PUEBLO, Colo. — Amtrak’s next-generation Acela has achieved a testing milestone, reaching speeds up to 165 mph in testing at the Association of American Railroads’ Transportation Technology Center Inc. near Pueblo. That is faster than the equipment’s planned top operating speed of 160 mph. Amtrak has posted video of the train in operation courtesy of TTC.
The new Acela prototype left Alstom’s Hornell, N.Y., plant on Feb. 17 and is expected to continue testing for six more months before returning to Alstom for installation of its interiors. More information on the new Acela is available here. Alstom is building 28 of the new Acela trainsets, with the first projected to enter service in 2021.
The #NewAcela fleet is feeling the need for speed out in Pueblo, CO. Check out the new train, set to enter service on the NEC in 2021, in action as it tests @TTCI_Rail_RandD with speeds up to 165 mph. pic.twitter.com/hvrHsltYCG
— Amtrak (@Amtrak) May 22, 2020
