Past, present, future: 20 years of Amtrak's Acela

Amtrak is, without doubt, a US institution recognised by railfans throughout America and beyond. In 2020, their flagship service the Acela, marked not only 20 years of service but also the start of an exciting future with news of the forthcoming introduction of the new Liberty trains. Acela powercar no. 2000 at BWI Rail Station. Photo by Chao-Hwa Chen.

The introduction of high-speed railroad services to the states was first discussed way back in the 1960s and eventually took inspiration from similar initiatives in Europe and Asia. By the mid 1990s, Japan had already been running its Shinkansen trains for some time and with Germany using the ICE services and France having the TGV, authorities in America felt it was time to run similar trains come the turn of the new millennium. By November of 2000, the first VIP Acela Express service ran, with the first public service coming just a month later.

Like its contemporaries elsewhere in the world, the Acela Express featured two slick and aerodynamically-styled power cars, at either end of a 6-car carriage set, that whizzed passengers along the Northeast Corridor at speeds of up to 150 mph, making them the fastest trains on the American continent. Such was the appeal of such services in the early 2000s, that airlines were forced to cancel certain routes as they had become uncompetitive when compared to the Acela’s journey time between the cities of New York, Boston and Washington. Acela powercar no. 2031 at Boston South Station. Photo by Das48 CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Over the past two decades, over 52.5 million passengers have travelled with Amtrak on the Acela across the nine states on its route. Its success has cemented its place in American railroad history and the thrill of traveling at high speed has been appreciated by passengers, staff and railfans alike. As a brand, it has bolstered Amtrak’s status on the rails and remains their flagship service.

Recent press has made much of President-elect Joe Biden’s liking for Amtrak throughout his political career and in 2016, prior to his latest run for presidency, he announced the loan package that would fund the next generation of train sets to run under the Acela brand as well as other upgrades to the NEC route. This year, Amtrak marked 20 years of Acela by introducing a limited $20 fare for two days of early November as well as a limited-edition ornament for railfans which quickly sold out. A new Avelia Liberty trainset passes Claymont, DE on a test between Race Street (Philadelphia) and Ivy City (Washington DC). Photo by Simon Brugel CC-BY-SA 4.0

Whilst this celebration of 20 years' service has been a welcome look to the past success of the Acela brand, 2020 has also been year of looking out to the future. The new Liberty trains, set for introduction to the Northeast Corridor in 2021, have been busy pounding the test rails in Colorado to ensure they are ready for full service in a few months' time. The new, sleeker and faster units, able to travel up to 165mph, look noticeably different to the previous trains and inside show the modern comforts passengers can expect commuting for business and traveling for pleasure, such as WiFi and USB charging ports.

But the future isn’t just about speed and comfort. Amtrak are all too aware that the environment is a crucial factor in ensuring railroads remain sustainable. Seat covers use recycled leather for the upholstery and passengers too are encouraged to recycle waste with the many receptacles dotted throughout the train. By carrying more passengers safer and faster, Amtrak continue to make the railroad competitive in inter-city travel and better for CO2 emissions by some 79% than the equivalent car journeys.

So whilst Amtrak take a good look back at the achievements made by stalwart Acela trains, in many ways 2020 is more about marking the start of the next 20 years and the importance of continued railroad development in the USA.