Speaking of the PATH you saw out your window, before Newark Penn Station was built, you used to be able to transfer between Hudson & Manhattan Railroad (now PATH) trains and the Pennsylvania Railroad Main Line (Lehigh Valley Railroad trains also served it ) at Manhattan Transfer, a station with no exits or entrances, just like Smallbrook Junction on the Isle of Wight, Manulla Junction in Ireland, and the eBART transfer-only platform at Pittsburg/Bay Point in California. In November 1910, after the PRR opened the North River Tunnels, the PRR built the Manhattan Transfer station so passenger trains bound for New York Penn paused there so that their steam locomotives could be replaced by electric locomotives that could run through the tunnel under the river. The station also allowed passengers to change trains, which riders on the main line could transfer to local trains to Exchange Place, or H&M trains to Lower Manhattan. The H&M started operating to Newark in 1911, terminating at Park Place (demolished in 1937; now the site of NJPAC) with a stop at Manhattan Transfer. It closed in 1937 as the PRR chose to electrify to Philadelphia, making the need to switch locomotives obsolete, and the PRR and Newark government chose to build Newark Penn Station, replacing Manhattan Transfer, the PRR's Market Street station, and H&M's Park Place. Manhattan Transfer became the name of a 1925 novel, and a 1969 jazz vocal ensemble named themselves after the novel! Love the "Trenton Makes, The World Takes" sign on the Lower Trenton Bridge at 7:19. The bridge was once a toll bridge operated by the Trenton Delaware Bridge Company. It originally opened in 1806, and was the first railroad bridge in the US to be used for interstate rail traffic. The bridge was rebuilt in 1875, 1876, 1892, and 1898 to keep up with the growing demands of rail traffic. It was once used by the Camden and Amboy Rail Road, who bought the bridge and the competing Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad in 1835 to end a rivalry and their attempt to put tracks over it. A new alignment for the railroad was completed in 1903, crossing the river on the Morrisville-Trenton Railroad Bridge. The PRR sold the bridge to state governments in 1918, and it was replaced with a new bridge in 1928, now a two-lane truss bridge. In 1910, The Trenton Chamber of Commerce conducted a slogan contest for the city’s residents in hopes of devising a phrase that would spread the fame of the capital’s industrial achievements. The contest, whose winner would receive $25 (around 800 dollars in 2024 money), received 1,478 entries. A local lumberyard owner at the time, S. Roy Heath, fabricated the winning slogan, which originally was backwards to how it is seen today reading, “The World Takes - Trenton Makes”. He declined the prize. The sign was actually taken down at one point before. During the Great Depression, the bridge did not have a sign for close to 10 years. The slogan refers to the fact Trenton once had a prominent manufacturing industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Trenton was most famous for its iron, steel and rubber industries!
I believe that was Park Place station. All at grade. LVRR had access via Hunter interlocking before the alignment was changed to the current layout. Newark Penn was a great idea, but it did cause some issues in the current era with access from the west & east not using the PRR tracks. Double tracking the Aldene ramp + flyover plus second waterfront connection track would fix 99% of this + add massive flexibility.
You actually went over two islands that were conjoined together while crossing the Hell Gate Bridge, Randalls and Wards Islands! Randalls and Wards Islands are named after their respective early-19th-century owners, Jonathan Randel and the Ward brothers. Originally, Wouter Van Twiller, the Director General of New Netherland, obtained them from Lenape chiefs named Numers and Seyseys in 1637, and their first European names were Great Barent Island (for Wards) and Little Barent Island (for Randalls), both named for a Danish cowherd named Barent Jansen Blom. When the British took over, they named them Great Barn and Little Barn Islands. During the American Revolution, Randalls Island (then known as Montresor's Island after British Army Captain John Montresor who purchased Randalls Island in 1772) was used by the Continental Army to quarantine soldiers who were infected with smallpox. Following the Continental Army's defeat in the Battle of Long Island, the British took over and used them as an army base. They launched amphibious attacks on Manhattan from Montresor's Island. The city government took the islands in 1783 after the British occupation ended, and sold Montresor's Island to Samuel Ogden in 1784, who then gave it to Jonathan Randel, while Jasper Ward and his brother Bartholomew bought the portions of Great Barn from two people in 1806. The NYC government took over both islands in the mid-19th century and developed numerous hospitals, asylums, and cemeteries there. Most of the buildings there were demolished starting in the 1930s, when the Triborough (now Robert F. Kennedy) Bridge, two parks, and a wastewater treatment plant were developed. Most of Randalls and Wards Island is parkland with athletic fields, a driving range, greenways, playgrounds, picnic grounds, and the Icahn Stadium used for many national, international, and regional track-and-field events (I saw Cirque du Soleil's Kurios under their Grand Chapiteau in the stadium's parking lot in 2016; they provided a free shuttle from Harlem for it). The city government announced in 1955 that it planned to connect the two by allowing private contractors to dump debris within Little Hell Gate for free, and after the channel was filled, the city would expand the parks. They were conjoined by the late 1960s. A vertical-lift pedestrian bridge designed by Othmar Ammann (who also worked on the Walt Whitman Bridge, RFK Bridge, GWB, Bayonne Bridge, Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, Whitestone Bridge, and Throgs Neck Bridge) connecting Wards with Manhattan Island opened in 1951. The Randalls Island Connector footbridge with The Bronx opened in 2015. Hell Gate comes from the Dutch phrase Hellegat, from its namesake Hellegat on (the mouth of) the River Scheldt in Zeeland! The name was originally applied to the entirety of the East River, by Dutch explorer Adriaen Block during his 1610s voyage circumnavigating Long Island. This name Hellegat in turn was taken from the Greek Hellespont (the Greek name for the Dardanelles) which also has a dangerous reputation. Because explorers found navigation hazardous in this New World place of rocks and converging tide-driven currents (from the Long Island Sound, Harlem River strait, Upper Bay of New York Harbor, and lesser channels, some of which have been filled), the Anglicization stuck
I wouldn't count on that. Amtrak does not have a great record for preservation of old equipment, especially if it is not thought of fondly. Examples: United Aircraft Turbo Trains, Rohr Turbo Trains, GE P30CH locomotives, to name a few. I have hope that at least one abbreviated set (two power cars, a business class and first class coach, and a cafe car will be set aside for a museum, probably the PA state museum in Strasburg, which got E60 and AEM7 electric locomotives, as well as an original Metroliner set. Part of the problem with Amtrak donating equipment is their status as a quasi-public corporation, which means they can't just give stuff away without some justification to the politicians who write the checks.
It's more at the hands of bombardier and Alston, whom from what I've heard do not want to preserve any and plan to scrap all of them when they're done. I hope I'm wrong on that but that's what I've heard.
Hopefully a few sets get sent to museums. The Acelas have been a huge success for Amtrak, so they fall under equipment that people are fond of like the Amfleets, AEM-7s, F40PHs and by the end of the decade the GE Genesis locomotives and Superliners.
As mentioned, the Acela has to slow down due to the southern Connecticut section. Which is why North Atlantic Rail has proposed redirecting high-speed rail to Long Island, with a tunnel for high-speed rail from Ronkonkoma under the Long Island Sound to New Haven (this plan also includes double-tracking and electrifying the Main Line up to Riverhead, to better serve the Suffolk County center as well as Brookhaven National Laboratory). Choosing a Long Island route for HSR makes a lot of sense, especially when you consider it would be honoring the LIRR's roots! The original intention of the LIRR was to serve as a way to get between NYC and Boston, by taking a train from Brooklyn to Greenport, then taking a steamboat between Greenport and Stonington, Connecticut, before taking another train from Connecticut towards Boston. Forming as an 11-hour journey. The southern shore of Connecticut was deemed impassable due to hills and river valleys, and so a route through mostly flat Long Island was considered the fastest and most effective solution. Service to Greenport started in July 1844, but that spirit was short-lived, as it was in 1848 that the New York & New Haven Railroad was opened across Connecticut. The LIRR chose not to serve existing communities along the shores, but straight down the middle, which was largely uninhabited at the time and relatively free of grade crossings for a quick way to cross to get to Greenport through the LI Pine Barrens. By turning their attention to serving Long Islanders through building branches, subsidiaries, acquiring competing railroads, and continuing to advance in infrastructure and rolling stock, the LIRR eventually became what it is today.
But doesn't the LI option tunnel across the Sound at New Haven (or Milford)? It would skip the New Haven Line with its Metro North congestion, but not the Shore Line, which has less traffic (and half the tracks), buy still lots of curves and at least two drawbridges.
Thanks Thom. I last saw Japan in early 1964, so had no chance to ride the Shinkansen, but did see it being built out the window of an express train to Nagoya from Yokohama. I have experienced the German and French high speed rail, and just once the Acela on Sunday morning in 2010. I see that it no longer makes a stop in New London, but on that hurried round trip to attend a rally on the Mall, I had had to take the regional express service overnight from New London to DC, stood for almost five hours in a huge crowd and then, having the foresight to reserve a seat on the 5:00PM Acela back to New London. That evening the slow, but abbreviated stops ride back to New London in the quiet car on the Acela was absolute heaven by comparison. Yes it was worth it.
