America’s Passenger Railroad Amtrak doesn’t
really have the best reputation for being the most modern way to travel. Between a severe lack of
funding, aging equipment, and regulatory issues, it's clear that Amtrak has experienced quite
a bit of hardship over the years. Luckily, the 2020s have seen an unprecedented amount of
funding and support for the railroad, including a handful of massive equipment replacements. Today,
we’ll be going over some of the biggest fleet replacements Amtrak is undertaking, and discussing
the recent developments surrounding them. Avelia Liberty
Amtrak has a long history of troublesome European High-Speed Trains. Perhaps
the best example is the Acela II project, which since 2016, has been expected to usher in a new
era of high-speed rail travel in the Northeast. Since the millennium, Amtrak’s Acela has been
their flagship route, hitting speeds of up to 150 mph between Boston and Washington D.C, but by
the mid-2010s, the Acela trainsets weren’t looking too flagship. With dated interiors, frequent
mechanical failures, and sometimes more extreme issues like train separations, it was becoming
clear that they were ready for retirement. In 2016, the Acela replacement project began, with
Amtrak contracting French manufacturer Alstom to build a fleet of second-generation Acelas. These
trains would be an Americanized version of the Avelia high-speed trainset, which would be built
concurrently with trains for France’s SNCF. By the summer of 2016, Alstom revealed renderings
and specifications for this new train, which would be called the Avelia Liberty. Boasting an
engineered top speed of 220mph, the Liberty would be by far the most modern train America had ever
seen. Everything about the Liberty would one-up the original Acelas. Aside from top speed, the
Liberty would be more efficient, more reliable, and carry more passengers, all in a spacious,
modern, ADA-compliant interior. Additionally, with this order, Amtrak planned to expand
Acela service, ordering 28 trains to replace the original 20. These 28 trains were planned
to enter service just 5 years later in 2021, replacing the 20 original Acela trainsets by the
end of 2022. By 2020, despite the pandemic, the first two prototype trains were completed right on
time, and testing began. Unfortunately, as testing commenced, a litany of issues surfaced. Powercar
roofs and windows would take on water whenever it rained, pantographs displayed premature damage,
the hydraulics used for tilting would leak, trains were prematurely rusting, electronics were
corroding, onboard computers and signaling systems would constantly malfunction, and perhaps most
alarming, windows would spontaneously shatter. Across the pond, things weren’t much better,
with French Avelia Horizons experiencing similar issues. Alas, testing continued, and slowly, some
of the issues would resolve, but not fast enough. 2021, the planned entry to service came and went,
and so did 2022, and then 2023. Issues persisted, and a couple of trains were even returned to
Alstom’s factory to be modified. As of right now, 8 trains have been delivered to Amtrak, with
a handful sitting and collecting dust in Philadelphia. It’s gotten so bad that Amtrak
doesn’t have the space to store these trains anymore, so a few completed trains are sitting
in a remote yard in Upstate New York. Currently, Alstom is working to fix these trains' countless
issues, and the current plan is to put the first trains in service in late 2024. Until then,
the Acela II project will remain an exciting, but somewhat frustrating topic for railfans and
travelers alike. Meanwhile, while Alstom sorts out the Acela IIs, Amtrak faces the challenge
of maintaining its aging fleet of original Acela trainsets. These 20-year-old trains are fragile
and spare parts are hard to come by. In order to keep them from literally falling apart, Amtrak
has taken to dismantling one of its Acela trains for spare parts, once again illustrating how
urgently these Acela IIs are needed. Luckily, pending necessary modifications and retesting,
the Acela IIs will hopefully give these worn-out trains a much-needed break. When the Avelia
Liberty eventually does enter service, it’ll be the most technologically advanced train
in North America, albeit almost a decade old. ALC-42 Locomotives
While the Northeast Corridor can support high-speed, high-frequency, electrified
trains, unfortunately, the majority of Amtrak’s network is run by diesel locomotives, all of which
are between 20 and 30 years old. This is a P42DC, a member of the General Electric Genesis series,
otherwise known as the backbone of Amtrak’s fleet. Out of Amtrak's 43 existing routes, 28 rely on
some variant of the Genesis, and all too much, as these engines are well past the end of their
useful service lives. By the mid-2010s, Amtrak’s state-funded routes began to acquire brand-new
Siemens Charger locomotives. Classified as SC-44s, these modern diesels adhered to strict EPA tier
4 emissions standards, were more efficient, accelerated and stopped faster, and were
more powerful than their predecessors, leading Amtrak to look into long-distance
variants. In late 2018, Amtrak announced that it would be ordering 75 Siemens Chargers to replace
its fleet of Genesis locomotives. These Chargers would be just as efficient, and achieve the same
low emissions rating as the SC-44s, but would be better fit for long-distance trains with a larger
fuel tank and a slightly detuned lower-stress engine to allow for longer service intervals.
