Well Id have to agree that the Acela Express is a great train. I have ridden it twice, with one good experience, and one very bad experience.
The good one was traveling from Metropark to BWI. All went smooth, well, and on time. However the return trip was very different. About 30 minutes outside of Phili, I began smelling smoke, and soon there after, it began to appear outside. I made the assumption it was coming from the lead unit, and if so, something we going to be done shortly.
Within 2 minutes, the emergency brakes were applied as the smoke began bellowing out of the unit. After a 30 minute stop, in the middle of the NEC, it was determined the brakes were malfunctioning. After 15 minutes, I heard over the scanner that they were going to pull a metroliner trainset up along side, and using a wheelchair lift in the relaxed position, the passengers from our train would "walk the plank" onto the other train.
It was a very cool experience, I must admit. About half-way through the loading process onto the other train, a southbound Acela Express passed on the left side, causing our train to sway quite a bit back a fourth. Some of the passengers became uneasy, but me, and another train fan, assured them it was normal.
Finally, we left the disabled Express on the NEC about an hour and a half later.