I just had my first Acela experience the other day, and I did in fact experience the 150 MPH top speed and I gotta say it was definitely the most exciting train ride I’ve had ever. I will definitely be taking the Acela more often (as long as I can snipe good tickets)
I figure it may be worth mentioning that there is talk to make a HSR between Boston and NYC, which I feel the Acela would eventually go onto those tracks instead. The idea is to upgrade the tracks between Boston, MA and New Haven, CT but instead of following the coast through Providence, RI, it will be redirected through Hartford, CT and Springfield, MA. The numbers they are giving is that the new line will create a commute between Boston and NYC at 90 minutes instead of the current 3hr, 45min to 4hr, 15 min.
Providence station was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill under the direction of Marilyn Jordan Taylor. Marilyn also worked on One Worldwide Plaza in Manhattan, Ben Gurion International, the Tribeca pedestrian bridge, JFK Terminal 4, and Singapore Changi Terminal 3. Until 1854, Rhode Island had FIVE state capitals that rotated, Kingston, Providence, Newport, Bristol and East Greenwich! Yes, five! In 1854, the sessions were limited to Providence and Newport, and in 1900, Providence became the sole capital.
WOW. I thought Connecticut was special with two capitals (Hartford and New Haven) until 1876 or so. I guess the smaller a state is, the more capitals it needs.
I, too, booked Acela from New York to Washington on a date when the fare was lower than the NE Regional. Unfortunately, the Acela train broke down at New Brunswick NJ, and we all had to squeeze into the next NE Regional.
This was an awesome video explaining and showing all aspects of the Acela!!! And it’s always awesome to see you and Lindsey traveling together!!! I really appreciate your thorough explanations, history, and video footage of this awesome train!!!
@@Thom-TRA Yeah I've seen one twice. Once just parked and the other time it was pulling out slowly towards the East River tunnels. I ride the subway past the yard almost every day. I keep looking for it, but haven't seen one since. Also, it seems like NJT has been parking different rolling stock out there too that wasn't ever there before. I'm not sure if they've shuffled some trains around to different services or what.
Seeing all these old spots brings back a lot of memories. Due to the ongoing pandemic & health concerns, it's been a while since I've been on a train. Used to be in NYC several times a week & watched the new PATH trains come in and the old ones go out. Watched the older NJT and SEPTA stuff get shuffled too. Thanks for the video & commentary. Agree that it's not really the equipment, but the physical plant which is the real issue these days. When new, a lot of the right of way was good for 100+ mph, but things age and don't get replaced, so gotta dial back speeds, and in some cases train frequencies. Thankfully there seems to be momentum and FUNDING for the gateway project, which includes addressing some of these end of life bits of infrastructure. The one big item being the sawtooth bridges. Currently there's both a speed AND weight restriction on this stretch. The other bits toward the south will have their day in the sun. This plus improved rolling stock, I think paints a bright picture of the future of the northeast corridor and the services that rely upon and connect with it.
It's a modified Nathan K5LA, the modification is to increase the volume, it is the loudest train horn in the US due to the speed of the train. The Avelia Liberty trains use a kinda wimpy sounding TGV horn, a rare instance where a US train has a two tone euro style horn.
Great video, Thom! I’ve never taken Amtrak past New York so I didn’t realize they have to slow down so much in Connecticut. I’ve also never taken Acela, mostly cause the high price never seemed like it was worth it since it’s not much faster than the Regional between DC and New York. And it seems like business class on the Regional is a better deal.
12:04 I have so many memories playing soccer underneath that bridge (RFK) you can see from out the window. The field is literally directly underneath the bridge, so one time when we played there in the rain, the game was crazy Pretty much every school’s JV/varsity teams in manhattan play soccer/football and baseball on Randall’s island due to the limited space in the city. Unfortunately for us, we have to deal with the likely chance a strong wind blows the stench of the sewage treatment plant on the island towards the fields.
I’m kinda glad you went to Providence with Acela. Living and growing up in Southern Massachusetts, I’ve been to Rhode Island a lot. Providence, Pawtucket, and Newport. I can’t wait till MBTA commuter trains serve my old hometown Fall River and New Bedford. And if I ever travel to Washington DC (Especially by train) I hope to meet you and Lindsey. You guys would be fun to ride the trains with in the DC area. Metro, VRE, and Amtrak.
I recently rode the Acela for the first time from Boston to NYC. I loved riding that train but it felt like the suspension has seen better days. By the time I got off in New York I had a small amount of motion sickness which is odd because I ride trains every week and never feel that way after.
Providence was settled in June 1636 by Puritan theologian Roger Williams. Providence's Rhode Island State House was designed by McKim, Mead & White (who also famously designed the original NY Penn Station, Newark Penn Station, Columbia University's main campus, Brooklyn Museum, among other things), which features one of the largest structural-stone domes in the world. At the top is a gold-covered bronze statue known as The Independent Man, designed by George Brewster and installed in 1899. George Brewster also designed the exterior of the St. Louis Art Museum and Indianapolis's Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument. The Independent Man weighs more than 500 pounds and represents freedom and independence and alludes to the independent spirit which led Roger Williams to settle and establish Providence Plantations and later the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. As many fled persecution to Rhode Island from Massachusetts, the Rhode Island seal has an anchor and "Hope" not because of its maritime heritage but rather inspired by the biblical phrase "hope we have as an anchor of the soul".
Roger Williams wasn't much a a Puritan, He was cast out of Massachussetts fro his unPuritanical views. -In fact, when the Confederation of New England was formed, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations were excluded because of their unPuritanical theology.
The views are so much more interesting than I would have guessed! I need to plan trips on that line to Philadelphia (from NY) and Boston sometime soon. It looks really fun if you can travel in the daytime to enjoy the scenery.
Very good video, Thom and Lindsey! I'm confused about Amtrak's Business Class. In some areas, it means 1+2 seating, in other areas (like the Pacific Surfliner), it means 2+2 seating with more recline and leg room, because it's actually a surplus Superliner overnight coach. And on the Acela, it seems to mean coach, with extra fare over the coach fare charged on other trains, just because it's the Acela and it's a little faster. Back in the day, I took an ordinary intercity train from DC to New York, and I was impressed by how fast it was, even back then. And much cheaper than airfare! On your ride, I noticed a lot more raised platforms at stations, and all the old Pennsy equipment (like GG-1s and 1920s coaches in Tuscan Red) that I saw is history. The extra fare train back then called the Metroliner. Thanks for bringing me up to speed!
16:53 for being built by Bombardier, the cafe car has elements of TGV cafe cars-the only cafe car I experienced in Europe (although rode AVLO/AVE, DB, and SNCF TGV in that time)
The Acela didn't exist last time I visited the east coast of the States from my home in Australia, but I have travelled on Amtrak between Philadelphia and New York, and New York and Boston. Both trips were far more economical, relaxing and convenient than flying. Plus the views between NY and Boston in the fall of 1993 were spectacular.
6:57 it was recently announced that these will enter service by next year, hopefully all the issues mentioned in the video, in addition to peeling paint, are resolved by then...
Just a note, Amtrak no longer calls them the Avelia Liberty, but rather simply "Acela II" (I've had this conversation with the head of branding at Amtrak)
Nice video Thom! My understanding of the Alstom-Bombardier trainset is that the two companies formed a consortium in order to win the Acela bid. I'm guessing that the strict FRA crash requirements may have led them in this direction, but hard to be sure.
10:20 Yes!!! I was heading back to DC from Philadelphia on the Northeast Regional and I think my train was the last one to get through Newark in the southbound direction before train service was interrupted. Amtrak actually started honoring Acela tickets on our train because all of the trains behind us were so delayed! That was definitely one day where it very much paid to take the Northeast Regional over the Acela! Nice video, as always! Thanks for sharing your honest thoughts on the Acela!
You nailed it, man-the real issue isn’t Acela’s top speed. I recently took the Acela from NYC to Boston, and there were many slow zones, particularly between NYC and New Haven, CT, which extended our travel time. We only started reaching top speeds after we left New Haven.
Next time you ride through CT, make sure you look out the window at Guilford station (or even better take SLE direct to it) to see the abandonded brick water tower and engine house, some of, if not the only, remaining standing structures of its kind in this part of the country. Guilford and by extension the rest of the SLE corridor and shoreline CT has a lot of underrated sites that could be overshadowed by nearby New Haven or New London, definitely check it out if you have the time! (I'm definitely not biased because I'm from there)
I use Amtrak for business on occasion (I've had a traveling job for 25 years), and Amtrak takes me right downtown, allows me to stretch out and work on the computer, get up and get a meal and a glass of wine or a beer, and take business calls. All for about $188 or so. The alternative is to take a short round-trip flight for a one-day business trip with a hotel, dinner, and several Uber trips or a get a rental car. I have one of these trips next week, and it was $850 for the flights, plus about 200 for the hotel, and the rental car I haven't worked out yet. So the alternative is a lot of money and I still still have to find my way downtown. I could have booked Amtrak but it would have been 7hrs vs 1.5 hrs. The 7 hours would have been fine if I had broadband wifi throughout the trip, but it was just a bit too far so I'm taking the 1.5 hour flight. When traveling for business the biggest cost is the opportunity cost of not being able to do your work productively or not being able to get decent sleep when the opportunity comes up. Business travel is all about opportunity cost.
