yeah, Connecticut has got to be the worst a slow point on the NEC.... Anyone know why the route selected was so windy in contrast to the super straight Rhode Island and Boston section which I believe actually pre-date the CT section? I can understand that it was to possibly serve coastal towns and keep the track flat... but all of these sections were meant for passenger service to connect Boston to NY to compete with the steam-boats, and trains could still move relatively quick in the late 1800s, and looking at the map those tracks just seem almost unnecessarily windy in CT at a lot of points.
@@MSNWindows7 I agree! The tracks are fine for freight and local commuter service but for long haul faster high speed service they suck. Amtrak would like to build a straight high speed line that cuts right through Connecticut but it’s all about funding and silencing the nimbys
They can modernize the trains all they want. Amtrak needs to invest in exclusive trackage for any kind of improvement. Most lines, outside of the Northeast Corridor, are sharing freight trackage. And freight gets priority. As it is right now there are spots where it takes an Amtrak train 2 hours to go 70 miles.
I said it before, I’ll say it again you can polish a turd but it’s still a turd, until class 1 railroad’s play nice and allow Amtrak priority on their rail lines which they’ll never do or be forced to they’ll still suffer even with nice, new equipment
Track infrastructure, Amtrak not owning the lines outside of the Northeast Corridor (thus causing them to share space with freight rails) and most importantly Congress's refusal to properly budget Amtrak as a vital part of the nation's transportation system (as they do in all the other countries that have high-speed rail) since the 1980's(!) has crippled their ability to truly make Amtrak flourish.... I'm old enough to have seen these ongoing battles. At least now the modernization plan truly seems to be taking off. Thanks for the great, detailed video!!
Amtrak should outright buy the lines off the freight companies. Not sure what the freights usually deliver but surely they're on average not as time-critical as passenger services. Brightline (and the ones Amtrak directly own like the NE Corridor) works because of their outright ownership of the tracks. Same with why directly-owned network such as the former national/now-privatized Japan Railways works well - they outright own the tracks, and has control and priority of scheduling and can do maintenance in a timely manner without having to wait or spend too much time to come to an agreement with another party. Compare that to Melbourne, Australia or the majority of the UK where separation of ownership (the operator being different to the track owner without a common overseer/authority) created a lack of unaccountability, extra trouble in coordinating repairs, deterioration of services etc.
@@HenryMidfields The issue is that, from the current economy's perspective, the lines are more valuable as freight than passenger. Freight has continued to boom, whereas passenger rail would probably take a while to come back. And in many places it would be very expensive to run duplicate lines, if the land could even be acquired at all. So we're probably stuck with terrible train service outside of the northeast forever.
Its kinda sarcastic that he put a DB (German Railway) Train when he said that and actually the DB is the worst Railway Company in Western Europe by far.
Amtrak should really should launch a new series of “one-nighters” similar to that of the Auto Train. Get on late afternoon, have dinner, wake up, and you are at your destination.
This would make their service so much more usable. I live in san francisco but have family in socal. Driving is a nightmare. Just last night during heavy rain it took me 7 hours to travel back south. Saw five rolled cars. I just want to get on a train sleep and wake up in so cal.
Living in Latvia, pop. 2kk, seeing the variety of US trains is fascinafing. We have 1 national rail service with basically 1 type of electric (most routes) and 1 diesel train (for non-electrified long distance). Both same paint scheme. Neither have separate cabins anymore, though around 20 years ago we had those too, all wood lining, such a vibe.
@@patrick_test123No, rail baltica is still under construction, that’s meant to unite the Baltics to rest of the EU. I think that you migth be thinking about Lithuania, that borders Poland and has such connection allready, to some degree. And the trains to and from Russia have been stopped, in all three of the countries.
This was quite an interesting video. I’m honestly very glad that the Avelia Liberty trains were delayed a year. I hope that gives me enough time to ride the current Acela one first and final time
Great video on Amtrak's future! This is a great way to explain what Amtrak has planned to everyone. As a Long Island railfan, that unofficial rendering of a LIRR ALC42 is *cursed.* (and may be rendered obsolete since the LIRR is considering converting existing M7s and M9s to run on the diesel routes via battery power.)
On that last point, I can see your point! In fact, the LIRR's order of dual-mode Chargers is really just an option attached to Metro-North's order! For information about the possible dual-modes: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siemens_Charger#Metropolitan_Transportation_Authority For information about the conversions: new.mta.info/press-release/lirr-test-electric-railcars-oyster-bay-branch?
@@algrayson8965 Electrification was originally done in the 1910’s for freight lines. When much more powerful Diesels came about, the companies switched. To be fair, that happened everywhere. In Europe as well. Re-electrification took place in Europe after WW2, when US and Canadian money for infrastructure repair in Europe (the New Deal) flowed like water. Also, lines aren’t converted to Diesel. Diesel can run anywhere. The death of passenger companies, cleaner Diesel emissions, and freight line mergers killed the sporadic electrification that was done.
1) Until we commit to building a dedicated, high-speed track capable of 320kph/200mph, the promise of true, European-style high-speed rail will never be met. Western Europe, nations not as wealthy as us, manage to do it no problem, and the people who ride those trains absolutely love them. They make getting around from city to city, spaced apart with about the same density as our NE corridor, very quick and easy. 2) We need to electrify all rail lines up and down the East Coast, and all commuter and regional lines serving major city hubs. This will do a great deal to cut down on diesel emissions, the dirtiest emissions this side of coal. 3) The long-distance sleeper trains, both eastern and western (but especially the western) REALLY need their interiors seriously updated. The seats are small and cramped, the beads are narrow, short, and hard, there is a real lack of power outlets (both 120 ac, and USB), there is no train-supplied Wi-Fi, and the food service has absolutely tanked (it went from being cooked fresh in the downstairs galley kitchen with fresh ingredients to being bad airline food heated up by Chef Mike. I love train travel, it is my favorite way to go but, AmTrak has, unfortunately, sunken down in quality to being like flying coach on a third-rate airline or, (shudder), dare I say it, traveling on Grayhound).
That is not going to change. The size of the suburbs and low density population in such a missive scale is just not possible to connect by rail. However, regional light rail will help a bit like here in Seattle but again this is a very small percent of all trips made as the majority will always be by car. With electric cars and new highways being built all over the USA the future is car focused with a shift to electric cars, with the addition of regional light rail and some rail improvements with key major pieces like the Japanese Shinkansen in Taxes project which will be very cool to see take shape in the next year.
problem is Europe is only slightly bigger than the United States and that is many countries and rail companies building the high speed rail network. It's a huge cost for 1 company here in the US to build a high speed rail network across every state and city. Look at the original railroad lines; it took them years and years to finish it, granted it was all by hand but it's a huge task
@@jdday1757 Yeah, I agree, hence why I said "almost as bad." Greyhound is an effing nightmare: dirty, gungy stations, half broken-down busses, uncomfortable, cramped seating, and the worst part of it all, the riders. Ugh!
