Amtrak OIG: New Acela Program Facing Additional Delays, Increased Costs (Updated with Alstom and OIG Responses)
More delays are anticipated for Amtrak’s new Acela trainsets, already three years behind schedule, due in part to defects and designs not yet meeting Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) requirements, the latest Amtrak Office of Inspector General (OIG) report has found. Alstom has taken exception to certain elements of the report. OIG stands by it.
Current delays “have already resulted in significant cost increases, operational impacts and delayed revenue,” OIG said.
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ALSTOM RESPONSE
“Alstom is the world leader in high-speed trains, with more than 40 years of experience designing and manufacturing this technology and nearly 2,300 high-speed trains in service built by Alstom, or built with Alstom parts and technology,” the company said in a statement to International Railway Journal Editor-in-Chief Kevin Smith. “We share Amtrak’s excitement in bringing this technology to America.”
“Alstom is working closely with the Federal Railroad Administration and Amtrak as we work through their first-ever safety certification for high-speed trains to ensure that these new trains meet all FRA requirements for entry into service. As part of the validation, in addition to ongoing modeling activities, we have already successfully run these trains on the FRA’s Pueblo, Colo. test track at high speed and on the Northeast Corridor for a total of nearly 70,000 miles.
“Alstom continues to produce these, the first American, union-made, high-speed Avelia Liberty trains in Hornell, N.Y. It is industry standard to begin production simultaneously with validation. As we proceed through the process to have these trains validated by the FRA, Alstom has shipped 9 out of 28 trains and are storing a number of them offsite to ensure a continuity of production.
“We are surprised with so-called ‘defects’ that the OIG report identifies. Every train that has been released from the manufacturing site were authorized for shipping by Amtrak after thorough inspections, with identified modifications to be completed prior to acceptance. These modifications will be completed before final acceptance of the trainsets, as it is foreseen in the contract and customary in our industry. These modifications, along with additional changes that has Amtrak requested are in no way in the critical path of completion of this project.”
Said one industry observer, “The word ‘defect’ is not accurate, as there are issues on both sides. The OIG report is politically driven. It’s easier to kick the supplier rather than properly take responsibility.”
OIG RESPONSE
Amtrak OIG Congressional & Public Affairs officer Clark Carpenter responded to Railway Age: “Amtrak OIG, both by federal law, and through policy and agreements with Amtrak, operates independently of the company to provide oversight on Amtrak’s programs and operations. Amtrak OIG conducts audits and investigations and issues reports relating to Amtrak programs, personnel, and operations that, in the Inspector General’s judgment, are necessary or desirable, and Amtrak cannot prevent or prohibit the Inspector General from initiating, carrying out, or completing any audit or investigation, or from issuing any subpoena during an audit or investigation. We are funded annually by a federal appropriation that is separate from the funding Amtrak receives via the Federal Railroad Administration. In addition, Amtrak management cannot interfere with our operations, and, conversely, members of our staff do not engage in any programmatic functions that support Amtrak’s management or operations. We stand by the observations we have made in this report.”