In 2021, the first long-distance Charger was completed and delivered to Amtrak, classified
as an ALC-42, or Amtrak Long-Distance Charger with 4200 horsepower. As an added bonus, Amtrak
took this opportunity to modernize its image, debuting a brand new Phase VI, and later Phase VII
paint scheme. After testing throughout late 2021, the first Charger entered service in February of
2022 on the Empire Builder between Chicago and Seattle. Since 2022, Siemens ALC-42s have been
steadily delivered, and as of right now, just under 50 have been built. While the locomotives
have demonstrated overall reliability, challenges have surfaced in adverse weather conditions,
particularly in cold climates. The technologically advanced control systems, while beneficial,
seem to be the Charger’s Achiles’ Heel, rendering the engine inoperable if just one small
system stops working. Despite these concerns, Amtrak remains optimistic, increasing their order
from 75 to 125 in 2022, anticipating that Siemens Mobility will address their issues with both
software and hardware updates in the future. The ALC-42 represents a new era for Amtrak, with an
increased focus on sustainability, efficiency, and reliability. The railroad’s new Chargers will not
only improve Amtrak on paper but will also give it a striking, modern new look. In 2026, Siemens
will deliver the final ALC-42, allowing for the retirement of the final Genesis locomotives,
which at that point will be about 34 years old. Amtrak Airo Trainsets
Much as the Siemens Charger locomotives proved themselves on state-supported
Amtrak routes before being used on long-distance trains, Siemens Venture cars started on
state corridors before graduating to mainline service. The Venture came about in the early
2010s, surprisingly not with Amtrak. In 2014, a privately-funded intercity rail project known
as All Aboard Florida contracted Siemens Mobility to construct a small fleet of modern diesel
trainsets. These trains, an Americanized version of the Siemens Viaggio Comfort railcar from Europe
would soon enter service on Brightline between Miami and West Palm Beach. At the same time, a
multi-state consortium placed an order for Next Generation Bi-Level Passenger Railcars built in a
joint venture between Sumitomo and Nippon-Sharyo, two experienced Japanese railcar manufacturers.
Unfortunately, after countless project delays and later the complete failure of one of the
prototypes, the state consortium cut their losses and canceled the order. A new order was placed
with Siemens Mobility in 2017, and since then, Venture cars have been built for state-funded
routes in the Midwest and Northern California. In late 2021, following the delivery of
initial batches of state-owned Ventures, Amtrak unveiled an ambitious plan to invest
$7.3 billion in a new systemwide fleet of trains manufactured by Siemens Mobility. Throughout
2021 and 2022 these new trainsets were designed, culminating in the reveal of Amtrak Airo at the
end of 2022. Unlike current trains, Airos are complete trainsets with dual-mode locomotives
that seamlessly transition between electrified and non-electrified territory without requiring a
locomotive switch. This is all thanks to an APV, or auxiliary power vehicle, a passenger car with
either a pantograph for overhead electricity or a battery compartment. The initial order comprised
a total of 73 trains in 4 different variations. First are the Washington DOT trains, which are
the only ones that don’t incorporate hybrid technology. These 8 trains will replace interim
Horizon cars which replaced Talgo VI trains on the Cascades in 2020. Trains will be made up
of one Charger locomotive, 5 Venture cars, and one Venture cab car, allowing for quick
turnarounds. When they enter service in 2026, they’ll run alongside newer Talgo 8 trains,
allowing Amtrak to expand Cascades service to support this rapidly expanding rail corridor.