I'll have to agree with you on the Business Class comment. Even on the Cascades trains (at least on the Talgo sets) you get 2x1 seating. When I rode the Acela, I just bought the cheapest ticket I could for the fun of it and to say I've been on it, thinking the Avelias would soon roll out. Now it looks like they'll still be delayed.
I can’t wait for the new acelas to enter service and I took the current ones from DC to NY twice and NY to Philly back in 2021. I also got off at Newark Penn just an hour after the bull got on to the tracks and i was coming from Richmond VA
I took the same trip (but much later in the day, thankfully) back in August. Spending points on lounge access was worth it, but we had to stop at Kingston RI for a bit for some reason
I feel that the Acela wins for these reasons 1. Faster and cheaper than the stress and danger of driving a car. 2. Flying is faster in the plane itself , but when you go to the to airport, checking through security, ect takes a lot of time. 3. The comfort level of the train is much better than a cramped plane. 4. Flying starts to win as the distance travelled increase. The bathrooms are a big upgrade compared to the standard Amtrak coaches . The small area to make a phone call is great as I get real tired of people talking endlessly on their phones.
Good video! I took the Acela from New York City to Boston and back. I enjoyed it. I thought that it would have been better to save some money by taking the Northeast Regional from Boston to New York City. I hope that Amtrak starts running the Avelia Liberty trains in 2025. I might take the train to Providence. I've never been there.
The airline-style overhead bins are something that Transport Canada insists on (these carriages being based on Via Rail's LRC trains). It seems open luggage racks as used in the rest of the world are unacceptably dangerous.
Hah! Those ancient vestibule destination displays look like the model fitted in external doors on WCML Pendos! Superb report and tasty use of the door opening as a wipe - thanks for the editing class - looking forward to the next one \m/
They probably are the same or very similar to the ones on the pre-refurb 390s. the post refurb 390s have a much more modern dot matrix display. And as of this year 100% of the 390s have been refurbed.
Business class on the NE Regional is 2-1 config and you get free non-alcoholic beverages. It's the same on the Vermonter. I've taken the Acela from DC to Boston a few times (I live near DC, parents are north of Boston) and I like it because it is generally faster than the NE Regionals, mostly due to not as many stops. Love your videos!
The NEC through CT is a problem for so many reasons like the 3 Cs (curves, catenary, congestion). I’ll mention one- and that’s why Acela can’t go faster. It was meant to tilt through the curves going through CT but can’t because the tracks are just a little bit to close - the clearances between a tilting Acela and another train would be too close for comfort and could cause a collision. It’s why they couldn’t get the NY-Boston time down what they expected. Instead they’re planning a new route. Boston, Springfield then through a 16 mile tunnel under the Long Island Sound then directly west to Penn NY bypassing CT completely. The train would travel at 200 mph and make the trip in less than 2 hours (possibly 1 hour 40 minutes). It would only take 20 years and 100 Billion to build LOL
You forgot bridges. The bridges are old and in need of replacement. Speed limits are something like 30 mph on some, so they slow Metro North as well as Amtrak. Even if repaired, though, I find it hard to believe one could operate true HSR with bridges that need to open for maritime traffic.
Also, nothing wrong with the catenary. Unlike south of NYC, it's all constant tension. Amtrak built the section east and north of New Haven in 2000, and CTDoT upgraded the catenary on its tracks about four years ago. That's why you see the complex weight and pulley systems today that were not there 20 years ago, as well as some new stanchions.
6:20 The Frecciarossa 1000 is another example of trains designed by 2 different manufacturers. It can be argued that it was 4 manufacturers are involved because both original manufacturers got merged into other manufacturers. Bombardier became Alstom and AnsaldoBread became Hitachi, and these trains are still being produced after both mergers
It was a bit of a throwback seeing a paper ticket… I always use the barcode in the Amtrak app (and always use Acela from BWI to New York or Boston 👍) As always, awesome video.
Thanks for sharing the trip report. I still have to go on that train. I hope I can ride the new ones when they’re in service soon. I keep thinking some of them are when they’re really not quite, but I can see it coming eventually.
2:56 From my experience on the acela, the recline does work, it's just that the button gets jammed. You have to use your whole hand to press the button in.
Rode the Acela from Philadelphia to Washington in September 2024. It was a comfortable enough ride. Nothing spectacular. Paid $US89. The food from the Cafe car reminded me of food you used to get at the Drive-In movies back in the 70s.
@@Thom-TRA the price tends to fluctuate during the day. Here in Australia the price is the same whatever the time of day. Only the level of accomodation changes the price.
Americans: “We can’t build true HSR through the NE Corridor! That’s the oldest, most dense part of the country! Some of those buildings date back to the 1600’s!” The French: “Tunnel under two-thousand-year-old Paris go brrrrrr”
@@Thom-TRA Meanwhile the French are able to build HSR for less cost than the US and UK can build bare bones conventional rail for. We need to figure out what they're doing right.
@@mrvwbug4423Transit Costs Project at NYU has good analyses. For some reason it’s a problem in many English-speaking countries/places including Hong Kong, Singapore, UK and Canada. Spain may do a better job than France at keeping costs reasonable. If you are interested, the main TCP report discusses reasons for this and possible fixes.
Well, two are Amtrak, one CSX. Amtrak could have maintained three. Amtrak is also responsible for reducing the Hartford Line to one track. It's not just freight companies that rip up rails due to the maintenance expense.
Love Providence station, very nice and simple. My only complaint, NO OUTLETS ANYWHERE, and the shop is super overpriced for anything! Penn station you can get some goldfish for a dollar, but at the news stand in Providence, it’s $5! Apart from that, I love the station, it’s super conveniently located, and I love the bus access
Clarification on ownership in New England. Metro North owns from Pelham to New Haven, Amtrak owns from New Haven to the RI-Mass border, then it’s MBTA (Amtrak maintains these tracks for MBTA, but Amtrak owns the catenary) Also majority of the New Haven line wasn’t electrified until Amtrak in the 90’s in anticipation for the Acela in 2000. The ownership between the states, Amtrak, the DOT’s is a jumbled mess of who owns what and where especially at stations and yards
No. Them had it right. The MTA (a NY State agency and operator of Metro North) owns from GCT to Connecticut border. All of the New Haven Line from the NY/CT border to New Haven is owned by the Connecticut Department of Transportation. (CT Dot also owns the cars operated by Metro North in CT. Metro North/MTA contracts with CT for its CT operations.) Other than some bridges, that section is in the best state of repair, far better than teh Amtrak owned track south of NYC, which doesn't have constant tension catenary. The entire New Haven Line has been electrified since 1913. Electrification of the Shore Line, east of New Haven, was temporarily delayed by WWI, but completed just a few years later in 2000. The commuter railroads carry far more riders than Amtrak, so it makes sense that they own teh tracks and priority is given to their needs. Amtrak is a minor player compared to Metro North or the MBTA.
Ahh the good old Acela 2150. I've taken that train from Providence to Boston. Providence station is really nice, I personally like how the station floor vibrates when trains arrive and depart. And despite how much time I've spent at that station I had never seen the elevators before watching this video.
A perk of Acela is the lack of stops verse the regional trains. The downside is the cost is very expensive. Surprised thefe was no drink or food service at your seat like you get flying business class.
They’re not dedicated to the Acela, just to passenger trains in general (and even then, freight trains sometimes use it). In other words, it’s not a dedicated high speed line.
@@kevincinnamontoast3669 Because there's far more demand and need for the NER and even more for commuter rail, plus some products, like crushed stone, are extremely expensive to transport by truck, so go by rail. The primary user of the New Haven Line is Metro North, carrying folks from Westchester and Connecticut into the city.
@11:57 Astoria-Ditmars Blvd N&W Trains Station!! I wrote the Acela for the 1st time last month. From Penn Station to DC. It reminded me a lot of the Eurostar from London to Paris. I left around noon, didn't get there till 3. It was very fast and on time, no delays!! I hope I can be able to ride the Acela from Penn Station up to Boston. I'll probably just stop at Providence and then take the MBTA Commuter Rail up to Boston
I also hope MORE high-speed trains come to USA, such as the upcoming Brightline West that goes from Rancho Cucamonga to Las Vegas (Too bad they didn’t extend the route all the way to LA Union Station due to restricted infrastructure and Right-of-way privileges.) But at least they will connect to California High-Speed Rail on a separate section from Victorville to Palmdale, which will connect to another High-Speed Train to Los Angeles Union Station (they might also probably build an track interchange to connect the Brightline tracks to the regular diesel mainline for diesel locomotives to rescue any stranded trains in an emergency.) But also, too bad the California High-Speed Rail is getting delayed again! Maybe Brightline can collab to tackle the problem with construction delays on CHSR. But for now, Brightline West is looking like a WAY BETTER PROMISE than CHSR. Maybe you should do a review of riding a train for the first time from Las Vegas to Los Angeles whenever that line ever opens in 2028, with a connection to Metrolink to LA. Maybe you should also mention the Olympics whenever you do that video 4 years from now!! 😉
Watched this video while sitting on a german IC 2 long distance double deck train.. And I noticed that the Acela seems to be kind of loud. Definity louder than my train... Or was that just caused by your recording device? Anyways, a great video as always. I just like your educational style..
