New Generation Amtrak Ancela Trains Announced

[Briar Lee]

I try and learn something new every day and today I learned Amtrak has been running 150 miles an hour Ancela trains in the Northeast corridor for years. Now they’ve announced a new generation that will operate at 160 miles an hour, hold 27% more passengers, and will be lighter and articulated for a better ride.

Amtrak Acela ‘NextGen’—Finally! (Updated)

The first five of Amtrak’s long-awaited, Alstom-built higher-speed trainset, the “NextGen Acela” (but also called “Acela II,” “America’s high-speed train,” and “Avelia Liberty” by the builder), are set to debut on the

www.railwayage.com

I wish I’d known we had bullet passenger trains before, because I’d have bragged about them.

I realize the Europeans and Japanese have faster passenger trains but they don’t have rail beds and bridges over 150 years old and as many freight trains and cattle crossings and hoboes to contend with like we do.


Blame Lefty Frizzell, but you can’t find a hillbilly singer not head over heels in love with passenger trains.

Railroad Lady

 

[mingc]

Until we have dedicated tracks for high speed passenger rail, our passenger trains will go no faster than freight trains. Many years ago Oregon and/or Washington bought the Talga train set. it could go 125 mph! In actuality, it goes 80 mph max and only in short spurts. Still, it's cheaper than flying and you get great leg room.

 

[fireground_piper]

LOL, it doesn't matter how fast the trains can go....they can't keep both tubes open for 24 hours between NYC and NJ.

They could have the fastest trains in the country and they'll still be single tracking it out of NYC every day.

 

[Kobold]

I just took the Acela for the first time last week and it was excellent. I’ll never drive to NYC again.

 

[Servant King]

it's cheaper than flying

Not to mention immune from stuff like parts falling off, engines catching on fire, dropping 1000 feet in half a second for no reason etc.

 

[fireground_piper]

Not to mention immune from stuff like parts falling off, engines catching on fire, dropping 1000 feet in half a second for no reason etc.

You sure give Amtrak a lot of credit! It’s very adorable of you.

 

[Briar Lee]

I doubt many children today, or even adults not old enough for Medicare, have heard of Thomas Luther “Casey” Jones.

Oh, but we hillbillies did sixty and some years ago.

April 30 was celebrated as Hero’s Day.


There was a sheet steel train at Humansville on the playground with the number 382.

Casey Jones - 30 Apr 1900

www.trainorders.com

On that chilly late April morning Casey checked his Waltham and was just about to make up lost time on the Cannonball Express at speeds closing on a hundred miles an hour, when the lights of a stalled train at Vaughn Mississippi came in sight.

Telling his black fireman Sim Webb to jump, Casey stayed on his station, and died so others might live.

And yet Sim Webb did live, to be an old, old man.

All the passengers on both trains, died much later, in their beds,,thanks to the noble sacrifice of Casey Jones.

Amtrak needs to reserve Number 382 for the Cannonball Express Acela II and build a station at Vaughn.

If we’uns will wait five hours in line to see a stinky Corpse Flower, think how we’d flock to ride the Cannonball Express?.



Sing one Johnny Cash