although there are only three per axle, versus four on the TGV), and crash energy management techniques to control structural deformation in
2108-512: The VIP train being led by power car number 2020 with no. 2009 at the opposite end, followed by the first revenue run on December 11, 2000, a few months after the intended date. Amtrak's original contract with the Bombardier-Alstom consortium was for the delivery of 20 trainsets (six coaches each, with power cars at front and rear) for $ 800 million. By 2004, Amtrak had settled contract disputes with
Metroliner - Misplaced Pages Continue
2176-485: The brackets that connected truck ( bogie ) dampers (shocks) to the powerunit carbodies ("yaw dampers") were found to be cracking. The Acela returned to service when a program of frequent inspections was instituted. The damper brackets have since been redesigned and old brackets replaced by the newer design. On April 15, 2005, the Acela was removed from service when cracks were found in the disc brakes of many passenger coaches. The Bombardier-Alstom consortium replaced
2244-493: The cars could operate the desired sub-3-hour trip time, and substation modifications by Westinghouse increased electrical reliability. Penn Central and Budd reached a settlement on their legal fight in November; on December 20, Penn Central announced that service would begin on January 16, 1969. A Washington-New York round trip for VIPs was operated on January 15, 1969. Metroliner service finally started on January 16, 1969, with
2312-614: The cars to General Electric for rebuilding. A GG1/Amfleet set covered one Metroliner round trip on a slower schedule. In 1982, Amtrak finished replacing the Budd Metroliner cars, which had developed problems with their motors limiting their speed, with trains powered by the Swedish-developed AEM-7 locomotives pulling Amfleet coaches. Maximum speed of locomotive-hauled Metroliner s increased to 120 mph (190 km/h) in 1982 and 125 mph (200 km/h) in 1985. In
2380-418: The cars to safely tilt while maintaining FRA minimum space between trains on parallel tracks. Metro-North Railroad restricts tilting on the segment of track north of New York which it owns. The system was originally designed for a 6.8° tilt, but the cars were redesigned 4 in (102 mm) wider to accommodate wider seats and aisles that reduced allowable tilt to 4.2° to fit within the clearance constraints of
2448-403: The consortium, paying a total of $ 1.2 billion for the 20 trainsets plus 15 extra high-speed locomotives and the construction of maintenance facilities in Boston, New York, and Washington. By 2005, Amtrak's share of the common-carrier market between New York and Boston had reached 40%, from 18% pre- Acela . With the increasing popularity of the faster, modern Acela Express , Metroliner service
2516-593: The corridor (in addition to unique names assigned to many departures). The Acela name was announced on March 9, 1999, as a part of the original announcement of the service itself. The branding team based the name " Acela " on the ideas of acceleration and excellence. At the same time, Amtrak launched what it called the Capstone Program, a short-lived plan to rebrand the NortheastDirect , Keystone Service and Empire Service trains as Acela Regional and
2584-437: The current fleet was to be retired. Trains are now expected to enter passenger service in 2024. Although the first-generation Acela Express trainsets were designed with a top speed of 165 mph (266 km/h) and the second-generation Avelia Liberty trainsets will be designed to reach 220 mph (354 km/h), the existing infrastructure of the Northeast Corridor significantly limits speeds. The maximum speed limit on
2652-491: The discs under warranty. Limited service resumed in July 2005, as a portion of the fleet operated with new brake discs. Metroliner trains, which the Acela Express was intended to replace, filled in during the outage. Amtrak announced on September 21, 2005, that all 20 trainsets had been returned to full operation. In October 2012, Acela service was cancelled immediately before, during, and after Hurricane Sandy , which damaged
2720-466: The entire route is 70.3 mph (113 km/h). Speeds are limited by the route the corridor takes through urban areas, and there are several speed restrictions below 60–80 mph (97–129 km/h) over bridges or through tunnels that are over a century old. Altogether, Amtrak has identified 224 bridges along Acela 's route that are beyond their design life. South of the Delaware River,
2788-550: The equipment), then by Amtrak for 35 years. Service originally ran with Budd Metroliners , self-powered electric multiple unit cars designed for high-speed service. These proved unreliable and were replaced with locomotive-hauled trains in the 1980s. The trains had reserved business-class and first-class seating. The fastest trips between New York Penn Station and Washington Union Station were scheduled for 2.5 hours, though some midday trains around 1980 had schedules as long as 4 hours. Amtrak replaced Metroliner service with
Metroliner - Misplaced Pages Continue
2856-464: The event of an accident. The tilting carriages are based upon Bombardier's earlier LRC trains used on Via Rail rather than the TGV's non-tilting articulated trailers. Acela power cars and passenger cars are much heavier than those of the TGV in order to meet the FRA's crash standards. French and Canadian crews testing the Acela referred to it as "the pig" due to its weight. The extra weight leads to
