When will the Acela be doing its 165mph test in Kingston?

[brandon02852]

Ever since Tuesday morning of last week, I have seen Amtrak employees at Kingston Station. They were using some equipment to inspect the tracks. I can only guess that they are doing these inspections to prepare for the Acela's 165mph test there.

With that aside, has it been said when the test will be conducted in Kingston? I haven't had a chance to ask the Amtrak employees because I pass there on a bus on my way to college and can't stop to ask.

 

[jis]

Ever since Tuesday morning of last week, I have seen Amtrak employees at Kingston Station. They were using some equipment to inspect the tracks. I can only guess that they are doing these inspections to prepare for the Acela's 165mph test there.

With that aside, has it been said when the test will be conducted in Kingston? I haven't had a chance to ask the Amtrak employees because I pass there on a bus on my way to college and can't stop to ask.

AFAIK the first round was completed last week. There may be additional rounds, but haven't heard anything concrete.

 

[brandon02852]

Ever since Tuesday morning of last week, I have seen Amtrak employees at Kingston Station. They were using some equipment to inspect the tracks. I can only guess that they are doing these inspections to prepare for the Acela's 165mph test there.

With that aside, has it been said when the test will be conducted in Kingston? I haven't had a chance to ask the Amtrak employees because I pass there on a bus on my way to college and can't stop to ask.

AFAIK the first round was completed last week. There may be additional rounds, but haven't heard anything concrete.

So as far as you know, the test has already been completed? That doesn't make sense.

BTW, I heard a rumor that it would be in October.

 

[jis]

Ever since Tuesday morning of last week, I have seen Amtrak employees at Kingston Station. They were using some equipment to inspect the tracks. I can only guess that they are doing these inspections to prepare for the Acela's 165mph test there.

With that aside, has it been said when the test will be conducted in Kingston? I haven't had a chance to ask the Amtrak employees because I pass there on a bus on my way to college and can't stop to ask.

AFAIK the first round was completed last week. There may be additional rounds, but haven't heard anything concrete.

So as far as you know, the test has already been completed? That doesn't make sense.

BTW, I heard a rumor that it would be in October.

One set of tests were conducted and completed this past week both in NEC South and NEC North. That is not to say that there will not be other round of tests, and indeed there would most likely be more tests in October and November and December etc., until the certification is achieved or it is definitely determined that it cannot be certified for 160mph. Afterall, certification of a trainset for higher speed is not a simple thing, and it will involve a lot of work, specially for a trainset that has known stability issues.

In general the test in NEC north are much simpler and shorter involving fewer runs since they get to start at 150mph and go in increments of 5mph to 165mph. Usually this can be achieved in a single nigh in both segments in question. In NEC south they have to start from 135mph and go upto 165mph, which takes much longer and usually takes two or three nights to cover both segments.

 

[brandon02852]

Ever since Tuesday morning of last week, I have seen Amtrak employees at Kingston Station. They were using some equipment to inspect the tracks. I can only guess that they are doing these inspections to prepare for the Acela's 165mph test there.

With that aside, has it been said when the test will be conducted in Kingston? I haven't had a chance to ask the Amtrak employees because I pass there on a bus on my way to college and can't stop to ask.

AFAIK the first round was completed last week. There may be additional rounds, but haven't heard anything concrete.

So as far as you know, the test has already been completed? That doesn't make sense.

BTW, I heard a rumor that it would be in October.

One set of tests were conducted and completed this past week both in NEC South and NEC North. That is not to say that there will not be other round of tests, and indeed there would most likely be more tests in October and November and December etc., until the certification is achieved or it is definitely determined that it cannot be certified for 160mph. Afterall, certification of a trainset for higher speed is not a simple thing, and it will involve a lot of work, specially for a trainset that has known stability issues.

In general the test in NEC north are much simpler and shorter involving fewer runs since they get to start at 150mph and go in increments of 5mph to 165mph. Usually this can be achieved in a single nigh in both segments in question. In NEC south they have to start from 135mph and go upto 165mph, which takes much longer and usually takes two or three nights to cover both segments.

Yeah, that first set was conducted in New Jersey. Amtrak said that sometime this week (they failed to specify exactly when), the Acela will be continuing tests in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

 

[The Alchemist]

For the curious, there's already YouTube videos out. Some folks recorded the trains passing through NJ:

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[jis]

For the curious, there's already YouTube videos out. Some folks recorded the trains passing through NJ:

Just take those speeds posted with a pinch of salt. There was a lengthy discussion about this on rr.net where the final conclusion appeared to be that the speeds posted on that video were a tad optimistic.

 

[the_traveler]

When I left KIN last Thursday morning, there were workers checking track 2. I think they checking the tracks after the 165 MPH runs. AFAIK, the runs have been done overnight.