I agree with you, it isn't worth the extra money. If I do take it, its because I'm going to NYC for the day and time wise it works better. Catch the 7am Acela and get to NYC and are there around 9:50. The I take the NE Regional back in the evening. But I do like the message boards in the train, I don't think they are dated, but timeless. Its simple, effective, and I love the font and color.
You had mentioned the difference in catenary posts between the northern and southern side of New York, but you may have noticed they changed again north of New Haven. It's still the former New Haven railroad, but they had only electrified up to New Haven. It was diesel the rest of the way to Boston. Amtrak had electrified the section between New Haven and Boston in 1996(?) in anticipation of the acela.
Yeah, the electrification and track work was started in 96 and opened in 2000. It also contains the fastest track section, between Richmond, RI and Mansfield, MA
@@ironiczombie2530 There's also a 150 zone shortly after entering RI from CT and I think the longest section of 150 running is between Metropark and Princeton Junction in NJ. That's why Princeton Jct is such a popular railfanning spot since the Acelas pass it at 150.
Thank you for this excellent video ! I really like the Acela trains, and have ridden in them many times, usually east of New York towards Boston. Your Acela must have been one of the very few not to call at New Haven, or indeed New London. At both locations the trains run very slowly, so not stopping does seem strange, though I guess you were following a North East Regional for much of the way east of New York. For my journey west of New York I chose Business Class in a North East Regional, for I am never in a hurry (!), and I always enjoy the space in the Amfleet Business section. I also enjoy locomotive haulage ! As you say there are many rumours about the delays to introduction of the new Avelia Liberty trains, but AMTRAK is not alone in waiting for these trains to enter service. In France, the SNCF is also waiting for new TGVs which are very similar mechanically to the Avelia Liberty units, but don’t tilt. The way things are going the new Siemens built cars for the North East corridor will arrive before we see any Avelia Liberty units in service ! I trust you have a wonderful holiday on Cape Cod, and wonder if you might try the Cape Flyer service to Boston ? Happy holidays !
I've always wanted to ride the Acela. Being a PNW resident all my life, the only real interesting train we have is the Cascade's and their Taglo sets, which are now subject to retirement...
@@Thom-TRA As far as I've seen, they haven't left yet. But, Horizon cars have been taking their place more often. So, if you were to catch a Talgo, it'd either be by word-of-mouth or just plain luck, lol!
Thanks for sharing. I think the only way train travel can be good is for Amtrak to have its own rails and no crossings. Also Amtrak needs direct routes to the major cities.
I would not be surprised if at least one Acela ends up in the hands of the Mexican government. They’ve been boasting new rail lines for the last administration and the new one, but they are in the habit of stocking them with used locos from first world nations. The interoceanico for instance, just started running old British Class 43 HST stock.
Amtrak’s tilting Acela cars are based on Bombardier’s LRC cars, which had tilting technology, until VIA Rail disabled and later removed the tilting mechanisms in 2007. The LRC cars are still in service on VIA Rail’s corridor between Montreal and Toronto, with business class (refurbished modern, nicer-looking interiors than the Acela) in 2-1 seating.
Aren't the LRC cars just being pulled by a regular locomotive these days? Also interesting that Bombardier was chosen to make the tilting cars. Alstom has their own tilting tech on their Pendolino trains, and the BR class 390 is a contemporary of the Acela and entered service only a few years after Acela.
For what I know, at that time Alsthom and Bombardier decided to joint on a mutual proposal instead of competing each other. Also, according to wikipedia, Alstom acquire Fiat ferrovia in 2001, so at the time of the rfp, Alstom didn't hold that technology. Alstom may also had think that it was better to offer a north american product instead of an european one that would have to be modify for north america regulation. At the origin, the LRC had both locomotive and coaches, VIA replace the LRC locomotive by F40 or P42 approximatively 20 years ago. By the way, the LRC are in phasing out and VIA had already receive half of the Venture trainset that should provide the service for the corridor.
@@mrvwbug4423 my guess as to why lrc cars were used is they have an intrinsically more comfortable design. the lrc cars axis of tilt is in the centre of the car, as opposed to the pendilino’s being on the floor of the car. the lrc cars pivot more than tilt. also yes lrc’s sit behind f40s and among the budd cars now 😢
@@mrvwbug4423The LRC cars are pulled by Via’s highly modernized F40PH-2D (geared for 90/95 mph, rebuilt with independent HEP)or P42DC locomotives (limited to 100 mph).
@@nickgushue I've ridden on a 390 and the tilt is only really noticeable going into certain high speed curves, and then I would say it feels more "sporty" than anything, not unlike a motorcycle leaning into a corner.
The original Acela is my favorite train, I’ve ridden on it multiple times. Can’t wait to finish the video!
It’s definitely iconic!
@@Thom-TRAAmtrak was one of my favorite trains.
a good balance of pro and con regarding Acela. and usual your good narrative and photography. thanks for posting, Thom.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
Speaking of the PATH you saw out your window, before Newark Penn Station was built, you used to be able to transfer between Hudson & Manhattan Railroad (now PATH) trains and the Pennsylvania Railroad Main Line (Lehigh Valley Railroad trains also served it ) at Manhattan Transfer, a station with no exits or entrances, just like Smallbrook Junction on the Isle of Wight, Manulla Junction in Ireland, and the eBART transfer-only platform at Pittsburg/Bay Point in California. In November 1910, after the PRR opened the North River Tunnels, the PRR built the Manhattan Transfer station so passenger trains bound for New York Penn paused there so that their steam locomotives could be replaced by electric locomotives that could run through the tunnel under the river. The station also allowed passengers to change trains, which riders on the main line could transfer to local trains to Exchange Place, or H&M trains to Lower Manhattan. The H&M started operating to Newark in 1911, terminating at Park Place (demolished in 1937; now the site of NJPAC) with a stop at Manhattan Transfer. It closed in 1937 as the PRR chose to electrify to Philadelphia, making the need to switch locomotives obsolete, and the PRR and Newark government chose to build Newark Penn Station, replacing Manhattan Transfer, the PRR's Market Street station, and H&M's Park Place. Manhattan Transfer became the name of a 1925 novel, and a 1969 jazz vocal ensemble named themselves after the novel!
Love the "Trenton Makes, The World Takes" sign on the Lower Trenton Bridge at 7:19. The bridge was once a toll bridge operated by the Trenton Delaware Bridge Company. It originally opened in 1806, and was the first railroad bridge in the US to be used for interstate rail traffic. The bridge was rebuilt in 1875, 1876, 1892, and 1898 to keep up with the growing demands of rail traffic. It was once used by the Camden and Amboy Rail Road, who bought the bridge and the competing Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad in 1835 to end a rivalry and their attempt to put tracks over it. A new alignment for the railroad was completed in 1903, crossing the river on the Morrisville-Trenton Railroad Bridge. The PRR sold the bridge to state governments in 1918, and it was replaced with a new bridge in 1928, now a two-lane truss bridge. In 1910, The Trenton Chamber of Commerce conducted a slogan contest for the city’s residents in hopes of devising a phrase that would spread the fame of the capital’s industrial achievements. The contest, whose winner would receive $25 (around 800 dollars in 2024 money), received 1,478 entries. A local lumberyard owner at the time, S. Roy Heath, fabricated the winning slogan, which originally was backwards to how it is seen today reading, “The World Takes - Trenton Makes”. He declined the prize. The sign was actually taken down at one point before. During the Great Depression, the bridge did not have a sign for close to 10 years. The slogan refers to the fact Trenton once had a prominent manufacturing industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Trenton was most famous for its iron, steel and rubber industries!
I believe that was Park Place station. All at grade. LVRR had access via Hunter interlocking before the alignment was changed to the current layout. Newark Penn was a great idea, but it did cause some issues in the current era with access from the west & east not using the PRR tracks. Double tracking the Aldene ramp + flyover plus second waterfront connection track would fix 99% of this + add massive flexibility.
