90 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

Press & Sun Bulletin, Binghamton, NY, 8/16/16:

 

 

Alstom, Amtrak ink deal

 

 

A deal between Amtrak and Alstom in Hornell, Steuben County, to manufacture high-speed trains was finalized Tuesday.

 

The agreement has been in the works for months and caps heavy lobbying among state and federal officials.

Story

 

 

Schumer said last month the Amtrak trains on the route were first installed in 1994, and the leases for the trains are set to expire in the coming years, requiring the new trains.

Perhaps the fact that 2 of the trainsets stranded me in Maryland in a single day might have something to do with it?

[BillMagee]

And, now, it's official. From Alstom, 8/28/16:

Alstom and Amtrak announced today that they have signed a contract for Alstom to design and build 28 new high-speed trains, which will run on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) between Boston and Washington D.C. Amtrak and Alstom also signed a long-term contract under which Alstom will provide Amtrak with long-term technical support and supply spare components and parts for the maintenance of the new trainsets. Together, these contracts are worth €1.8 billion ($2 billion).

The full press release, and a video, can be found HERE.

[CNJRoss]

USDOT "Fast Lane" blog, 8/26:

Innovative Finance to Help Modernize Amtrak Fleet

Posted by Deputy Secretary of Transportation Victor Mendez

 

In a time when it can be difficult to secure investments in major infrastructure projects, taking advantage of the latest in innovative finance is critical. At DOT, that’s where the Build America Bureau comes in.

 

Today, I’m proud to join Vice President Biden to announce the Bureau’s milestone loan to Amtrak that will bring the next generation of high-speed rail service to the Northeast Corridor.

 

_{Rendering of high-speed train at Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Station in Wilmington, Delaware. Courtesy Amtrak.}

 

Amtrak’s purchase of 28 Acela trainsets, upgrades at key stations, and construction of a maintenance facility – totaling $2.45 billion – marks the largest single loan in DOT’s history.

 

The need for these new trainsets is great. As DOT’s Beyond Traffic report notes, the U.S. population is expected to grow by 70 million people over the next 30 years – the vast majority concentrated in “megaregions” like the Northeast Corridor from Boston down to Washington, D.C.

 

Manufactured in the United States, these new trainsets will help accommodate rapidly growing ridership on Amtrak’s busy Acela Express line, which has seen steadily increased passenger demand and revenues in the past decade. New, advanced trainsets will mean higher capacity and more frequent high-speed service.

 

While this loan is indeed a milestone, it continues nearly two decades of innovative financing from throughout DOT. For passenger and freight rail in particular, the Federal Railroad Administration’s Railroad Rehabilitation & Improvement Financing (RRIF) program has secured almost $3 billion in direct loans and guarantees to finance railroad infrastructure. This loan to Amtrak will nearly double the dollar amount of loans from the RRIF program.

 

Following the passage of the FAST Act, RRIF and other innovative finance programs are now housed together in the Build America Bureau. This builds on Secretary Foxx’s long-held vision for a single, streamlined credit and finance program bringing together all of the Department’s resources.

 

Today, the Bureau is a one-stop shop for project delivery, providing coordinated access to DOT credit, FASTLANE grants and technical assistance. The Bureau’s mission is to leverage federal investments to facilitate innovative partnerships that deliver projects faster and at less risk to the taxpayer.

 

Going forward, the Department will use experience gained delivering new and past projects to continue to develop best practices in innovative project delivery, helping build and maintain crucial infrastructure with all of the resources at our disposal.

 

As the Vice President has often remarked, Amtrak is a cornerstone of travel up and down the Northeast U.S. – providing rapid access to jobs and vital destinations.

 

Through innovative finance, we can help make sure that generations to come can enjoy a world-class transportation system!

 

 

[CNJRoss]

The New York Times, 8/26:
 

Amtrak’s Answer for Aging Acela Fleet: 160 M.P.H. Trains

 

WASHINGTON — A new era of high-speed train travel is coming to the nation’s busiest rail corridor.