This is a great recap of just about everything! Although, I feel like you should have mentioned Amtrak's "Amtrak Connects us" map proposal for new corridors implemented by 2035.
Amtrak's goal of establishing new corridor routes by 2035 is still a VERY long shot. The backlash resulting from President Biden's hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan threatens to derail both infrastructure bills now pending before Congress. Just when, after far too many years of inaction, the U.S.is FINALLY about to pass and sign into law the most comprehensive infrastructure legislation since the late 1930s, when then-president Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed The New Deal legislation, we may once again END UP WITH NOTING! All of Amtrak's expansion plans depend on the passage of these two bills. We may once again see our infrastructure snatched from the jaws of victory by this debacle of yet another failed overseas war, It seems the U.S. is incapable of getting its act together, not even for the briefest moment! What a shame if all this progressive legislation is tossed out the window just because Biden's approval rating has now sunk below 50%! If this happens, Amtrak itself may not have much of a future. Bad as this would be, it' would be as nothing compared to the possibility that our very system of government may be replaced in 2022 or 2024 by an autocratic right-wing form of government more along the lines of Hungary's dictatorial ruler Viktor Orbán or Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
@@joscallinet6260 The bipartisan infrastructure bill was never at risk, and the delay had nothing to do with Afghanistan. Progressives delayed it because they wanted to make sure moderates don't rescind their support for the reconciliation bill.
I really like that the Siemens Venture cars are the replacement of the Amfleets on the NEC! If an ACS-64 and Venture cars and cab car are in one consist then it’s an Amtrak Railjet (ACS-64 based off the Siemens Eurosprinter, Venture cars based off the Siemens Viaggio Comfort which the Austrian Railjet uses both the Siemens Eurosprinter and Siemens Viaggio Comfort). Looking forward to seeing Siemens Ventures on the NEC as well as the new ALC-42 Chargers and Avelia Liberty!
@@uncinarynin, at least you Yanks have HSR (albeit in one corridor): here in Canada, all that we have to look forward to is new Siemens Charger loco and new cars, but still no HSR between cities, as shown in these two humorous videos by comedian Rick Mercer: ua-cam.com/video/uU3Q3A1GPd4/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/W32klYkTxCQ/v-deo.html
@@uncinarynin , even so, the United States achieving HSR (even if it is in *_one_* corridor) is better than having no HSR at all (as is now the case here in Canada.)
De Lirium, as much as I support HSR, don't get your hopes up about there being (for example) a HSR route/line between Seattle and Los Angeles that will take only four hours; corridor routes may all that can be accomplished (unless maglevs are built.) Be _realistic_ (remember that word?) about said goals.
Interesting, and great channel you've made. As a pre-pandemic daily Amtrak rider (the Capitol Corridor between Davis and Berkeley, CA), now a weekly rider, this one is especially interesting.
I beg to differ with your assessment that people take trains only because they have to and they it faster to drive. We take Amtrak from west-central Illinois to downtown Chicago several times a year and love it (Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg). We are in downtown Chicago in a little over two hours and, best of all, NO PARKING.
I remember on my first trip to PA in July 2021, when leaving 30 St. Station in Philly, I caught a glimpse of the Avelia Liberty trainset in the yard. I was so excited!
It doesn't take "twice as long" to travel by train than by car. Houston to New Orleans on Amtrak takes 8 hours. Driving by car takes 7 hours. It's often much longer if there are wrecks on the interstate or road construction.
Well twice as long depends on where you live or what 2 destination points your comparing. The timetable for amtrak from Pittsburgh to Washington DC is I believe 7.5 hours. That's That's drive that can be done in 4 depending on traffic. Even in really bad traffic you'd still beat the train
@@jdday1757 Problem is that you have to get to the station I live in NYC and would take at least over an hour to get to the station and at least another hour from destination to final point.
USA needs to fix their railways. Stations need to be developed as commercial spaces for revenue generation. Otherwise the system will quickly fall into losses. Connect them with airports, integrate them with bus routes and rent out the space for rental cars and taxis
I think one thing that Amtrak is really missing is open-section sleeping cars. I'd like to travel long distance on Amtrak, but I prefer a bed to sleep on and don't want to pay for a whole room.
Agreed. Amtrak private accommodations are obscenely expensive, especially if you are traveling alone and cannot share the cost. I very much like Japan’s options in this regard.
@@DeanStephen Perhaps it's time to re-invent the sleeper car. In the '40's they were wonderful (yep I'm an old guy) I'm sure with some wonderful engineering they could be again
I loved the Brightline. One of the poshest trains I had ever rode on. I rode in the first class part only because it wasn’t that expensive. Now this year, 2021, I rode first class from Philly to Baltimore in first class on Acela merely to try Acela. After a steep $600 ticket price, I was thoroughly impressed more with Acela on everything except the price tag. I hope Amtrak continues to makes massive improvements to their fleet and eventually adds more lines towards the west. I doubt the west expansion will happen given they lose tons of money from those, but just imagine if Amtrak could lead the way into a European system of travel where moving from one part of the country to the other was virtually seamless, smooth, and accessible to all in the same way it is to travel from France to Germany, or even like how convenient it is to move from one part of Japan to another.
Amtrak from KC to ORD is the same as driving time, more or less, when you take into account that Amtrak drops you off in the heart of Chicago. Also, you should check out the overnight train from Almaty to Nur-Sultan(Astana) in Kazakhstan. It's on conventional "Russian" rail gauge but since it's a leaning Talgo (the locals call it the Spanish Train) it tops out at about 90 mph. You can leave Almaty in the evening, enjoy a meal in the dining car, and then sleep and wake up in Nur-Sultan the next morning. It's a fantastic 600 mile trip and a great train.
Perhaps Amtrak would be more profitable west of Chicago if they ran more than 2 trains per day per line and didn't make their own bus services compete for ridership :/ Not to mention that it's a public good, it doesn't need to be profitable, it needs to be adequate, which it also fails at.
Seeing more people and businesses taking interest in the modernization and and continuation of risk infrastructure makes me so happy. I really think this country is going in a great direction for transit infrastructure in general.
I admit I was amazed in I think it was either 2017 or 2018 when I took the Acela from Boston to Philly even on a Sunday morning it was full the whole way. Going up to Boston on a Thursday was full too. It was drive, fly, or Acela. Didn't want to drive and felt no desire for a TSA rectal exam at PHL. Trains also have actual leg room, Unlike a discount airline who thinks every person is the size of an Olympic gymnast.
Excellent video! Kudos on the great research, thorough explanation, and very logical division into compact chapters. Definitely interesting to see those HHP-8s stored at the Wilmington, DE shops. Will be interesting to see the original Acelas stored there (at least for some time), too. Look forward to more great videos!
With the push towards climate change, its more important than ever to expand the passenger train system in the US and Canada and provide electrification. Not just push people over to electric cars. This needs to be an all encompassing approach. If we have affordable and efficient train service in the US we can cut back on reliance on planes atleast for local in country travel.
