Amtrak Finally Accepts 20th & Last Acela Trainset

[AlanB]

Amtrak quietly and with out fanfare accepted delivery of the 20th and final Acela trainset from Bombardier on June 2nd. This is over two and a half years after they took delivery of the very first Acela and over four years late based upon the contracts original delivery schedule. Considering Acela's ongoing maintenance issues, along with David Gunn's belief that Amtrak should never have purchased this design, it's really not surprising that this milestone passed quietly in the night.

While David Gunn has vowed never to purchase another Acela trainset, he has indicated a willingness to purchase some extra cars from Bombardier. This of course assumes that Bombardier can resolve all of the maintenance problems, Amtrak can find the money, and the two parties can settle their lawsuits. The extra cars would be used to lengthen some of the existing trainsets and to provide maintenance spares if needed.

Complete consist listings of all twenty sets, along with the acceptance dates, can be found here on On Track On Line.

 

[amtrakadirondack]

To bad Amtrak didn't know about the Acela, but there was no way of knowing. Amtrak should have bought more Superliners or order the Superliner III's, well, hopefully they will some time soon.

 

[AlanB]

To bad Amtrak didn't know about the Acela, but there was no way of knowing. Amtrak should have bought more Superliners or order the Superliner III's, well, hopefully they will some time soon.

Well no one can really tell if something is going to be a lemon before they buy it.

However buying any version of a Superliner would not have been the answer. Amtrak needed a single-level high-speed train to replace the aging Metroliners. Superliner's could not have fit that bill for several reasons. Not the least of which is the fact that they would quickly have become single level cars, instead of bi-levels, the first time they ran through the tunnels here in the east.

 

[amtrakadirondack]

To bad Amtrak didn't know about the Acela, but there was no way of knowing. Amtrak should have bought more Superliners or order the Superliner III's, well, hopefully they will some time soon.

Well no one can really tell if something is going to be a lemon before they buy it.

However buying any version of a Superliner would not have been the answer. Amtrak needed a single-level high-speed train to replace the aging Metroliners. Superliner's could not have fit that bill for several reasons. Not the least of which is the fact that they would quickly have become single level cars, instead of bi-levels, the first time they ran through the tunnels here in the east.

Yes, I agree, Amtrak needed the High-Speed and I agree on the Bi-level part, I don't think the Superliners would do very well trying to fit in the tunnels on the east, it wouldn't be a pretty site. :blink: :blink: :blink:

 

[Viewliner]

To bad Amtrak didn't know about the Acela, but there was no way of knowing. Amtrak should have bought more Superliners or order the Superliner III's, well, hopefully they will some time soon.

Hey, why is it nobody would get Viewliner's first? Don't the eastern trains deserve matching consists with just one type of car rather than 3? I do agree though the high speed equipment being a necessary purchase.

Bottom line More Viewliners should be purchased before Superliners, and if need be a few Superliner routes would just have to run Viewliner consists temporarily. Once we get Viewliners (a whole fleet), we could re-equip the routes including the Palmetto (Become the Silver Palm again) and the Three Rivers (which could become the Broadway Limited)

 

[battalion51]

I do agree that more Viewliners are needed, especially Sleepers and Diners, but I think better construction is needed, similar to the construction of the Superliners/10-6's. The Heritage cars don't have nuch more life in them, as there have been numerous failures lately associated with the Diners, broken dishwashers on the top of the list (even in the recently rebuilt Temoinsa Diners). Many customers have complained, and I'm right there with them, there's nothing like eating a steak on styrofoam with plastic utensils. The Amfleets are holding up pretty well, but refurbishments need to be completed, as well as new springs on many of the cars. One final necessity, new mail cars. Many Conductors complain about half their baggage car being used for mail, the Diners may make a good baggage car after being gutted.

 

[amtrakadirondack]

I do agree that more Viewliners are needed, especially Sleepers and Diners, but I think better construction is needed, similar to the construction of the Superliners/10-6's. The Heritage cars don't have nuch more life in them, as there have been numerous failures lately associated with the Diners, broken dishwashers on the top of the list (even in the recently rebuilt Temoinsa Diners). Many customers have complained, and I'm right there with them, there's nothing like eating a steak on styrofoam with plastic utensils. The Amfleets are holding up pretty well, but refurbishments need to be completed, as well as new springs on many of the cars. One final necessity, new mail cars. Many Conductors complain about half their baggage car being used for mail, the Diners may make a good baggage car after being gutted.

I agree, but I want to the Pioneer get rivived too, even it was a one-level train with Amfleet and Viewliners.

 

[Steve4031]

I am glad that they got the Acelas. Now I can ride something other than Amfleet on the corridor. When these things operate correctly, they are the best short hault trains in the U.S.

 

[AlanB]

I am glad that they got the Acelas. Now I can ride something other than Amfleet on the corridor. When these things operate correctly, they are the best short hault trains in the U.S.

I couldn't agree more Steve. They may have their problems, but especially from a passenger point of view, they really are the best short haul trains around.

One needs to look no further than the fact that ridership has continued to at least remain steady, if not increase slightly despite the most recent problems with these trains. Despite the apparent mechanical unreliability of these trains, the riders are clamoring for them.

So if Amtrak does indeed continue to survive and can get funding for new trains, they not only need to look at what didn't work with the Acela's. They also need to look at what did work. Things like the overly large windows and the large roomy bathrooms.

 

[jccollins]

I agree, but I want to the Pioneer get rivived too, even it was a one-level train with Amfleet and Viewliners.

The Desert Wind should come first - it had higher ridership stats. :blink: :blink: :blink:

 

[Viewliner]

I agree, but I want to the Pioneer get rivived too, even it was a one-level train with Amfleet and Viewliners.

The Desert Wind should come first - it had higher ridership stats. :blink: :blink: :blink:

I agree, the Desert Wind should come before the Pioneer. We should also look at reviving the Floridian.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

I feel better now that we have all of our Acela trainsets. That much the more likely ( the law of averages) that I will really get to ride one in August. I have already been cheated out of Acela once, got a regional instead. I don't live close enough to dabble and experiment in NY-WAS trains.....from my distance I have to take what I get...... when I can get up that way.

 

[Viewliner]

I agree, the best thing is that we have possesion of all of the Acela's, such that we can have a little more control over the Acelas now, and that provides one more trainset as a backup or to run.

 

[Steve4031]

So if Amtrak does indeed continue to survive and can get funding for new trains, they not only need to look at what didn't work with the Acela's. They also need to look at what did work. Things like the overly large windows and the large roomy bathrooms.

Exactly! I wish we had something half as good in the midwest. I paid more than 300 dollars round trip when I was in D.C. in

April just so i could ride the Acela.