Amtrak Receives $2.45 Billion Federally Secured Loan for New Acela Trains

Amtrak will replace, rather than overhaul, aging Acela trains with new, 186-mph trains from French manufacturer, Alstom, though they won't exceed 160 mph. The agreement was announced Friday by VP Joe Biden at Biden Station, Wilmington, Del.

2 minute read

August 28, 2016, 1:00 PM PDT

By Irvin Dawid


Courtesy of Alstom: Avelia Liberty trainset

"This loan is a key step to providing investments needed to help keep high speed trains moving throughout the region, and to help all commuters in the Northeast Corridor," Vice President Biden said. "We need these kinds of investments to keep this region – and our whole country – moving, and to create new jobs."

It is the largest loan made by the U.S. Department of Transportation, financed through the Federal Rail Administration's Railroad Rehabilitation & Improvement Financing program. 

The trains are named "Avelia Liberty, the latest development of Alstom’s high-speed train range Avelia," according to Alstom. "The new trainset will be able to carry up to 33% more passengers than the current Acela trains."

Another key feature is the train’s articulated architecture, which provides greater stability and passenger comfort while enhancing safety. The train also includes Alstom’s innovative Tiltronix anticipative tilting technology, which allows the train to manoeuvre curves safely and more comfortably at high speeds.

"Officials said about $2 billion would be spent on the new trains," reports Michael D. ShearWhite House correspondent for The New York Times. "The rest of the loan will be used to upgrade several stations, including those in New York and Washington, and to improve track reliability and safety."

Anthony R. Coscia, Amtrak’s chairman, said the railroad service was “responding to a change in the United States of people moving into the cities, of people looking for city-to-city connections.”

The trains will be manufactured at Alstom's Hornell, N.Y plant, which comes as "no surprise," reports William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief for Railway Age, due to  Sen. Chuck Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) very public visit [there] on Sept. 21, 2015. Vantuono adds that station and track improvements "will benefit both Acela Express riders and other Amtrak and regional commuter rail passengers."

"Amtrak plans to put the first of 28 new trains into service in about five years," adds Shear.

Once they are fully deployed, officials expect the Acela to depart every half-hour between Washington and New York and every hour between New York and Boston. That should increase passenger capacity by about 40 percent, they said. Amtrak expects increased revenue from the more frequent Acela service to help it pay back the loan.

The Acela trains have become one of the most successful parts of the Amtrak system. Over the last decade, they have helped train service displace airplanes as the most popular mode of travel in the Northeast Corridor. Acela trains carry about 3.4 million passengers a year between the three major cities.

Hat tip to Mark Boshnack.

Friday, August 26, 2016 in The New York Times

Sweeping view of Portland, Oregon with Mt. Hood in background against sunset sky.

Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary

Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.

March 12, 2024 - Housing Wire

Aerial view of green roofs with plants in Sydney, Australia.

Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024

A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.

March 10, 2024 - Daily Journal of Commerce

Cobblestone street with streetcar line, row of vintage streetlights on left, and colorful restaurant and shop awnings on right on River Street in Savannah, Georgia.

Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts

From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.

March 12, 2024 - Strong Towns

Aerial View of Chuckanut Drive and the Blanchard Bridge in the Skagit Valley.

Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding

The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.

March 18 - The Seattle Times

Historic buildings in downtown Los Angeles with large "Pan American Lofts" sign on side of building.

Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly

The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.

March 18 - Beverly Press

View from above of swan-shaped paddleboats with lights on around artesian fountain in Echo Park Lake with downtown Los Angeles skylien in background at twilight.

LA's Top Parks, Ranked

TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.

March 18 - TimeOut

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.