@@amtrak_121 Most customers aren't interested in the heritage. They want modern comfortable trains and let's face it, if an average person looks at an average Amtrak train, it doesn't look appealing. If trains are to become a relevant transportation mode in the US, they can't look as if they're from 70's. Sadly, due to the lack of investment into Amtrak, there isn't much of an contemporary train design that would be uniquely American. On top of that, you need certain aerodynamic feature for effective operations at high speeds, which limits what can be done in terms of design (it's no coincidence that most high speed trains in the world look somewhat similar to each other).
My dad has always loved trains. He has model train sets and has always had books on trains around the house, and built my sisters and I a powered model train track on a 4x8 plywood sheet when we were kids. I guess I don't think about it enough, how funny it is that I didn't really pick up on his love for trains as a kid (I'm more of a general science, physics, and tech lover). And yet, as a man, I became a welder, out of necessity for the paycheck, and now work for Siemens Mobility, welding and building coach train cars. I even personally helped build the first Cab cars, which are passenger cars built to look like engines! I'm now genuinely in love with rail technology. I'm a big history buff too, so rolling stock is an immense realm of facts and information that I didn't pay enough attention to as a kid, and now there's so much to learn about, from the history of how rail helped form the U.S. and make it the superpower it is, and all of the new designs and technology going into current and future trainsets! We'll be building some new style cab cars as well, such as those battery powered ones and some others.
20 year old train is old? Here in Germany, the intercity trains mostly are from the 70s and 80s, but get modernized every once in a while. Still comfortable and going 125mph.
Der ICE 1 wird nochmal für mindestens 10 Jahre flott gemacht, kein Problem. Der erste shinkasen war gut 50 Jahre im Dienst. Der Ami Schlitten hat einfach nicht die nötige Qualität
One major (operational) issue Amtrak has is its feuds with the Class I railroads. Freight rail is required by law to give track priority to Amtrak, yet they still do not do this, because it’s completely unenforced. Amtrak is forbidden from suing the Class Is over delays, and the Department of Justice doesn’t care enough to actually enforce this law.
Everything you said here is exactly on point, unless that changes despite Amtrak upgrading their fleet the same thing will continue to bog them down on their full potential
Just wanna throw one thing out there about the Brightline: That thing hits cars and people almost daily. The red Brightline is in service to replace locomotives that have been pulled for repairs after a strike, and it's almost constantly in use. High-speed rail is a necessity, but people severely underestimate the difference between high speed trains like the brightline compared to legacy trains like the older amtraks
It's not Brightline's fault when some a-hole runs around the gates into the path of a train. Think about it-even if he makes it and doesn't get hit, how much time is he going to save? Assuming a passenger train running at 79mph, probably 30 seconds or so. Is that worth risking you effing LIFE?
I've only taken Amtrak three (once from Chicago to Champaign-Urbana and the other time from LA to SF and to SD), and they're fine if you have a lot of time to waste. Compare that to the KTX, Eurostar, and even the regular TER I've taken in Korea, UK, and France, I always feel like I'm traveling to a third-world country when I travel in the US.
If you live in California or Virginia then yes Amtrak is the best way, they got plenty of trains going by and the train does 79 to 150mph, but here in Arizona no because they only go by once every other days, and only go 40 to 65 mph they only operate superliner.
The weird feeling when you see footage of a place where you have been to yourself. Living in Europe, the odds are very low. I guess the World isn't so big after all.
That was an excellent & comprehensive overview of Amtrak's existing traction & passenger cars, together with the new trains we should see over the next five to ten years or so. Very thorough, clear & understandable. Many thanks for your efforts. Amtrak has become such a mish-mash of locos & coaches, that I found it very hard to get my head around it all. Your clarity of thinking & presenting shines like a beacon of light, in a You Tube of confusion. I shall download your video & refer to it over time. ps I'm a Limey with a great interest in American trains.
Railfans like to pooh pooh America even it comes to passenger rail, but the USA is actually one of the better countries in the New World with passenger trains. Mexico got rid of almost all of its passenger trains a couple decades ago, and Canada for many years insisted on an endless series of budget cuts and financial "reforms". The Spanish speaking countries south of Mexico weren't that much better, with places like Argentina running commuter trains over rickety sets of underfunded rails.
The cause of all of this cutting nonsense is ideological - many of the cuts are in the name of laissez-faire or "economic liberalism", even even such cuts make little sense.
Took Amtrak from Phila to Poughkeepski, NY. Had window seat at got to see an Eagle grab fish out of Hudson River...made the relax trip that much better.
The fleet replacement is a routine thing. The Chargers will DEFINITELY be replaced in the long run. The REAL issue is those freight trains. Amtrak needs to negotiate with the freight companies to make sure passenger trains get the right-of-way so Amtrak won’t go under.
The older genesis locomotive, sell them to grand canyon railroad or other heritage railroad. as long it moves it has some life left for low casual speed operation.
@@jameslagare2779, they need to get the same Siemens Chargers, and they need to get them for _all_ of the routes, not just a few; it's high time to retire those locos, as well as all of the passenger cars, which are showing their age (the _Canadian_ in particular.)
@@Perich29, when I said 'they', I meant VIA Rail, _not_ a heritage railway; I was disagreeing with James Lagare, and agreeing with you. Yes indeed, the old GE Genesis locos should be sold to these companies.
The SC-44 Chargers on NCTD are about half as loud as the Morrison-Knudsen rebuilds they replaced. I noticed it when I rode a Coaster from San Diego last week.
I like the Superliners aesthetically, but they are terrible passenger cars for people with less mobility. Amtrak should be more accessible to people. It’s definitely time to find a replacement to them; preferably single level with option for high level boarding.
@@AVeryRandomPerson More cars on a dying industry doesn’t sound too bad. Long distance trains in the west don’t make money in the first place, so if the government ever let Amtrak cut some of those routes, the cars can easily be used on other services, instead of only being limited to the west. Also, since Amtrak uses our tax money, it should be accessible to everyone, not just able bodied people who can only spend time on the first level of a car.
@@banksrail Roads aren't profitable, therefore we should get rid of all roads. That's the logic you just used. Trains are infrastructure that are needed in many rural areas.
15:03 image to describe Superliners is my local station of Provo, Utah. It's like, 6 blocks from my house. That is all. Just your useless fact for the day.
I travelled from Durham, NC to Jersey City or Newark i can't remember. The single most agonizing journey ever. We arrived so late I couldn't believe it. Felt like a dream. I was mentally prepared having read about Amtrak but damn.
I wish we in the uk only have to live with trains that were only 20 years old, the government have just got rid of our national high speed trains which date from around 1975, and my local trains are at least 40 years old.
I remember you stating that Amtrak can take twice as long as driving, and that is true, for trips that take less than 12 hours, but on journey longer than that, cars start to loose their trip time advantage over Amtrak. When driving, you have to stay nights in hotels which adds a lot of trip time where as with Amtrak, the train just keep going all day and all night.
