Amtrak says the base order will comprise “75 trainsets or their railcar equivalents” for use on Washington DC- New York - Boston Northeast Corridor (NEC) Northeast Regional service and adjacent state-supported routes, including the Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Maple Leaf, Adirondack, Vermonter, Downeaster, Carolinian, Pennsylvanian, Keystone Service, Virginia Service and New Haven/Springfield Service trains.
The new trains will offer improved passenger Wi-Fi, larger windows, improved climate control systems and completely new designs for toilets and inter-vehicle gangways.
The trains will feature bi-directional operating capability which Amtrak says “will minimise endpoint turnaround times and provide operating efficiency.”
The new fleet will feature all necessary equipment for Positive Train Control technology, meet recently updated federal Tier I safety standards for equipment operating at speeds of up to 200km/h, and adhere to all accessibility requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“Nearly half of Amtrak’s annual ridership is comprised of trips along the Northeast Corridor and adjoining corridors, and this new state-of-the-art equipment will provide customers with an enjoyable and efficient travel experience,” said Amtrak vice president of corporate planning Mr Byron Comati. “While Amtrak has recently refurbished the interiors of its Amfleet I cars with new seating upholstery and carpeting, the age of the fleet and industry-standard lead times for new equipment requires that the replacement effort for this workhorse fleet begins now.”
The Amfleet I replacement is part of Amtrak’s modernisation of the NEC, which also includes the replacement of the Acela fleet with new Alstom Avelia Liberty trains and improvements to major stations in New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington DC.
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