 

Federal officials on Friday announced a $2.45 billion loan to Amtrak for the purchase of state-of-the-art trains to replace the aging Acela trains that use the Northeast Corridor from Washington to Boston.

 

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

 

While the new trains will not approach the speeds of some Asian and European trains, officials said they hoped that the new Acela would travel at 160 miles per hour in some places, up from 135 m.p.h. now. The trains will theoretically be able to go faster than 160 m.p.h., though that would require a huge upgrade of the track system.

 

Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., a longtime Amtrak supporter who frequently travels by train between Washington and his home in Delaware, announced the loan at the station in Wilmington that is named in his honor.

 

“We need these kinds of investments to keep this region — and our whole country — moving, and to create new jobs,” Mr. Biden said.

 

Continue here.

[jis]

Actually, the trains as delivered will be 186mph trains - basically 2nd generation TGV with Pendolino tilt system. They will be limited to 160mph by the track infrastructure. They will probably be easy to upgrade to 3rd gen 220mph should the need ever arise, like SNCF has been upgrading some of their 2 gen train sets.

 

I hope now FRA does not screw this up in innovative ways as they finalize their Tier III specs and the waiver for operating Tier III trains in the presence of Tier II trains above 125mph.

[CNJRoss]

Trains Newswire, 8/26:

Amtrak-Alstom reach $2.45 billion-deal w/video

America's railroad is set to buy 28 new trainsets for high-speed service

 

WASHINGTON — Amtrak is contracting with Alstom to produce 28 next-generation high-speed trainsets that will replace the equipment used to provide Amtrak’s premium Acela Express service. The contract is part of $2.45 billion that will be invested on the heavily traveled Northeast Corridor as part of a multifaceted modernization program to renew and expand the Acela Express service.

“Amtrak is taking the necessary actions to keep our customers, the Northeast region and the American economy moving forward,” said Amtrak President and CEO Joe Boardman. “These trainsets and the modernization and improvement of infrastructure will provide our customers with the mobility and experience of the future.”

 

Continue here.

[CNJRoss]

Amtrak news release:

AMTRAK INVESTS $2.4 BILLION FOR NEXT-GEN HIGH-SPEED TRAINSETS AND INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES

 

News release w/slide show

 

New trainsets to enter service in 2021; Station upgrades and improvements for track capacity and ride quality among infrastructure upgrades

 

 

WASHINGTON – Amtrak is contracting with Alstom to produce 28 next-generation high-speed trainsets that will replace the equipment used to provide Amtrak’s premium Acela Express service. The contract is part of $2.45 billion that will be invested on the heavily traveled Northeast Corridor (NEC) as part of a multifaceted modernization program to renew and expand the Acela Express service.

 

“Amtrak is taking the necessary actions to keep our customers, the Northeast region and the American economy moving forward,” said Amtrak President & CEO Joe Boardman. “These trainsets and the modernization and improvement of infrastructure will provide our customers with the mobility and experience of the future.”

 

The new trainsets will have one-third more passenger seats, while preserving the spacious, high-end comfort of current Acela Express service. Each trainset will have modern amenities that can be upgraded as customer preferences evolve such as improved Wi-Fi access, personal outlets, USB ports and adjustable reading lights at every seat, enhanced food service and a smoother, more reliable ride.

 

This procurement comes as demand for Acela Express service is as popular as ever, with many trains selling out during peak travel periods. The new trainsets will allow for increased service including half-hourly Acela Express service between Washington D.C. and New York City during peak hours, and hourly service between New York City and Boston.

 

“As more people rely on Amtrak, we need modernized equipment and infrastructure to keep the region moving,” said Chairman of the Amtrak Board of Directors Anthony Coscia. “These trainsets will build on the popularity and demand of the current Acela Express and move this company into the future as a leader in providing world-class transportation.”

 

The new trainsets will operate along the Washington – New York – Boston Northeast Corridor initially at speeds up to 160 mph and will be capable of speeds up to 186 mph and thus will be able to take advantage of future NEC infrastructure improvements.