I think the 125 is so they’re useable on the NEC, and they can have all one family of locomotives. The biggest benefits are better fuel economy (cheaper to run) and better acceleration (it can get in and out of the siding faster)
@@twiggs24 that's because Amtrak mostly runs on fright complies lines like if Amtrak is running on BNSF, BNSF will lend priority to their own trains thus making Amtrak late
I love those new trains! They look so modern! As an European myself i think that now the Amtrak trains will look way more European, and i like it! Good video!
Future of Amtrak is to keep doing exactly what they've been doing for the last 50 years. Better and better trains for the NYC-DC Metroliner and just running trains on freight lines for all long distance trains once a day or every other day.
Clearly spoken through the eyes of railfan rather than from an engineering and infrastructure perspective. What on earth does the paintjob have to do with how modern or outdated a train or locomotive is -.-
I really hope the Viewliner I's stay much more longer than a decade. The idea of me waiting for someone to finish their business in the bathroom and wait for my turn in the II's is ridiculous whereas the I's I have my own private toilet.
Very good information video. While on train 48 from Chicago last year, I spoke to an Amtrak employee who worked on testing the new Venture Coaches on the NEC. The current order has fixed seating, half the seats face forward, the other half face backwards. I hope they take into consideration making changes to allow for the reversing the seats for long distance, overnight trains. Also, I hope that a new Venture Cafe car will be built to ad to the train set. So I guess that the idea of a new viewliner coach is dead in the water. It would really look great if the single level , long distance overnight trains had all the same outside car design. Kinda brings out the memories of the movie American Vacation , when Clark picked up that ugly station wagon from the dealership, LOL. I really think that the Brightline train sets from Siemens look the best. I think that Amtrak’s Chargers should have the front more streamlined, with retractable coupler noses for double heading.
Track infrastructure has always been the thing holding amtrak back
not to mention that Greyhound and it's interstate freeway network
And lack of funding
…and the fact that it mostly borrows trackage from freight lines, possibly causing delays (not on Northeast Corridor, of course)
yeah, Connecticut has got to be the worst a slow point on the NEC.... Anyone know why the route selected was so windy in contrast to the super straight Rhode Island and Boston section which I believe actually pre-date the CT section? I can understand that it was to possibly serve coastal towns and keep the track flat... but all of these sections were meant for passenger service to connect Boston to NY to compete with the steam-boats, and trains could still move relatively quick in the late 1800s, and looking at the map those tracks just seem almost unnecessarily windy in CT at a lot of points.
@@MSNWindows7 I agree! The tracks are fine for freight and local commuter service but for long haul faster high speed service they suck. Amtrak would like to build a straight high speed line that cuts right through Connecticut but it’s all about funding and silencing the nimbys
They can modernize the trains all they want. Amtrak needs to invest in exclusive trackage for any kind of improvement. Most lines, outside of the Northeast Corridor, are sharing freight trackage. And freight gets priority.
As it is right now there are spots where it takes an Amtrak train 2 hours to go 70 miles.
Ironically fright isn't supposed to get priority it's just not enforced
@@Novers I mean there isn’t train police
We need to nationalize the rail network.
@@yolo_burrito Then we'd lose Brightline's unique consists, and all heritage railroads that utilize the main line
@@LegoWormNoah101 they could lease trackage, similar to how MRL did it
I wish Amtrak had their own track on the i5 corridor. Imagine having high speed from Seattle to San Diego.
Check out the Californian high speed rail project
@@pixel6854 if it ever finishes
@@pixel6854 and the cascadia high speed rail project
NEC needs new catenary for reliable and higher speeds
Don't just modernize the trains. Modernize the stations and add new dedicated tracks.
I work for amtrak and this is one of the few videos I've seen with accurate information. good job
I said it before, I’ll say it again you can polish a turd but it’s still a turd, until class 1 railroad’s play nice and allow Amtrak priority on their rail lines which they’ll never do or be forced to they’ll still suffer even with nice, new equipment
They got nice new equipment, it's all defective.
@@tonyburzio4107 they’re trying to eliminate NEC bennys
Track infrastructure, Amtrak not owning the lines outside of the Northeast Corridor (thus causing them to share space with freight rails) and most importantly Congress's refusal to properly budget Amtrak as a vital part of the nation's transportation system (as they do in all the other countries that have high-speed rail) since the 1980's(!) has crippled their ability to truly make Amtrak flourish.... I'm old enough to have seen these ongoing battles. At least now the modernization plan truly seems to be taking off. Thanks for the great, detailed video!!
Last time I took a train we had to stop MULTIPLE times for freight trains; never again.
I will believe it when I see it...
Maybe it should just be privatized. Brightline in Florida seems to be doing very well.
Amtrak should outright buy the lines off the freight companies. Not sure what the freights usually deliver but surely they're on average not as time-critical as passenger services. Brightline (and the ones Amtrak directly own like the NE Corridor) works because of their outright ownership of the tracks.
Same with why directly-owned network such as the former national/now-privatized Japan Railways works well - they outright own the tracks, and has control and priority of scheduling and can do maintenance in a timely manner without having to wait or spend too much time to come to an agreement with another party. Compare that to Melbourne, Australia or the majority of the UK where separation of ownership (the operator being different to the track owner without a common overseer/authority) created a lack of unaccountability, extra trouble in coordinating repairs, deterioration of services etc.
@@HenryMidfields The issue is that, from the current economy's perspective, the lines are more valuable as freight than passenger. Freight has continued to boom, whereas passenger rail would probably take a while to come back. And in many places it would be very expensive to run duplicate lines, if the land could even be acquired at all. So we're probably stuck with terrible train service outside of the northeast forever.
“Once proper high speed infrastructure is implemented”
Like that will ever happen
Don't be so pessimistic. I'm sure at least one line somewhere in the US will get high speed in the next 200 years.
Not as long as California is there to sop up the excess money!
Someday, when the US finally decides to stop being a sh*thole country and join the rest of the world in the 21st century...
@@shadetreader They won’t enter the 21st century until it’s over
@@shadetreader There was a time when California had the third largest economy in the world and not to long ago.
“Fast, *clean* , and efficient trains” *continues to show a dirty train*
Lmao
he means clean as in eco-friendly but still, thats kinda funny
Yeah lol its the oldest Generation of the ICE bc its the ice1 But its still kinda funny lol
I'm sure he meant clean as in environmentally friendly, but yeah still laughed
Its kinda sarcastic that he put a DB (German Railway) Train when he said that and actually the DB is the worst Railway Company in Western Europe by far.
Amtrak should really should launch a new series of “one-nighters” similar to that of the Auto Train. Get on late afternoon, have dinner, wake up, and you are at your destination.
The city of new Orleans almost fits that
Yeah I like that idea. The only two I can think of that are similar to that are the Auto Train and Capitol Limited.
That would be perfect for the Cascades route, although Seattle would be a rough stop.