You actually went over two islands that were conjoined together while crossing the Hell Gate Bridge, Randalls and Wards Islands! Randalls and Wards Islands are named after their respective early-19th-century owners, Jonathan Randel and the Ward brothers. Originally, Wouter Van Twiller, the Director General of New Netherland, obtained them from Lenape chiefs named Numers and Seyseys in 1637, and their first European names were Great Barent Island (for Wards) and Little Barent Island (for Randalls), both named for a Danish cowherd named Barent Jansen Blom. When the British took over, they named them Great Barn and Little Barn Islands. During the American Revolution, Randalls Island (then known as Montresor's Island after British Army Captain John Montresor who purchased Randalls Island in 1772) was used by the Continental Army to quarantine soldiers who were infected with smallpox. Following the Continental Army's defeat in the Battle of Long Island, the British took over and used them as an army base. They launched amphibious attacks on Manhattan from Montresor's Island. The city government took the islands in 1783 after the British occupation ended, and sold Montresor's Island to Samuel Ogden in 1784, who then gave it to Jonathan Randel, while Jasper Ward and his brother Bartholomew bought the portions of Great Barn from two people in 1806.
The NYC government took over both islands in the mid-19th century and developed numerous hospitals, asylums, and cemeteries there. Most of the buildings there were demolished starting in the 1930s, when the Triborough (now Robert F. Kennedy) Bridge, two parks, and a wastewater treatment plant were developed. Most of Randalls and Wards Island is parkland with athletic fields, a driving range, greenways, playgrounds, picnic grounds, and the Icahn Stadium used for many national, international, and regional track-and-field events (I saw Cirque du Soleil's Kurios under their Grand Chapiteau in the stadium's parking lot in 2016; they provided a free shuttle from Harlem for it). The city government announced in 1955 that it planned to connect the two by allowing private contractors to dump debris within Little Hell Gate for free, and after the channel was filled, the city would expand the parks. They were conjoined by the late 1960s. A vertical-lift pedestrian bridge designed by Othmar Ammann (who also worked on the Walt Whitman Bridge, RFK Bridge, GWB, Bayonne Bridge, Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, Whitestone Bridge, and Throgs Neck Bridge) connecting Wards with Manhattan Island opened in 1951. The Randalls Island Connector footbridge with The Bronx opened in 2015. Hell Gate comes from the Dutch phrase Hellegat, from its namesake Hellegat on (the mouth of) the River Scheldt in Zeeland! The name was originally applied to the entirety of the East River, by Dutch explorer Adriaen Block during his 1610s voyage circumnavigating Long Island. This name Hellegat in turn was taken from the Greek Hellespont (the Greek name for the Dardanelles) which also has a dangerous reputation. Because explorers found navigation hazardous in this New World place of rocks and converging tide-driven currents (from the Long Island Sound, Harlem River strait, Upper Bay of New York Harbor, and lesser channels, some of which have been filled), the Anglicization stuck
Oops, sorry Wards island!
Hopefully one of these trainsets gets preserved and put in a museum
I wouldn't count on that. Amtrak does not have a great record for preservation of old equipment, especially if it is not thought of fondly. Examples: United Aircraft Turbo Trains, Rohr Turbo Trains, GE P30CH locomotives, to name a few. I have hope that at least one abbreviated set (two power cars, a business class and first class coach, and a cafe car will be set aside for a museum, probably the PA state museum in Strasburg, which got E60 and AEM7 electric locomotives, as well as an original Metroliner set. Part of the problem with Amtrak donating equipment is their status as a quasi-public corporation, which means they can't just give stuff away without some justification to the politicians who write the checks.
It's more at the hands of bombardier and Alston, whom from what I've heard do not want to preserve any and plan to scrap all of them when they're done. I hope I'm wrong on that but that's what I've heard.
Hopefully a few sets get sent to museums. The Acelas have been a huge success for Amtrak, so they fall under equipment that people are fond of like the Amfleets, AEM-7s, F40PHs and by the end of the decade the GE Genesis locomotives and Superliners.
11:35 The classic Alstom train chime. Same one as the pacific surfliner cars.
It's similar to the one on the BR class 390s, just at a lower pitch, of course the 390s are also made by Alstom.
As mentioned, the Acela has to slow down due to the southern Connecticut section. Which is why North Atlantic Rail has proposed redirecting high-speed rail to Long Island, with a tunnel for high-speed rail from Ronkonkoma under the Long Island Sound to New Haven (this plan also includes double-tracking and electrifying the Main Line up to Riverhead, to better serve the Suffolk County center as well as Brookhaven National Laboratory). Choosing a Long Island route for HSR makes a lot of sense, especially when you consider it would be honoring the LIRR's roots! The original intention of the LIRR was to serve as a way to get between NYC and Boston, by taking a train from Brooklyn to Greenport, then taking a steamboat between Greenport and Stonington, Connecticut, before taking another train from Connecticut towards Boston. Forming as an 11-hour journey. The southern shore of Connecticut was deemed impassable due to hills and river valleys, and so a route through mostly flat Long Island was considered the fastest and most effective solution. Service to Greenport started in July 1844, but that spirit was short-lived, as it was in 1848 that the New York & New Haven Railroad was opened across Connecticut. The LIRR chose not to serve existing communities along the shores, but straight down the middle, which was largely uninhabited at the time and relatively free of grade crossings for a quick way to cross to get to Greenport through the LI Pine Barrens. By turning their attention to serving Long Islanders through building branches, subsidiaries, acquiring competing railroads, and continuing to advance in infrastructure and rolling stock, the LIRR eventually became what it is today.
But doesn't the LI option tunnel across the Sound at New Haven (or Milford)? It would skip the New Haven Line with its Metro North congestion, but not the Shore Line, which has less traffic (and half the tracks), buy still lots of curves and at least two drawbridges.
Thanks Thom. I last saw Japan in early 1964, so had no chance to ride the Shinkansen, but did see it being built out the window of an express train to Nagoya from Yokohama. I have experienced the German and French high speed rail, and just once the Acela on Sunday morning in 2010. I see that it no longer makes a stop in New London, but on that hurried round trip to attend a rally on the Mall, I had had to take the regional express service overnight from New London to DC, stood for almost five hours in a huge crowd and then, having the foresight to reserve a seat on the 5:00PM Acela back to New London.
That evening the slow, but abbreviated stops ride back to New London in the quiet car on the Acela was absolute heaven by comparison. Yes it was worth it.
Wow, Japan in 1964! I bet you have some stories
I absolutely love the Acela to bits! Take the Empire Service from my University at Albany down to NYC and then the Acela to MA all the time!
why not take the Lake Shore Limited? I'd imagine it's a lot faster even if you're transferring through Boston
@ it’s always sold out and I typically book last minute.
Also probably more options throughout the day
@@gkweather i see, yeah it's really hampered by its only 2 coach cars.
I just had my first Acela experience the other day, and I did in fact experience the 150 MPH top speed and I gotta say it was definitely the most exciting train ride I’ve had ever. I will definitely be taking the Acela more often (as long as I can snipe good tickets)
Fantastic video sir, good to see Lyndsey keeping an eye on you, and yes that is a big lift!
I figure it may be worth mentioning that there is talk to make a HSR between Boston and NYC, which I feel the Acela would eventually go onto those tracks instead. The idea is to upgrade the tracks between Boston, MA and New Haven, CT but instead of following the coast through Providence, RI, it will be redirected through Hartford, CT and Springfield, MA. The numbers they are giving is that the new line will create a commute between Boston and NYC at 90 minutes instead of the current 3hr, 45min to 4hr, 15 min.
Unfortunately i think we’re decades away from that, if ever
@Thom-TRA Agree but at least there is discussion and pretty recent too
Providence station was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill under the direction of Marilyn Jordan Taylor. Marilyn also worked on One Worldwide Plaza in Manhattan, Ben Gurion International, the Tribeca pedestrian bridge, JFK Terminal 4, and Singapore Changi Terminal 3. Until 1854, Rhode Island had FIVE state capitals that rotated, Kingston, Providence, Newport, Bristol and East Greenwich! Yes, five! In 1854, the sessions were limited to Providence and Newport, and in 1900, Providence became the sole capital.
WOW. I thought Connecticut was special with two capitals (Hartford and New Haven) until 1876 or so. I guess the smaller a state is, the more capitals it needs.
I, too, booked Acela from New York to Washington on a date when the fare was lower than the NE Regional. Unfortunately, the Acela train broke down at New Brunswick NJ, and we all had to squeeze into the next NE Regional.
This was an awesome video explaining and showing all aspects of the Acela!!! And it’s always awesome to see you and Lindsey traveling together!!! I really appreciate your thorough explanations, history, and video footage of this awesome train!!!
Thank you!!!
I've been seeing Avelia trains every once in a while in the Sunnyside yard. I saw one pulling out as I was riding past on the subway.
You saw one moving? That’s cool. I’ve only seen them in the yard.
@@Thom-TRA Yeah I've seen one twice. Once just parked and the other time it was pulling out slowly towards the East River tunnels. I ride the subway past the yard almost every day. I keep looking for it, but haven't seen one since. Also, it seems like NJT has been parking different rolling stock out there too that wasn't ever there before. I'm not sure if they've shuffled some trains around to different services or what.
Yay for the Amtrak trip report! Thanks Thom and Lindsey! :)
You're welcome!