 

Additionally, the trainsets use the base design of one of the safest high-speed trainsets. Concentrated power cars, located at each end of the trainset, provide an extra buffer of protection. The trainsets will also meet the latest Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) guidelines including a Crash Energy Management system.

 

“The next generation of Acela service will mean safer, faster and modern trains for customers throughout the Northeast,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. “This investment will pay immediate dividends for businesses and travelers from Washington D.C. to Boston, and the fact that these new trains will be built in Upstate New York makes this project a win-win. These New York-made Acela trains will soon be zipping along the Northeast Corridor and – as a regular customer – I can’t wait for my first ride.”

 

“The Northeast Corridor is a national economic engine that carries a workforce contributing $50 billion annually to the national GDP,” said U.S. Senator Cory Booker. “Amtrak’s continued investment in modernizing its fleet will only serve to enhance this vital rail link between Boston and Washington D.C. while allowing for safer and faster travel at a time when passenger demand is expected to rise. Strengthening our nation’s infrastructure is essential to the economic growth of our region and the nation and this investment by Amtrak will help ensure the reliable service travelers expect.”

 

Amtrak is funding the trainsets and infrastructure improvements through the FRA’s Railroad Rehabilitation & Improvement Financing program that will be repaid through growth in NEC revenues.

[CNJRoss]

The News Journal, Wilmington, DE 8/26:
 

Editorial: It's bad business to prop up Amtrak

 

We understand and share Vice President Joe Biden’s affinity for train travel. Any Delawarean who has ridden Amtrak down to D.C. or up to New York or Boston knows that it can be a far less stressful alternative to driving.

 

But the news Friday that the U.S. Department of Transportation will loan Amtrak $2.45 billion to upgrade the Northeast Corridor stopped us in our tracks. You can groan at that pun as you groan at the amount of federal money going into a system that continues to bleed money.

 

Continue here.

[CNJRoss]

The Christian Science Monitor, 8/30:
 

Boston to New York in 90 minutes? Amtrak hopes to pick up the pace.

 

Amtrak's Acela Express trains will get new tracks, new train cars, and improved platforms to bring higher-speed train service to Boston, New York, and DC.

 

 

By 2021, Amtrak says you will be able to travel from New York to Boston in less than 90 minutes on one of Amtrak's 28 new Acela Express trains.

 

The 160-mile-per-hour ride will offer better WiFi, food service, and more outlets, says Amtrak, plus they are designed to hold 35 percent more passengers than the current trains. During peak hours, the expanded service is designed to allow trains between Washington DC and New York every half-hour and between New York and Boston every hour.

 

“As more people rely on Amtrak, we need modernized equipment and infrastructure to keep the region moving,” said Anthony Coscia, chair of the Amtrak Board of Directors, in a written statement.

 

Continue here.

[BillMagee]

The Christian Science Monitor, 8/30:
 

Boston to New York in 90 minutes? Amtrak hopes to pick up the pace.
 
Amtrak's Acela Express trains will get new tracks, new train cars, and improved platforms to bring higher-speed train service to Boston, New York, and DC.
 
 
By 2021, Amtrak says you will be able to travel from New York to Boston in less than 90 minutes on one of Amtrak's 28 new Acela Express trains.
 
The 160-mile-per-hour ride will offer better WiFi, food service, and more outlets, says Amtrak, plus they are designed to hold 35 percent more passengers than the current trains. During peak hours, the expanded service is designed to allow trains between Washington DC and New York every half-hour and between New York and Boston every hour.
 
“As more people rely on Amtrak, we need modernized equipment and infrastructure to keep the region moving,” said Anthony Coscia, chair of the Amtrak Board of Directors, in a written statement.

Continue here.

 

Wow. That article is a real piece of work.  Ninety minutes New York to Boston in 2021?  To get that "travel from New York to Boston in less than 90 minutes" prediction, the author evidently took the distance (231 miles) divided by the maximum speed of the new trainsets (160 mph), and came up wth 1.44 hours (1hr 26min).  In other words, the author assumed the new sets will average 160mph from Penn Station to South Station.

 

The author is a college intern, evidently not studying math or engineering.