This would make their service so much more usable. I live in san francisco but have family in socal. Driving is a nightmare. Just last night during heavy rain it took me 7 hours to travel back south. Saw five rolled cars. I just want to get on a train sleep and wake up in so cal.
Perfect route from New York, NY to Washington DC.
Living in Latvia, pop. 2kk, seeing the variety of US trains is fascinafing. We have 1 national rail service with basically 1 type of electric (most routes) and 1 diesel train (for non-electrified long distance). Both same paint scheme. Neither have separate cabins anymore, though around 20 years ago we had those too, all wood lining, such a vibe.
Don't you even have international standard gauge services from poland as well as russian broad gauge routes to moskau?
In most countries, all or most of the railroads are owned and operated by the government.
@@patrick_test123No, rail baltica is still under construction, that’s meant to unite the Baltics to rest of the EU. I think that you migth be thinking about Lithuania, that borders Poland and has such connection allready, to some degree. And the trains to and from Russia have been stopped, in all three of the countries.
There's 1 view on this video right now. I guarantee this will blow up on UA-cam... Amazing job, keep up the good work!
wow you predicted the future! This is now his most popular video!
This was quite an interesting video. I’m honestly very glad that the Avelia Liberty trains were delayed a year. I hope that gives me enough time to ride the current Acela one first and final time
Great video on Amtrak's future! This is a great way to explain what Amtrak has planned to everyone.
As a Long Island railfan, that unofficial rendering of a LIRR ALC42 is *cursed.* (and may be rendered obsolete since the LIRR is considering converting existing M7s and M9s to run on the diesel routes via battery power.)
On that last point, I can see your point! In fact, the LIRR's order of dual-mode Chargers is really just an option attached to Metro-North's order!
For information about the possible dual-modes: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siemens_Charger#Metropolitan_Transportation_Authority
For information about the conversions: new.mta.info/press-release/lirr-test-electric-railcars-oyster-bay-branch?
Septa needs to do the same with their silver line V so they can reactivate former diesel lines
LIRR simply needs to electrify the rest of its network.
@@afcgeo882 Thousands of miles of electric railroads were converted to diesel back in the 1960s.
@@algrayson8965 Electrification was originally done in the 1910’s for freight lines. When much more powerful Diesels came about, the companies switched. To be fair, that happened everywhere. In Europe as well. Re-electrification took place in Europe after WW2, when US and Canadian money for infrastructure repair in Europe (the New Deal) flowed like water. Also, lines aren’t converted to Diesel. Diesel can run anywhere. The death of passenger companies, cleaner Diesel emissions, and freight line mergers killed the sporadic electrification that was done.
1) Until we commit to building a dedicated, high-speed track capable of 320kph/200mph, the promise of true, European-style high-speed rail will never be met. Western Europe, nations not as wealthy as us, manage to do it no problem, and the people who ride those trains absolutely love them. They make getting around from city to city, spaced apart with about the same density as our NE corridor, very quick and easy.
2) We need to electrify all rail lines up and down the East Coast, and all commuter and regional lines serving major city hubs. This will do a great deal to cut down on diesel emissions, the dirtiest emissions this side of coal.
3) The long-distance sleeper trains, both eastern and western (but especially the western) REALLY need their interiors seriously updated. The seats are small and cramped, the beads are narrow, short, and hard, there is a real lack of power outlets (both 120 ac, and USB), there is no train-supplied Wi-Fi, and the food service has absolutely tanked (it went from being cooked fresh in the downstairs galley kitchen with fresh ingredients to being bad airline food heated up by Chef Mike.
I love train travel, it is my favorite way to go but, AmTrak has, unfortunately, sunken down in quality to being like flying coach on a third-rate airline or, (shudder), dare I say it, traveling on Grayhound).
That is not going to change. The size of the suburbs and low density population in such a missive scale is just not possible to connect by rail. However, regional light rail will help a bit like here in Seattle but again this is a very small percent of all trips made as the majority will always be by car. With electric cars and new highways being built all over the USA the future is car focused with a shift to electric cars, with the addition of regional light rail and some rail improvements with key major pieces like the Japanese Shinkansen in Taxes project which will be very cool to see take shape in the next year.
The US pays for European defense, so they get to buy pretty new trains.
problem is Europe is only slightly bigger than the United States and that is many countries and rail companies building the high speed rail network. It's a huge cost for 1 company here in the US to build a high speed rail network across every state and city. Look at the original railroad lines; it took them years and years to finish it, granted it was all by hand but it's a huge task
Omg nothing is as bad as riding greyhound. Absolutely awful. I wouldny ride greyhound if they paid me. Megabus is barely better
@@jdday1757 Yeah, I agree, hence why I said "almost as bad." Greyhound is an effing nightmare: dirty, gungy stations, half broken-down busses, uncomfortable, cramped seating, and the worst part of it all, the riders. Ugh!
This is a great recap of just about everything! Although, I feel like you should have mentioned Amtrak's "Amtrak Connects us" map proposal for new corridors implemented by 2035.
Amtrak's goal of establishing new corridor routes by 2035 is still a VERY long shot. The backlash resulting from President Biden's hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan threatens to derail both infrastructure bills now pending before Congress. Just when, after far too many years of inaction, the U.S.is FINALLY about to pass and sign into law the most comprehensive infrastructure legislation since the late 1930s, when then-president Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed The New Deal legislation, we may once again END UP WITH NOTING! All of Amtrak's expansion plans depend on the passage of these two bills.
We may once again see our infrastructure snatched from the jaws of victory by this debacle of yet another failed overseas war, It seems the U.S. is incapable of getting its act together, not even for the briefest moment! What a shame if all this progressive legislation is tossed out the window just because Biden's approval rating has now sunk below 50%!
If this happens, Amtrak itself may not have much of a future. Bad as this would be, it' would be as nothing compared to the possibility that our very system of government may be replaced in 2022 or 2024 by an autocratic right-wing form of government more along the lines of Hungary's dictatorial ruler Viktor Orbán or Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
yes
@@joscallinet6260 The bipartisan infrastructure bill was never at risk, and the delay had nothing to do with Afghanistan. Progressives delayed it because they wanted to make sure moderates don't rescind their support for the reconciliation bill.
I really like that the Siemens Venture cars are the replacement of the Amfleets on the NEC! If an ACS-64 and Venture cars and cab car are in one consist then it’s an Amtrak Railjet (ACS-64 based off the Siemens Eurosprinter, Venture cars based off the Siemens Viaggio Comfort which the Austrian Railjet uses both the Siemens Eurosprinter and Siemens Viaggio Comfort). Looking forward to seeing Siemens Ventures on the NEC as well as the new ALC-42 Chargers and Avelia Liberty!
I was thinking the same thing. Looks like Amtrak have been looking at ÖBB and the Railjet setup 😁👍
I'm just mad that the Acela never got to reach its full potential
And the Avelia will age and wait for decades for a new high speed line, then be retired ...