Seeing all these old spots brings back a lot of memories. Due to the ongoing pandemic & health concerns, it's been a while since I've been on a train. Used to be in NYC several times a week & watched the new PATH trains come in and the old ones go out. Watched the older NJT and SEPTA stuff get shuffled too. Thanks for the video & commentary. Agree that it's not really the equipment, but the physical plant which is the real issue these days. When new, a lot of the right of way was good for 100+ mph, but things age and don't get replaced, so gotta dial back speeds, and in some cases train frequencies. Thankfully there seems to be momentum and FUNDING for the gateway project, which includes addressing some of these end of life bits of infrastructure. The one big item being the sawtooth bridges. Currently there's both a speed AND weight restriction on this stretch. The other bits toward the south will have their day in the sun. This plus improved rolling stock, I think paints a bright picture of the future of the northeast corridor and the services that rely upon and connect with it.
19:24 The horn sounds a bit like the Spirit of Queensland tilting train from Brisbane to Cairns. 😊
Good video!
It's a modified Nathan K5LA, the modification is to increase the volume, it is the loudest train horn in the US due to the speed of the train. The Avelia Liberty trains use a kinda wimpy sounding TGV horn, a rare instance where a US train has a two tone euro style horn.
@ Thanks! Good to know!
Great video, Thom! I’ve never taken Amtrak past New York so I didn’t realize they have to slow down so much in Connecticut. I’ve also never taken Acela, mostly cause the high price never seemed like it was worth it since it’s not much faster than the Regional between DC and New York. And it seems like business class on the Regional is a better deal.
It was my first time too! And yes, you’re totally right
12:04 I have so many memories playing soccer underneath that bridge (RFK) you can see from out the window. The field is literally directly underneath the bridge, so one time when we played there in the rain, the game was crazy
Pretty much every school’s JV/varsity teams in manhattan play soccer/football and baseball on Randall’s island due to the limited space in the city. Unfortunately for us, we have to deal with the likely chance a strong wind blows the stench of the sewage treatment plant on the island towards the fields.
Also if you missed your shot it would just bounce back off of the bridge’s pillars, so that was always convenient
I’m kinda glad you went to Providence with Acela. Living and growing up in Southern Massachusetts, I’ve been to Rhode Island a lot. Providence, Pawtucket, and Newport. I can’t wait till MBTA commuter trains serve my old hometown Fall River and New Bedford. And if I ever travel to Washington DC (Especially by train) I hope to meet you and Lindsey. You guys would be fun to ride the trains with in the DC area. Metro, VRE, and Amtrak.
I recently rode the Acela for the first time from Boston to NYC. I loved riding that train but it felt like the suspension has seen better days. By the time I got off in New York I had a small amount of motion sickness which is odd because I ride trains every week and never feel that way after.
This is so well edited and chock full of such great B-roll. Rly enjoyed this. I wish the acela could get its own track.
Thank you!!
Providence was settled in June 1636 by Puritan theologian Roger Williams. Providence's Rhode Island State House was designed by McKim, Mead & White (who also famously designed the original NY Penn Station, Newark Penn Station, Columbia University's main campus, Brooklyn Museum, among other things), which features one of the largest structural-stone domes in the world. At the top is a gold-covered bronze statue known as The Independent Man, designed by George Brewster and installed in 1899. George Brewster also designed the exterior of the St. Louis Art Museum and Indianapolis's Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument. The Independent Man weighs more than 500 pounds and represents freedom and independence and alludes to the independent spirit which led Roger Williams to settle and establish Providence Plantations and later the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
As many fled persecution to Rhode Island from Massachusetts, the Rhode Island seal has an anchor and "Hope" not because of its maritime heritage but rather inspired by the biblical phrase "hope we have as an anchor of the soul".
Roger Williams wasn't much a a Puritan, He was cast out of Massachussetts fro his unPuritanical views. -In fact, when the Confederation of New England was formed, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations were excluded because of their unPuritanical theology.
I Really Have A Serious Crush On You Amtrak Acela Express Trains And I When On The Amtrak Acela Express Trains For The First Time Last Year October
The views are so much more interesting than I would have guessed! I need to plan trips on that line to Philadelphia (from NY) and Boston sometime soon. It looks really fun if you can travel in the daytime to enjoy the scenery.
never take acela from ny to phl, wildly expensive. take keystone service instead!
doing acela boston nyc is a much more reasonable price
There are also great views between Philly and Baltimore, when the train crosses the Susquehanna!
@@saladman8745 Thank you!
Yeah, the section across CT is slow, but very scenic since it stays near the coast most of the way.
@@saladman8745definitely the Keystone. Almost as fast from NYP to PHL. Note- no cafe, buy food in station before boarding.
Very good video, Thom and Lindsey!
I'm confused about Amtrak's Business Class. In some areas, it means 1+2 seating, in other areas (like the Pacific Surfliner), it means 2+2 seating with more recline and leg room, because it's actually a surplus Superliner overnight coach. And on the Acela, it seems to mean coach, with extra fare over the coach fare charged on other trains, just because it's the Acela and it's a little faster.
Back in the day, I took an ordinary intercity train from DC to New York, and I was impressed by how fast it was, even back then. And much cheaper than airfare! On your ride, I noticed a lot more raised platforms at stations, and all the old Pennsy equipment (like GG-1s and 1920s coaches in Tuscan Red) that I saw is history. The extra fare train back then called the Metroliner.
Thanks for bringing me up to speed!
Yes. It is like coach with a bit more foot room. If you can take a bit more time, take the Regional business class, which is nicer and less expensive.
It’s too confusing, it needs to be more uniform so you know what you’re paying for
This was a great video. I didn’t know that much about the Acela but you gave very good details. 😊
I appreciate it!
16:53 for being built by Bombardier, the cafe car has elements of TGV cafe cars-the only cafe car I experienced in Europe (although rode AVLO/AVE, DB, and SNCF TGV in that time)
Well done, Thom. I am from Connecticut and we do have nice scenery. I am a subscriber to your channel and please keep the great content coming.❤
Thank you! I'm glad you liked it. I have fond memories of trips to Mystic I used to take as a kid.
You’re always fair with your assessments. America is still waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay behind the rest of the world.
The Acela didn't exist last time I visited the east coast of the States from my home in Australia, but I have travelled on Amtrak between Philadelphia and New York, and New York and Boston. Both trips were far more economical, relaxing and convenient than flying. Plus the views between NY and Boston in the fall of 1993 were spectacular.
You’ll have to come back over here sometime!
6:57 it was recently announced that these will enter service by next year, hopefully all the issues mentioned in the video, in addition to peeling paint, are resolved by then...
I’m not holding my breath but will allow myself to be cautiously optimistic
I have had 3 perfect trips from Boston to Washington DC. Tickets boufght 2 months in advance: $300 (for 2 round trip).
Works for me.
To me that sounds like kind of a lot of
Just a note, Amtrak no longer calls them the Avelia Liberty, but rather simply "Acela II" (I've had this conversation with the head of branding at Amtrak)
Weird
Nice video Thom! My understanding of the Alstom-Bombardier trainset is that the two companies formed a consortium in order to win the Acela bid. I'm guessing that the strict FRA crash requirements may have led them in this direction, but hard to be sure.
Thanks for the insight!
10:20 Yes!!! I was heading back to DC from Philadelphia on the Northeast Regional and I think my train was the last one to get through Newark in the southbound direction before train service was interrupted. Amtrak actually started honoring Acela tickets on our train because all of the trains behind us were so delayed! That was definitely one day where it very much paid to take the Northeast Regional over the Acela!
Nice video, as always! Thanks for sharing your honest thoughts on the Acela!
Poor Ricardo… at least he gets to grow old now!
@ Indeed!
You nailed it, man-the real issue isn’t Acela’s top speed. I recently took the Acela from NYC to Boston, and there were many slow zones, particularly between NYC and New Haven, CT, which extended our travel time. We only started reaching top speeds after we left New Haven.
And even then it was probably not for very long
The Bombardier cars are based on VIA’s LRC cars.
All rail travel is awesome
Next time you ride through CT, make sure you look out the window at Guilford station (or even better take SLE direct to it) to see the abandonded brick water tower and engine house, some of, if not the only, remaining standing structures of its kind in this part of the country. Guilford and by extension the rest of the SLE corridor and shoreline CT has a lot of underrated sites that could be overshadowed by nearby New Haven or New London, definitely check it out if you have the time! (I'm definitely not biased because I'm from there)
Thanks for the tip!
I use Amtrak for business on occasion (I've had a traveling job for 25 years), and Amtrak takes me right downtown, allows me to stretch out and work on the computer, get up and get a meal and a glass of wine or a beer, and take business calls. All for about $188 or so. The alternative is to take a short round-trip flight for a one-day business trip with a hotel, dinner, and several Uber trips or a get a rental car. I have one of these trips next week, and it was $850 for the flights, plus about 200 for the hotel, and the rental car I haven't worked out yet. So the alternative is a lot of money and I still still have to find my way downtown. I could have booked Amtrak but it would have been 7hrs vs 1.5 hrs. The 7 hours would have been fine if I had broadband wifi throughout the trip, but it was just a bit too far so I'm taking the 1.5 hour flight. When traveling for business the biggest cost is the opportunity cost of not being able to do your work productively or not being able to get decent sleep when the opportunity comes up. Business travel is all about opportunity cost.
