Acela Vibrations/bumps

[stonesfan]

I've had 'mixed' results on Amfleet stock. Some ride extremely well and are impressive at 110mph+. Others have been real old vibrators, hunting at will, luggage racks resonating at full volume etc.

As for the Acela, the few I've been on I found on the bumpy side too.

Maybe its a case of maintenance or lack of maintenance issues?

Our own Mk3's (which you could consider a rival to the amfleet) glide along with the best ride quality of any World intercity train when they are well maintained. However, they are absolute dogs if they are overdue maintenance. Hunting, wheelflats thundering away, seats and luggage racks creaking away etc

 

[guest]

All one need do is look down the tracks on the NEC, then do the same anywhere on a European or Asian high speed line. The American rails look like they were laid by drunken chimps.

 

[NE933]

All one need do is look down the tracks on the NEC, then do the same anywhere on a European or Asian high speed line. The American rails look like they were laid by drunken chimps.

Lol!! Ok, that said, the poor quality tracks weren't always like this. During the original Northeast Corridor Improvement Project circa early 80's, track structures were like holy cathedrals of passenger rail: carefully aligned concrete ties that were evenly spaced, none of them cracked, and long ribbons of welded rails that were joined with other rail properly. Today we have the scourge of the Rocala tie debacle, where entire cracked and pulverized ties combine with unattended drainage issues (check out the swimming pools and mud baths at North Elizabeth, the so poorly done weld of track 1 at Rahway it seems dangerous, and jumping frogs and surrounding ballast in the turnouts at Metuchen) to make for a sad situation. Add to this is two years ago when concrete ties were being replaced in NJ, track laying equipment was parked in Linden on a Saturday. Amtrak should've had continuous shifts of track gangs smoking that machine 24/7 to ensure this crucial artery is fixed up ASAP, not relaxing on the weekend. In the old days workers on the NEC were more serious and higher ups were also serious about observing the tie product with scientist's eyes before making a contract. And the nonsense of reading a text message would be worthy of a hanging.

 

[Ashley]

On Acela from DC to NY... It has been bumpy the entire trip. Plus, the Internet signal comes and goes every few minutes... It's actually a miracle I'm able to post this message right now. Come on, Amtrak! I'm rooting for you!

 

[oulous]

Baltimore to NYC was brutal. Our laptop screens were shaking so much we couldn't read. Both of us stepped off the train with bad naseau. Without a doubt we are a country in decline.

 

[ED]

I am on the Acela now. I found this thread because I googled Acela Bumpy Ride. Its really bumpy in here.

 

[NS]

The Acela Express trains ride as rough and bumpy as the original Metroliner EMU's - and they still ride as bad after their conversion to cab cars (they have different trucks than the Amfleets).

 

[Nyced]

here we are 3 years later. the ride is awful. shakes and bumpy. don't know if there was a patch that did not shake. working was useless. take a train Europe, what a delight.

 

[NE933]

This will hopefully get corrected as old, wooden tie turnouts are replaced for concrete tie ones.

Also, I noted last week that Track 1 in New Jersey is getting the TLM treatment. In the stretches past Rahway and Linden, the Rocla concrete ties were cracked and, simply smashed to pulverization in some cases. Obvious slow orders and lots of jerking while in motion was the result, but I did observe the track crews and their machinery finally remedying this. Now the trick is to get to all the other areas that need.

 

[afigg]

here we are 3 years later. the ride is awful. shakes and bumpy. don't know if there was a patch that did not shake. working was useless. take a train Europe, what a delight.

I was on a Regional on Saturday that got very bumpy for a stretch between BAL and WAS. So it is not just the Acelas.

Boardman said recently that Amtrak was planning to spend around $300 million or so over the next 3-4 years undercutting the track beds between WAS and NYP. The track beds are in poor condition in many segments which is a major reason for the rough rides. But the funds to repair the track beds will be coming out of a tight NEC capital budget, unless Congress provides the increased NEC funding Amtrak will be asking for in future fiscal years.

 

[Dutchrailnut]

you don't hear tilting system below 25 mph, as it cuts out, including hydraulic pumps.

 

[cirdan]

Has anyone noticed that the old REGIONAL trains have a smoother ride than ACELA at high speeds between NYC and D.C.? It is virtually impossible to type on ACELA because of all the vibration and bumps. Given the monies spent, this should not be the case.

Acelas have square wheels. They were cheaper and Amtrak was trying to save money.

They hired McKinsey and other consultants to study why Acelas were so bumpy.

The consultants billed millions for studies and finlly realized that the reason square wheels are so bumpy is that they have corners.

The consultants said, if you get rid of those corners, the ride will be smoother.

But round wheels were too expensive, so Amtrak studied if there was a middle way.

Surely seeing the corners on the wheels caused the bumps, any decrease in the number of corners would improve the ride.

So Amtrak ordered new wheels which were triangular.

 

[Christophe]

Hi fellow Acela riders

I'm writing from the train and as many of you, I came here by Googling this bumpy situation hoping to find an explanation and maybe a tip about where to sit to get less vibrations.It looks like that there is no real answer to this question, that's a shame. I would not consider this train high-speed by any standard of the 21th century but in any case, even at low speed it's not comfortable. I find some subway trains in NYC more comfortable to ride (from a bump perspective)!

I've been used to riding the French TGV, who"s actually high-speed (200 MPH or more) AND very comfortable. So there's definitely a conception issue here, speed is not an excuse.

On my first journey I was nearly sick when I arrived in Boston after working on my computer for most of the trip.

 

[Acela150]

Near the middle of the train set and the middle of the car. It works best. Unless you have a FC ticket. Then try to sit in the middle of the car.

 

[the_traveler]

This thread started in 2011 and has some interesting information. It gets revived from the dead file every so often. I am closing it but feel free to start a new thread if necessary.