@@uncinarynin, at least you Yanks have HSR (albeit in one corridor): here in Canada, all that we have to look forward to is new Siemens Charger loco and new cars, but still no HSR between cities, as shown in these two humorous videos by comedian Rick Mercer:
ua-cam.com/video/uU3Q3A1GPd4/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/W32klYkTxCQ/v-deo.html
@@Neville60001 I'm not a Yank, I'm from Austria.
@@uncinarynin , even so, the United States achieving HSR (even if it is in *_one_* corridor) is better than having no HSR at all (as is now the case here in Canada.)
@@Neville60001 Most Americans don't consider HSR an achievement. We prefer flying between cities.
It's nice to see the US finally getting to a train standard europe enjoyed for the last 10+ years.
It would also be nice if we didn't have to beg for GoFundMe donations to pay for medical bills 😂
don't get your hopes too high
True, now I am excited to come to America
The brits have enjoyed these since 1975 and France since 1968!
De Lirium, as much as I support HSR, don't get your hopes up about there being (for example) a HSR route/line between Seattle and Los Angeles that will take only four hours; corridor routes may all that can be accomplished (unless maglevs are built.) Be _realistic_ (remember that word?) about said goals.
Interesting, and great channel you've made. As a pre-pandemic daily Amtrak rider (the Capitol Corridor between Davis and Berkeley, CA), now a weekly rider, this one is especially interesting.
I beg to differ with your assessment that people take trains only because they have to and they it faster to drive. We take Amtrak from west-central Illinois to downtown Chicago several times a year and love it (Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg). We are in downtown Chicago in a little over two hours and, best of all, NO PARKING.
I remember on my first trip to PA in July 2021, when leaving 30 St. Station in Philly, I caught a glimpse of the Avelia Liberty trainset in the yard. I was so excited!
Amtrak is going crazy for their 50th anniversary
Yep, Indeed they are. 😐
And hopefully the best kind.
Yep
Finally!!
It doesn't take "twice as long" to travel by train than by car. Houston to New Orleans on Amtrak takes 8 hours. Driving by car takes 7 hours. It's often much longer if there are wrecks on the interstate or road construction.
Well twice as long depends on where you live or what 2 destination points your comparing. The timetable for amtrak from Pittsburgh to Washington DC is I believe 7.5 hours. That's That's drive that can be done in 4 depending on traffic. Even in really bad traffic you'd still beat the train
Not to mention you can read and sleep instead of constantly focusing on the road
@@jdday1757 Problem is that you have to get to the station I live in NYC and would take at least over an hour to get to the station and at least another hour from destination to final point.
USA needs to fix their railways.
Stations need to be developed as commercial spaces for revenue generation.
Otherwise the system will quickly fall into losses.
Connect them with airports, integrate them with bus routes and rent out the space for rental cars and taxis
That would be an excellent job generator...
A follow-up to this video with new information and updates is in the works. It should be out within a month or two.
Nice
Epic video also!
The issues with the SC-44s on the Illinois Services is the cold and snow that they got there.
we did the the osaka SHINKANSEN IN THE 80'S IN JAPAN , heavy snow and rain , thats not a problem for good trains, we travel like 170mph or so
That’s excuses when Japan has it just as rough. Not only that but they are the most earthquake prone country as well.
I like the color palette of the old Acela..
I think one thing that Amtrak is really missing is open-section sleeping cars. I'd like to travel long distance on Amtrak, but I prefer a bed to sleep on and don't want to pay for a whole room.
Agreed. Amtrak private accommodations are obscenely expensive, especially if you are traveling alone and cannot share the cost. I very much like Japan’s options in this regard.
@@DeanStephen Perhaps it's time to re-invent the sleeper car. In the '40's they were wonderful (yep I'm an old guy) I'm sure with some wonderful engineering they could be again
I am interested in these changes! I, for instance, didn't know the Caltrans _Ventures_ are in service! I thought they were still testing!
I loved the Brightline. One of the poshest trains I had ever rode on. I rode in the first class part only because it wasn’t that expensive. Now this year, 2021, I rode first class from Philly to Baltimore in first class on Acela merely to try Acela. After a steep $600 ticket price, I was thoroughly impressed more with Acela on everything except the price tag. I hope Amtrak continues to makes massive improvements to their fleet and eventually adds more lines towards the west. I doubt the west expansion will happen given they lose tons of money from those, but just imagine if Amtrak could lead the way into a European system of travel where moving from one part of the country to the other was virtually seamless, smooth, and accessible to all in the same way it is to travel from France to Germany, or even like how convenient it is to move from one part of Japan to another.
The new Acela replacement trains are defective.
@@tonyburzio4107 what’s defective about them other than the pantograph?
@@No-le9qf You just answered your own question
Amtrak from KC to ORD is the same as driving time, more or less, when you take into account that Amtrak drops you off in the heart of Chicago.
Also, you should check out the overnight train from Almaty to Nur-Sultan(Astana) in Kazakhstan. It's on conventional "Russian" rail gauge but since it's a leaning Talgo (the locals call it the Spanish Train) it tops out at about 90 mph. You can leave Almaty in the evening, enjoy a meal in the dining car, and then sleep and wake up in Nur-Sultan the next morning. It's a fantastic 600 mile trip and a great train.
Perhaps Amtrak would be more profitable west of Chicago if they ran more than 2 trains per day per line and didn't make their own bus services compete for ridership :/ Not to mention that it's a public good, it doesn't need to be profitable, it needs to be adequate, which it also fails at.
Seeing more people and businesses taking interest in the modernization and and continuation of risk infrastructure makes me so happy. I really think this country is going in a great direction for transit infrastructure in general.
Amtrak is vital on the NEC. How else are we supposed to commute from Philly to New York? New Jersey Transit????
I admit I was amazed in I think it was either 2017 or 2018 when I took the Acela from Boston to Philly even on a Sunday morning it was full the whole way. Going up to Boston on a Thursday was full too. It was drive, fly, or Acela. Didn't want to drive and felt no desire for a TSA rectal exam at PHL. Trains also have actual leg room, Unlike a discount airline who thinks every person is the size of an Olympic gymnast.
Does New Jersey Transit run trains from 30th Street to New York Penn Station??
I'd use them as Amtrak is very VERY expensive!
No. You have to take SEPTA to Trenton and transfer to NJT.@@stuartlee6622
Riders now: Why don't we have new trains
New trains come: I miss the old trains!
Excellent video! Kudos on the great research, thorough explanation, and very logical division into compact chapters. Definitely interesting to see those HHP-8s stored at the Wilmington, DE shops. Will be interesting to see the original Acelas stored there (at least for some time), too. Look forward to more great videos!
I rode in a view liner II sleeper and it was pretty nice. It was nice having a newer room. Still fairly small but more modern
I really love the phase 7 livery
The Siemens Charger engine has so much potential as a passenger liner.
Have the ventures entered service yet? I keep waiting to hear IDOT say they’re running and I haven’t been able to find anything on it
They actually have been delayed. I don’t know the issues tho.