Cool. You should post this on your LinkedIn.
Would be cool if they sent one of the Acela trainsets to IRM. Won't be able to run them, but it would be cool for display.
If you like model trains, both Acelas are the most frequently bought train on the market.
I'll have to agree with you on the Business Class comment. Even on the Cascades trains (at least on the Talgo sets) you get 2x1 seating. When I rode the Acela, I just bought the cheapest ticket I could for the fun of it and to say I've been on it, thinking the Avelias would soon roll out. Now it looks like they'll still be delayed.
also if you dont like your seat you can modify it in the amtrak app. if that doesnt work just ask an attendant for help
That only works if the train isn't fully sold out. Which this one was.
Very good and balanced video. Thank you.
Thank you!
I can’t wait for the new acelas to enter service and I took the current ones from DC to NY twice and NY to Philly back in 2021. I also got off at Newark Penn just an hour after the bull got on to the tracks and i was coming from Richmond VA
I took the same trip (but much later in the day, thankfully) back in August. Spending points on lounge access was worth it, but we had to stop at Kingston RI for a bit for some reason
GREAT job with this video. You do a great job with your explinations.
If you ever see a conductor MO - tell him I said hello.
Dave
I will! Thanks!
I feel that the Acela wins for these reasons 1. Faster and cheaper than the stress and danger of driving a car. 2. Flying is faster in the plane itself , but when you go to the to airport, checking through security, ect takes a lot of time. 3. The comfort level of the train is much better than a cramped plane. 4. Flying starts to win as the distance travelled increase. The bathrooms are a big upgrade compared to the standard Amtrak coaches . The small area to make a phone call is great as I get real tired of people talking endlessly on their phones.
Except for the bathrooms, I don’t really see how these reasons make the Acela beat the northeast regional
Good video! I took the Acela from New York City to Boston and back. I enjoyed it. I thought that it would have been better to save some money by taking the Northeast Regional from Boston to New York City. I hope that Amtrak starts running the Avelia Liberty trains in 2025. I might take the train to Providence. I've never been there.
The airline-style overhead bins are something that Transport Canada insists on (these carriages being based on Via Rail's LRC trains). It seems open luggage racks as used in the rest of the world are unacceptably dangerous.
Hah! Those ancient vestibule destination displays look like the model fitted in external doors on WCML Pendos! Superb report and tasty use of the door opening as a wipe - thanks for the editing class - looking forward to the next one \m/
They’re almost vintage!
@Thom-TRA 🤣 IKR \m/
They probably are the same or very similar to the ones on the pre-refurb 390s. the post refurb 390s have a much more modern dot matrix display. And as of this year 100% of the 390s have been refurbed.
@@mrvwbug4423 similar era of LCD certainly \m/
Business class on the NE Regional is 2-1 config and you get free non-alcoholic beverages. It's the same on the Vermonter. I've taken the Acela from DC to Boston a few times (I live near DC, parents are north of Boston) and I like it because it is generally faster than the NE Regionals, mostly due to not as many stops. Love your videos!
Business class on the Northeast regional is 2x2 unfortunately
@@Thom-TRA Then maybe I am confusing my Vermonter trip with my NE Regional trip? Because It was definitely 2x1 on one of them.
@ yeah I believe the Vermonter is 2x1
Very nice video! I look very much forward to seeing one in the Avelio... whenever they enter into service!
Don’t we all! Haha
The restroom appears to be accessible. So things like a flush button will be bigger to help those with limited mobility.
I took an accela once 10-15 years ago (would have been about 5), only thing i remember is the cafe car
The NEC through CT is a problem for so many reasons like the 3 Cs (curves, catenary, congestion). I’ll mention one- and that’s why Acela can’t go faster. It was meant to tilt through the curves going through CT but can’t because the tracks are just a little bit to close - the clearances between a tilting Acela and another train would be too close for comfort and could cause a collision. It’s why they couldn’t get the NY-Boston time down what they expected. Instead they’re planning a new route. Boston, Springfield then through a 16 mile tunnel under the Long Island Sound then directly west to Penn NY bypassing CT completely. The train would travel at 200 mph and make the trip in less than 2 hours (possibly 1 hour 40 minutes). It would only take 20 years and 100 Billion to build LOL
You forgot bridges. The bridges are old and in need of replacement. Speed limits are something like 30 mph on some, so they slow Metro North as well as Amtrak. Even if repaired, though, I find it hard to believe one could operate true HSR with bridges that need to open for maritime traffic.
Also, nothing wrong with the catenary. Unlike south of NYC, it's all constant tension. Amtrak built the section east and north of New Haven in 2000, and CTDoT upgraded the catenary on its tracks about four years ago. That's why you see the complex weight and pulley systems today that were not there 20 years ago, as well as some new stanchions.
6:20 The Frecciarossa 1000 is another example of trains designed by 2 different manufacturers. It can be argued that it was 4 manufacturers are involved because both original manufacturers got merged into other manufacturers. Bombardier became Alstom and AnsaldoBread became Hitachi, and these trains are still being produced after both mergers
You’re right!
It was a bit of a throwback seeing a paper ticket… I always use the barcode in the Amtrak app (and always use Acela from BWI to New York or Boston 👍)
As always, awesome video.
I like printing them just as keepsakes. But only special trips, my regular regional trips I just use the app.
Roll call! Does anyone still remember watching their first Acela video? I remember mine was seen in like 2003ish
@7:19 Beacon of Light. Beacon of Hope.
Bombardier had manufactured double-decker rail cars for other commuter rails in America
Thanks for sharing the trip report. I still have to go on that train. I hope I can ride the new ones when they’re in service soon. I keep thinking some of them are when they’re really not quite, but I can see it coming eventually.
7:20 beacon of light, beacon of hope!
Beat me to it lol!
2:56 From my experience on the acela, the recline does work, it's just that the button gets jammed. You have to use your whole hand to press the button in.
No, when I would sit up, the seat would launch forward.
@@Thom-TRA Oh ok. I guess you just got unlucky. Glad you had a great trip though!
Attitude Of Gratitude For Outstanding 👌 Video😊😊As Usual. Thanks Thom and Lindsey 😊😅
Rode the Acela from Philadelphia to Washington in September 2024. It was a comfortable enough ride. Nothing spectacular. Paid $US89. The food from the Cafe car reminded me of food you used to get at the Drive-In movies back in the 70s.
That's a very similar price to what we paid!
@@Thom-TRA the price tends to fluctuate during the day. Here in Australia the price is the same whatever the time of day. Only the level of accomodation changes the price.
Americans: “We can’t build true HSR through the NE Corridor! That’s the oldest, most dense part of the country! Some of those buildings date back to the 1600’s!”
The French: “Tunnel under two-thousand-year-old Paris go brrrrrr”
The French LGV don’t go at high speeds through cities.
Still, the point is that the costs to build in US cities are so astronomical that most public authorities will just not do it
@@Thom-TRA Meanwhile the French are able to build HSR for less cost than the US and UK can build bare bones conventional rail for. We need to figure out what they're doing right.
@@mrvwbug4423Transit Costs Project at NYU has good analyses. For some reason it’s a problem in many English-speaking countries/places including Hong Kong, Singapore, UK and Canada. Spain may do a better job than France at keeping costs reasonable. If you are interested, the main TCP report discusses reasons for this and possible fixes.
There used to be 4 tracks over the Hells Gate Bridge, now there are only 3.Thanks ConRail......
Well, two are Amtrak, one CSX. Amtrak could have maintained three. Amtrak is also responsible for reducing the Hartford Line to one track. It's not just freight companies that rip up rails due to the maintenance expense.
@@peter7936 And now They are putting more double-track back in.
Love Providence station, very nice and simple. My only complaint, NO OUTLETS ANYWHERE, and the shop is super overpriced for anything! Penn station you can get some goldfish for a dollar, but at the news stand in Providence, it’s $5! Apart from that, I love the station, it’s super conveniently located, and I love the bus access
Oh yeah, super annoying when waiting areas have no outlets
At least the café has good sandwiches
Clarification on ownership in New England. Metro North owns from Pelham to New Haven, Amtrak owns from New Haven to the RI-Mass border, then it’s MBTA (Amtrak maintains these tracks for MBTA, but Amtrak owns the catenary) Also majority of the New Haven line wasn’t electrified until Amtrak in the 90’s in anticipation for the Acela in 2000. The ownership between the states, Amtrak, the DOT’s is a jumbled mess of who owns what and where especially at stations and yards
No. Them had it right. The MTA (a NY State agency and operator of Metro North) owns from GCT to Connecticut border. All of the New Haven Line from the NY/CT border to New Haven is owned by the Connecticut Department of Transportation. (CT Dot also owns the cars operated by Metro North in CT. Metro North/MTA contracts with CT for its CT operations.) Other than some bridges, that section is in the best state of repair, far better than teh Amtrak owned track south of NYC, which doesn't have constant tension catenary. The entire New Haven Line has been electrified since 1913. Electrification of the Shore Line, east of New Haven, was temporarily delayed by WWI, but completed just a few years later in 2000. The commuter railroads carry far more riders than Amtrak, so it makes sense that they own teh tracks and priority is given to their needs. Amtrak is a minor player compared to Metro North or the MBTA.