2924-600: The existing fleet of twenty Acela trainsets. The fleet expansion will allow for hourly New York-Boston service all day and half-hourly New York-Washington service at peak hours. The new trainsets will be longer, have 386 seats compared to 304 on Acela Express (a 27% increase) and will feature active tilt technology that will initially allow service to operate at 160 mph (260 km/h) and would allow for 186 miles per hour (299 km/h) service if proposed infrastructure improvements are completed. The new trains were expected to be phased in between 2021 and 2022, after which
2992-421: The existing tracks. Traveling at higher than 135 mph (217 km/h) also requires constant-tension catenary, which is only implemented on the more modern catenary system north of New York City. South of New York City, the trains are restricted to 135 mph (217 km/h). By comparison, the Northeast Regional and the now-defunct Metroliner service reached 125 mph (201 km/h). Acela service
3060-537: The fastest in the Americas , reaching 150 miles per hour (240 km/h) (qualifying as high-speed rail ), but only over 49.9 miles (80.3 km) of the 457-mile (735 km) route. Acela carried more than 2.9 million passengers in fiscal year 2023, second only to the slower and less expensive Northeast Regional , which had over 9 million passengers. Ridership is down from the pre-Covid-19 pandemic high of 3,557,455 passengers in 2019. Its 2016 revenue of $ 585 million
3128-452: The high-speed Acela Express , which runs up to 150 mph (240 km/h) in revenue service. The first Acela Express trains ran in 2000, but due to equipment difficulties at the time they did not fully replace the Metroliners until 2006. The High Speed Ground Transportation Act of 1965 started a U.S. Government effort to develop a high speed train for Northeast Corridor service. The U.S. Department of Transportation worked with
3196-762: The manufacture of the trains, and the need for manufacturers to make significant engineering changes to their standard designs. In the end, only three qualified bidders remained: ABB (Swedish-Swiss manufacturer of the X 2000 train), Siemens (manufacturer of the German ICE ), and a consortium of Bombardier (manufacturer of the LRC trains) and Alstom (manufacturer of the French TGV ). The design, using identical 6,200 horsepower (4,600 kW) power cars at each end which operate on voltages of 12 kV, 12.5 kV, and 25 kV AC , and either 25 or 60 Hz frequency, derives several components from
3264-488: The many curved sections of the route. Following the success of Japan's newly inaugurated Shinkansen network, the High Speed Ground Transportation Act of 1965 authorized the U.S. government to explore the creation of high-speed rail, which resulted in the introduction of the higher-speed Metroliner trains between Washington, D.C. , and New York City in 1969, the predecessor to Acela . During
3332-480: The new service as political capital and pushed for an aggressive schedule. The new cars were primarily intended for high-level platforms for faster boarding; the PRR constructed high-level island platforms at Wilmington , Baltimore , and Washington, D.C. in 1967 and 1968. On June 13, 1967, the PRR announced plans for a suburban New Jersey station directly off the Garden State Parkway . The same month,
3400-492: The northeastern United States makes the Northeast Corridor the most heavily traveled portion of the American passenger rail system. Two-thirds of rail passengers in the United States live in or near New York City , also home to the nation's busiest passenger rail station, Penn Station . In order to compete with airliners , Amtrak needed to increase the speed of trains in the region. The former Shore Line from New Haven to Boston
3468-449: The number of Metroliner trains declined to one round trip each weekday, which was finally discontinued on October 27, 2006. The current Northeast Regional service matches the top speed of Metroliner service, but makes more stops and does not offer first class seating. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic , Amtrak ran one non-stop Acela train each way on weekdays with a travel time of 2 hours and 33 (or 35 southbound) minutes, comparable to
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#17328512358663536-419: The other side), four-seat tables and assigned seating. There are 260 Business Class seats on each trainset; these cars have four seats across (two on each side), four-seat tables, and assigned seating. Baggage may be stowed in overhead compartments or underneath seats. Trains are wheelchair- accessible . Each car has one or two toilets, with one being ADA compliant. The Business Class car adjacent to First Class
3604-537: The remainder projected in 2024. This section of track holds the record for the highest speed by a train in the US, which is 170.8 mph (274.9 km/h), achieved in a test run by the U.S./Canada-built UAC TurboTrain on December 20, 1967. North of New York City, Amtrak upgraded the track along the Connecticut shoreline east of New Haven to allow maximum speeds in excess of 110 mph (177 km/h), in preparation for
3672-416: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Metroliner . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Metroliner&oldid=998587011 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
3740-437: The service proved overwhelmingly popular and fairly reliable, with 90% on-time performance by May 1. Penn Central added a computerized ticketing system in August 1969, and doubled service to six daily round trips on October 27. On March 16, 1970, Capital Beltway station opened to serve the Metroliners , and all trips were scheduled for under three hours. A seventh round trip was added that August. Beginning on February 1, 1971,
3808-403: The six months following October 29, 1990, the morning nonstop express trains were scheduled to cover the distance between Washington and New York in two hours and thirty minutes, an average speed from start to arrival of better than 90 miles per hour. Amtrak expanded Metroliner service when problems developed with Acela Express braking systems during 2002 and 2005. As trainsets were repaired,