@@supermarionathan1426 Issues with the water supply (LEAD)
@@Robbi496 Ah ok thanks!
@@Robbi496 Way more issues than just lead....
@@sethamtrak How come no issues with the European models they are based on or those on the San joaquins?
With the push towards climate change, its more important than ever to expand the passenger train system in the US and Canada and provide electrification. Not just push people over to electric cars. This needs to be an all encompassing approach. If we have affordable and efficient train service in the US we can cut back on reliance on planes atleast for local in country travel.
Viewing this in 2024 makes me disappointed. Only about half of this actually happened, and most importantly, not a single Avelia has entered service.
Well, some will be here in a few years, and I agree on the new acela not being in service.
the new amtrak siemens and alstom trains are gonna be sick
Good step Into the future of introducing European trains that work great.
Are you crazy? It's like they're trying to do away with all our rail heritage!
@@amtrak_121 Most customers aren't interested in the heritage. They want modern comfortable trains and let's face it, if an average person looks at an average Amtrak train, it doesn't look appealing. If trains are to become a relevant transportation mode in the US, they can't look as if they're from 70's.
Sadly, due to the lack of investment into Amtrak, there isn't much of an contemporary train design that would be uniquely American. On top of that, you need certain aerodynamic feature for effective operations at high speeds, which limits what can be done in terms of design (it's no coincidence that most high speed trains in the world look somewhat similar to each other).
@@samomuransky4455 I mean they should mix a bit of old and new. Like a new type of car that's modern but has an iconic and luxurious look.
@@amtrak_121 amtrak... luxurious? .... LOL
@@Jinkypigs that’s how it SHOULD be
This is the best video of Amtrak I have seen yet . My hat is off to you well done
Thank Keep up the good work
I think the AC 44 with the "weird" design looks the best. It reminds me of an old dodge muscle car. Idk why. But I like them.
I agree.
My dad has always loved trains. He has model train sets and has always had books on trains around the house, and built my sisters and I a powered model train track on a 4x8 plywood sheet when we were kids. I guess I don't think about it enough, how funny it is that I didn't really pick up on his love for trains as a kid (I'm more of a general science, physics, and tech lover). And yet, as a man, I became a welder, out of necessity for the paycheck, and now work for Siemens Mobility, welding and building coach train cars. I even personally helped build the first Cab cars, which are passenger cars built to look like engines! I'm now genuinely in love with rail technology. I'm a big history buff too, so rolling stock is an immense realm of facts and information that I didn't pay enough attention to as a kid, and now there's so much to learn about, from the history of how rail helped form the U.S. and make it the superpower it is, and all of the new designs and technology going into current and future trainsets!
We'll be building some new style cab cars as well, such as those battery powered ones and some others.
22:43 that will be a very sad day for me the p32 is my favorite train
Great video! The most important topics are safety, connivence and cost.
It’s a shame that United States don’t have a train system like the most advanced countries in the world
I can only imagine someone coming back to this video 10 years from now and pointing out everything that didn't happen.
20 year old train is old? Here in Germany, the intercity trains mostly are from the 70s and 80s, but get modernized every once in a while. Still comfortable and going 125mph.
That's because much of Europe actually values infrastructure, while American conservatives just want to cut corners.
@@shadetreader That is the biggest bunch of bullshit ever.
Der ICE 1 wird nochmal für mindestens 10 Jahre flott gemacht, kein Problem. Der erste shinkasen war gut 50 Jahre im Dienst. Der Ami Schlitten hat einfach nicht die nötige Qualität
They get beat up by the substandard rails. It can be like riding an old electric toothbrush.
Nice Video
One major (operational) issue Amtrak has is its feuds with the Class I railroads. Freight rail is required by law to give track priority to Amtrak, yet they still do not do this, because it’s completely unenforced. Amtrak is forbidden from suing the Class Is over delays, and the Department of Justice doesn’t care enough to actually enforce this law.
Everything you said here is exactly on point, unless that changes despite Amtrak upgrading their fleet the same thing will continue to bog them down on their full potential
Yes, you can sabotage the economy by forcing freight onto trucks to let Amtrak thru. Great! Just what we need.
@@tonyburzio4107 talk to Biden about it since he’s pushing rail infrastructure so hard
Just wanna throw one thing out there about the Brightline: That thing hits cars and people almost daily. The red Brightline is in service to replace locomotives that have been pulled for repairs after a strike, and it's almost constantly in use. High-speed rail is a necessity, but people severely underestimate the difference between high speed trains like the brightline compared to legacy trains like the older amtraks
It's not Brightline's fault when some a-hole runs around the gates into the path of a train. Think about it-even if he makes it and doesn't get hit, how much time is he going to save? Assuming a passenger train running at 79mph, probably 30 seconds or so. Is that worth risking you effing LIFE?
I've only taken Amtrak three (once from Chicago to Champaign-Urbana and the other time from LA to SF and to SD), and they're fine if you have a lot of time to waste.
Compare that to the KTX, Eurostar, and even the regular TER I've taken in Korea, UK, and France, I always feel like I'm traveling to a third-world country when I travel in the US.
If you live in California or Virginia then yes Amtrak is the best way, they got plenty of trains going by and the train does 79 to 150mph, but here in Arizona no because they only go by once every other days, and only go 40 to 65 mph they only operate superliner.
That has to improve, a lot.
It’s all dependent on population density.
The weird feeling when you see footage of a place where you have been to yourself. Living in Europe, the odds are very low. I guess the World isn't so big after all.
20 year old train sets being put out of service?
The ICE 1 in Germany is 30 years old and still going until at least 2026!
Amtrak trains look so strange being from the UK. Also I never even thought about the fact the train would drive on the right hand side lmao
That was an excellent & comprehensive overview of Amtrak's existing traction & passenger cars, together with the new trains we should see over the next five to ten years or so. Very thorough, clear & understandable. Many thanks for your efforts. Amtrak has become such a mish-mash of locos & coaches, that I found it very hard to get my head around it all. Your clarity of thinking & presenting shines like a beacon of light, in a You Tube of confusion. I shall download your video & refer to it over time. ps I'm a Limey with a great interest in American trains.
Railfans like to pooh pooh America even it comes to passenger rail, but the USA is actually one of the better countries in the New World with passenger trains. Mexico got rid of almost all of its passenger trains a couple decades ago, and Canada for many years insisted on an endless series of budget cuts and financial "reforms". The Spanish speaking countries south of Mexico weren't that much better, with places like Argentina running commuter trains over rickety sets of underfunded rails.
The cause of all of this cutting nonsense is ideological - many of the cuts are in the name of laissez-faire or "economic liberalism", even even such cuts make little sense.
To be fair a lot of those countries are a mess economically right now (because of said political ideology)
Still love your channel with all its interesting videos!
Took Amtrak from Phila to Poughkeepski, NY. Had window seat at got to see an Eagle grab fish out of Hudson River...made the relax trip that much better.