More Providence/Rhode Island content on the horizon? 🤩
Ahh the good old Acela 2150. I've taken that train from Providence to Boston. Providence station is really nice, I personally like how the station floor vibrates when trains arrive and depart. And despite how much time I've spent at that station I had never seen the elevators before watching this video.
A perk of Acela is the lack of stops verse the regional trains. The downside is the cost is very expensive. Surprised thefe was no drink or food service at your seat like you get flying business class.
Wow I did not know that on the Acela if you use the table in front of you you get broccoli.
My girlfriend and I are taking the Acela to New York next weekend!
Have fun!
I thought the reason we have the Acela is because Amtrak owns the tracks and they are dedicated.
They’re not dedicated to the Acela, just to passenger trains in general (and even then, freight trains sometimes use it). In other words, it’s not a dedicated high speed line.
Why
@@kevincinnamontoast3669 Because there's far more demand and need for the NER and even more for commuter rail, plus some products, like crushed stone, are extremely expensive to transport by truck, so go by rail. The primary user of the New Haven Line is Metro North, carrying folks from Westchester and Connecticut into the city.
I really enjoyed this video; thank you for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I remember seeing the X2000 and Ice Amtrak trains in kids videos back in the early 2000s. I like the horn the X2000 has. It was a "foh foh" sound
@11:57 Astoria-Ditmars Blvd N&W Trains Station!! I wrote the Acela for the 1st time last month. From Penn Station to DC. It reminded me a lot of the Eurostar from London to Paris. I left around noon, didn't get there till 3. It was very fast and on time, no delays!! I hope I can be able to ride the Acela from Penn Station up to Boston. I'll probably just stop at Providence and then take the MBTA Commuter Rail up to Boston
I also hope MORE high-speed trains come to USA, such as the upcoming Brightline West that goes from Rancho Cucamonga to Las Vegas (Too bad they didn’t extend the route all the way to LA Union Station due to restricted infrastructure and Right-of-way privileges.) But at least they will connect to California High-Speed Rail on a separate section from Victorville to Palmdale, which will connect to another High-Speed Train to Los Angeles Union Station (they might also probably build an track interchange to connect the Brightline tracks to the regular diesel mainline for diesel locomotives to rescue any stranded trains in an emergency.) But also, too bad the California High-Speed Rail is getting delayed again! Maybe Brightline can collab to tackle the problem with construction delays on CHSR. But for now, Brightline West is looking like a WAY BETTER PROMISE than CHSR. Maybe you should do a review of riding a train for the first time from Las Vegas to Los Angeles whenever that line ever opens in 2028, with a connection to Metrolink to LA. Maybe you should also mention the Olympics whenever you do that video 4 years from now!! 😉
Watched this video while sitting on a german IC 2 long distance double deck train.. And I noticed that the Acela seems to be kind of loud. Definity louder than my train...
Or was that just caused by your recording device?
Anyways, a great video as always. I just like your educational style..
American trains are quite loud in general. It’s why people are so impressed with the Stadlers!
I agree with you, it isn't worth the extra money. If I do take it, its because I'm going to NYC for the day and time wise it works better. Catch the 7am Acela and get to NYC and are there around 9:50. The I take the NE Regional back in the evening. But I do like the message boards in the train, I don't think they are dated, but timeless. Its simple, effective, and I love the font and color.
You had mentioned the difference in catenary posts between the northern and southern side of New York, but you may have noticed they changed again north of New Haven. It's still the former New Haven railroad, but they had only electrified up to New Haven. It was diesel the rest of the way to Boston. Amtrak had electrified the section between New Haven and Boston in 1996(?) in anticipation of the acela.
I think the electrification was completed in 2000!
Yeah, the electrification and track work was started in 96 and opened in 2000. It also contains the fastest track section, between Richmond, RI and Mansfield, MA
@@ironiczombie2530 There's also a 150 zone shortly after entering RI from CT and I think the longest section of 150 running is between Metropark and Princeton Junction in NJ. That's why Princeton Jct is such a popular railfanning spot since the Acelas pass it at 150.
Bombardier-Alstom consortium has made many trains prior to Bombardier being aquired by Alstom.
Like?
Thank you for this excellent video ! I really like the Acela trains, and have ridden in them many times, usually east of New York towards Boston. Your Acela must have been one of the very few not to call at New Haven, or indeed New London. At both locations the trains run very slowly, so not stopping does seem strange, though I guess you were following a North East Regional for much of the way east of New York. For my journey west of New York I chose Business Class in a North East Regional, for I am never in a hurry (!), and I always enjoy the space in the Amfleet Business section. I also enjoy locomotive haulage ! As you say there are many rumours about the delays to introduction of the new Avelia Liberty trains, but AMTRAK is not alone in waiting for these trains to enter service. In France, the SNCF is also waiting for new TGVs which are very similar mechanically to the Avelia Liberty units, but don’t tilt. The way things are going the new Siemens built cars for the North East corridor will arrive before we see any Avelia Liberty units in service ! I trust you have a wonderful holiday on Cape Cod, and wonder if you might try the Cape Flyer service to Boston ? Happy holidays !
I’ve never understood why Amtrak went for a new model that had never been in service anywhere else yet
I hope you eventually do a video going all the way to Boston.
I like slow trains and fast planes. I'd like to know if there are stops that are unique.
I've always wanted to ride the Acela. Being a PNW resident all my life, the only real interesting train we have is the Cascade's and their Taglo sets, which are now subject to retirement...
I hope to ride the talgos before they’re gone
@@Thom-TRA As far as I've seen, they haven't left yet. But, Horizon cars have been taking their place more often. So, if you were to catch a Talgo, it'd either be by word-of-mouth or just plain luck, lol!
Thanks for sharing. I think the only way train travel can be good is for Amtrak to have its own rails and no crossings. Also Amtrak needs direct routes to the major cities.
Great video on acele. I love train acele trains and other American trains
Thanks!
I would not be surprised if at least one Acela ends up in the hands of the Mexican government. They’ve been boasting new rail lines for the last administration and the new one, but they are in the habit of stocking them with used locos from first world nations. The interoceanico for instance, just started running old British Class 43 HST stock.
Very good video watched till the end 👌
In the app you could’ve changed your seat, or asked a conductor they could’ve helped you with the chair! Sorry - from an Amtrak Employee!
Nope, all seats were sold out. Tried several times.
Amtrak’s tilting Acela cars are based on Bombardier’s LRC cars, which had tilting technology, until VIA Rail disabled and later removed the tilting mechanisms in 2007. The LRC cars are still in service on VIA Rail’s corridor between Montreal and Toronto, with business class (refurbished modern, nicer-looking interiors than the Acela) in 2-1 seating.
Aren't the LRC cars just being pulled by a regular locomotive these days? Also interesting that Bombardier was chosen to make the tilting cars. Alstom has their own tilting tech on their Pendolino trains, and the BR class 390 is a contemporary of the Acela and entered service only a few years after Acela.
For what I know, at that time Alsthom and Bombardier decided to joint on a mutual proposal instead of competing each other. Also, according to wikipedia, Alstom acquire Fiat ferrovia in 2001, so at the time of the rfp, Alstom didn't hold that technology. Alstom may also had think that it was better to offer a north american product instead of an european one that would have to be modify for north america regulation.
At the origin, the LRC had both locomotive and coaches, VIA replace the LRC locomotive by F40 or P42 approximatively 20 years ago.
By the way, the LRC are in phasing out and VIA had already receive half of the Venture trainset that should provide the service for the corridor.
@@mrvwbug4423 my guess as to why lrc cars were used is they have an intrinsically more comfortable design. the lrc cars axis of tilt is in the centre of the car, as opposed to the pendilino’s being on the floor of the car. the lrc cars pivot more than tilt. also yes lrc’s sit behind f40s and among the budd cars now 😢
@@mrvwbug4423The LRC cars are pulled by Via’s highly modernized F40PH-2D (geared for 90/95 mph, rebuilt with independent HEP)or P42DC locomotives (limited to 100 mph).
@@nickgushue I've ridden on a 390 and the tilt is only really noticeable going into certain high speed curves, and then I would say it feels more "sporty" than anything, not unlike a motorcycle leaning into a corner.
Shame the design of these trains allowed for a bar up the centre of the window. They could have had large windows with great views.
Problem with the slow speed is mixed train traffic and old infrastructure that can’t handle the higher speed