3876-493: The tilt mechanism is not the factor enabling higher speeds. Following repairs, the first Acela service began on December 11, 2000, a year behind schedule. Acela travels between Boston and New York in about three and a half hours (an improvement of half an hour); New York to Washington runs take a minimum of two hours and forty-five minutes. These schedules, as well as the relative convenience of direct downtown-to-downtown rail service as opposed to air travel, especially after
3944-503: The train to travel at higher speeds on the sharply curved NEC without disturbing passengers. The high-speed operation occurs mostly along the 226-mile (364 km) route from Pennsylvania Station in New York City to Union Station in Washington, D.C., with a fastest scheduled time of 2 hours and 45 minutes and an average speed of 82 miles per hour (132 km/h), including time spent at intermediate stops. Over this route, Acela and
4012-443: The trainsets from a 1-6-1 configuration to 1-8-1 (power car—passenger cars—power car). The longer trainsets would have required the modifications of the Acela maintenance facilities in Boston, New York and Washington. The first of the stretched trainsets was to have entered service in fiscal year 2014. This plan was cancelled in 2012 in favor of replacing, rather than refurbishing, the Acela fleet. In January 2014, Amtrak issued
4080-521: The two-foot wide yellow platform markings may not keep people at a safe distance. At Kingston station in Rhode Island and Mansfield station in Massachusetts, Acela trains pass by at 150 mph (241 km/h). Suggestions include platform safety barriers , or use of different announcements for approaching Acela trains versus slower ones. In August 2002, shortly after their introduction, Acela trainsets were briefly removed from service when
4148-428: Was 2 hours, 45 minutes in 2012. $ 450 million was allotted by President Barack Obama 's administration to replace catenary and upgrade signals between Trenton and New Brunswick , which will allow speeds of 160 mph (257 km/h) over a 23 mi (37 km) stretch. The improvements were scheduled to be completed in 2016, but have been delayed; the project was partially completed in late May 2022, with
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#17328512358664216-464: Was 25% of Amtrak's total. Acela operates along routes that are used by freight and slower regional passenger traffic, and reaches the maximum allowed speed of the tracks only along some sections, with the fastest peak speed along segments between Mansfield, Massachusetts , and Richmond, Rhode Island , and South Brunswick and Trenton, New Jersey. Acela trains use active tilting technology, which helps control lateral centrifugal force , allowing
4284-537: Was added to the Los Angeles – San Diego corridor , supplementing the San Diegan . Branded as Metroliner , it made only two intermediate stops, cutting 15 minutes from the normal San Diegan schedule. The trip was discontinued on April 28, 1985. On October 29, 1989, Amtrak introduced a single one-way morning Metroliner trip from Downingtown, Pennsylvania , to Washington. The trip largely served Amtrak employees, as
4352-559: Was extended to New Haven, Connecticut (then the northern limit of electrification). Two more round trips were added on May 1, 1972, and the all-time maximum of 15 round trips was reached on October 28, 1973. Although initially promising, the Budd Metroliners proved unreliable; by January 1978, GG1 and E60 locomotives hauling conventional Amfleet coaches (whose design was based on the Metroliner ) had better on-time percentages than Metroliners . In March 1978, Amtrak began sending
4420-433: Was originally expected to begin in late 1999 but was delayed. The catenary system could not support the intended speeds between Washington DC and New York City, but the newer system between New York City and Boston allows the higher speeds. Attention was drawn to the decreased 4.2° tilt, but this was not the root of the speed problem, as the tracks from New York to Boston are similar to those between New York and Washington, and
4488-556: Was phased out in late 2006. To meet the demand, more Acela services were added in September 2005. By August 2008 crowding had become noticeable. By 2011, the Acela fleet had reached half of its designed service life. Amtrak proposed several replacement options, including one as part of its A Vision for High-Speed Rail in the Northeast Corridor . In 2011, Amtrak announced that forty new Acela coaches would be ordered in 2012 to increase capacity on existing trainsets. The existing trains would have received two more coaches, lengthening
4556-476: Was removed from the lower-speed Acela Regional and Acela Commuter trains in 2003. On September 23, 2019, Amtrak shortened the name of the service from Acela Express to simply Acela . At the same time, Amtrak introduced the Acela Nonstop , a direct train from Washington, D.C., to New York's Penn Station. The nonstop service was temporarily suspended as of March 10, 2020, due to low ridership caused by
4624-407: Was selected in March 1996. On March 9, 1999, Amtrak unveiled its plan for the Acela Express, a high-speed train on the Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C., and Boston. Several changes were made to the corridor to make it suitable for higher-speed electric trains. The Northend Electrification Project extended existing electrification from New Haven, Connecticut , to Boston to complete
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