I wish that a P42DC would be saved and donated to a railroad museum
The fleet replacement is a routine thing. The Chargers will DEFINITELY be replaced in the long run. The REAL issue is those freight trains. Amtrak needs to negotiate with the freight companies to make sure passenger trains get the right-of-way so Amtrak won’t go under.
The older genesis locomotive, sell them to grand canyon railroad or other heritage railroad. as long it moves it has some life left for low casual speed operation.
Via Rail would make better use out of them since they would just rebuild them like they did for the F40PH
Or some other revenue railway
@@jameslagare2779, they need to get the same Siemens Chargers, and they need to get them for _all_ of the routes, not just a few; it's high time to retire those locos, as well as all of the passenger cars, which are showing their age (the _Canadian_ in particular.)
@@Neville60001 heritage rail excursion are usually 25 ro 40 miles, they usually operate at 30MPH its not there running at higher speed.
@@Perich29, when I said 'they', I meant VIA Rail, _not_ a heritage railway; I was disagreeing with James Lagare, and agreeing with you. Yes indeed, the old GE Genesis locos should be sold to these companies.
Yesterday I was on a Siemens ACS-64 Number 648 from NYC to Boston.
This is the rise of Amtrak again
Yes Indeed
Not when they still take like double the amount of time as driving and frequently get put off schedule due to freight trains.
Can’t wait to capture these boring quiet trains! So fun!
The SC-44 Chargers on NCTD are about half as loud as the Morrison-Knudsen rebuilds they replaced. I noticed it when I rode a Coaster from San Diego last week.
Except, the Chargers can't run in snow, so long distance can't use them.
17:14 good. Superliner cars are my favorite passenger cars.
Totally I love Superliners as well, but they are very tired. I wish they'd release modern superliners instead of just a upholstery refresh
I like the Superliners aesthetically, but they are terrible passenger cars for people with less mobility. Amtrak should be more accessible to people. It’s definitely time to find a replacement to them; preferably single level with option for high level boarding.
@@banksrail That would require more cars, increasing the costs of an order. They should just expand the lower level and tighten platforms
@@AVeryRandomPerson More cars on a dying industry doesn’t sound too bad. Long distance trains in the west don’t make money in the first place, so if the government ever let Amtrak cut some of those routes, the cars can easily be used on other services, instead of only being limited to the west.
Also, since Amtrak uses our tax money, it should be accessible to everyone, not just able bodied people who can only spend time on the first level of a car.
@@banksrail Roads aren't profitable, therefore we should get rid of all roads. That's the logic you just used. Trains are infrastructure that are needed in many rural areas.
15:03 image to describe Superliners is my local station of Provo, Utah. It's like, 6 blocks from my house. That is all. Just your useless fact for the day.
great informative video obviously done by someone who follows rail trends closely
Great informative video.
I travelled from Durham, NC to Jersey City or Newark i can't remember. The single most agonizing journey ever. We arrived so late I couldn't believe it. Felt like a dream. I was mentally prepared having read about Amtrak but damn.
Stop just replacing the trains, invest in your infrastructure 🤦♂️
They don't own the infrastructure, the freight companies own most of it. And even Biden won't change that.
Im getting on the california Zephyr in october, time to find out about the superliners
11:09 I’m a big fan of GE locomotives but I respect your opinion
I wish we in the uk only have to live with trains that were only 20 years old, the government have just got rid of our national high speed trains which date from around 1975, and my local trains are at least 40 years old.
Can't wait to see the first VIA Rail SC-44
I remember you stating that Amtrak can take twice as long as driving, and that is true, for trips that take less than 12 hours, but on journey longer than that, cars start to loose their trip time advantage over Amtrak. When driving, you have to stay nights in hotels which adds a lot of trip time where as with Amtrak, the train just keep going all day and all night.
The Bolt-on nose cones are for minor collisions, they can't survive major collisions very well. 458 wouldn't have survived if it was a P42
As a train I approve seeing my siblings in action
Whats the point of 4400 horsepower and 125 mph top speed when you are sitting on a siding waiting for a coal train to pass by?
The coal train won't be there forever😂😂😂😂
I think the 125 is so they’re useable on the NEC, and they can have all one family of locomotives. The biggest benefits are better fuel economy (cheaper to run) and better acceleration (it can get in and out of the siding faster)
@@andrewreynolds4949 and better ride for the passengers and crew
I've taken amtrak many times for st Louis to Chicago, I think it has only been on time twice. Usually it was at least an hour late
@@twiggs24 that's because Amtrak mostly runs on fright complies lines like if Amtrak is running on BNSF, BNSF will lend priority to their own trains thus making Amtrak late
The superliners are awesome. The observation car is top tier.
“this literally made them
sound like big dodge rams” i’m dying laughing
I love those new trains! They look so modern! As an European myself i think that now the Amtrak trains will look way more European, and i like it!
Good video!
I can’t wait for all the alc42s to be delivered
Future of Amtrak is to keep doing exactly what they've been doing for the last 50 years.
Better and better trains for the NYC-DC Metroliner and just running trains on freight lines for all long distance trains once a day or every other day.
Dude, this channel is awesome!!!
I personally love the Avelia Liberty and am looking forward to it, however, I am not a fan of the French horn, not sure why it can't be changed.
The P32ACDM has no bolt on nose cone
I'm Doing a Similar series called rail corridors in the us where I go over amtraks new routes and other proposed rail corridors
To answer your opening question the answer is no, I have not travelled on and Amtrak train… as I live in Victoria Australia!
Clearly spoken through the eyes of railfan rather than from an engineering and infrastructure perspective. What on earth does the paintjob have to do with how modern or outdated a train or locomotive is -.-
I went to visit my aunt and uncle in South Carolina in 1994 and was an Amtrak train very smooth ride. I live in Philadelphia, Pa.
I really hope the Viewliner I's stay much more longer than a decade. The idea of me waiting for someone to finish their business in the bathroom and wait for my turn in the II's is ridiculous whereas the I's I have my own private toilet.
The superliners have shared bathrooms, and I never had to wait on someone when I took the California Zephyr, idk if waiting is that much of an issue.
Very good information video.
While on train 48 from Chicago last year, I spoke to an Amtrak employee who worked on testing the new Venture Coaches on the NEC. The current order has fixed seating, half the seats face forward, the other half face backwards. I hope they take into consideration making changes to allow for the reversing the seats for long distance, overnight trains.
Also, I hope that a new Venture Cafe car will be built to ad to the train set.
So I guess that the idea of a new viewliner coach is dead in the water.
It would really look great if the single level , long distance overnight trains had all the same outside car design. Kinda brings out the memories of the movie American Vacation , when Clark picked up that ugly station wagon from the dealership, LOL.
I really think that the Brightline train sets from Siemens look the best. I think that Amtrak’s Chargers should have the front more streamlined, with retractable coupler noses for double heading.
Siemens and Alstom are very reliable.
Except for the Chargers that keep getting towed back to Chicago every time it snows.
and the PL42ACs keep getting towed every time the software systems have a slightly bad day
Yeah, so true