Next up is the bread and butter of this order, the Northeast Corridor trains. Coming in 6-car and
8-car variants, the Northeast Corridor trains will replace Amfleet I cars, which at this point are
almost half a century old. Amfleet Is are easily the most important cars on Amtrak’s roster, and
this order will allow for their long-overdue replacement on the Carolinian, Downeaster,
Keystone, Palmetto, Pennsylvanian, Vermonter, and Northeast Regional. As mentioned before,
there will be two variations of these trains, those being 6-car and 8-car variants.
Aside from the difference in train lengths, these trains will consist of an ALC-42E, a
Siemens Charger locomotive capable of operating off electricity. Behind the ALC-42E will be the
first passenger car, known as an APV. This APV, or power bus, will operate just as any other
passenger car, while using a pantograph to capture electricity from overhead wires. Behind
the APV will be a few regular passenger cars, and then a cab car. Overall, these trainsets will
make for quick turnarounds, no power change for electrified zones, lower-emissions operations
when running on diesel, and most interestingly, the partial retirement of Amtrak’s dedicated
electric locomotives. Aside from a small fleet for long-distance trains running on the Northeast
Corridor, Amtrak will most likely sell off their ACS-64 electrics to other railroads. Perhaps
most importantly, these Airo trains will increase reliability, passenger comfort, and
safety. Currently, the Amfleet Is are some of the oldest and most important cars on Amtrak,
and the Airos will serve as their long-overdue replacement. Finally, the last group of trains
will be used on the Adirondack, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, and Maple Leaf. These trains
will be nearly identical to the 6-car Northeast Corridor trains, with the exception of their
overhead electric capabilities. Though they’ll still feature an APV car behind the locomotive,
the Upstate New York trains will feature a small battery compartment that recharges in motion. This
will be used in order to go full electric when in New York’s Penn Station tunnels, in addition to
providing extra power when accelerating. Once again, these trains will replace vintage Amfleets
used on New York services, in addition to aging P32AC dual-mode locomotives. By the summer of
2023, the first Airo cars were under construction, and by August, Amtrak increased their order from
73 to 83 trains in total. This would break down to 26 six-car Northeast Corridor trains,
32 eight-car Northeast Corridor Trains, 17 Upstate New York trains, and 8 six-car Cascades
trains. Just a few months later, in October, the first Airo Car was revealed, marking a crucial
milestone in the project. Though unfurnished, this modern railcar will be tested by Siemens
Mobility before being delivered to Amtrak in 2025. After that, the first Airos will enter their
testing phase on Amtrak, and in mid-2026, the first Airos will enter service on the Cascades.
Following the Washington trains, the Northeast Corridor will start receiving trains, and by
2030, Amtrak will take delivery to the Upstate New York trains. The full completion of the Airo
project is anticipated around 2031, with a grand total of 77 locomotives and 562 railcars being
delivered. This monumental undertaking is poised to modernize Amtrak's fleet, allowing for the
retirement of some of its oldest cars and ensuring a more sustainable and technologically advanced
future for rail travel in the United States. Temporary Cab Cars:
As Amtrak awaits the debut of its new Airo trains starting in 2026, it’s faced
with the challenge of temporarily replacing some of its oldest cars. To bridge the gap until the
Airo trains are operational, Amtrak has devised a makeshift replacement strategy that involves
repurposing of locomotives to serve as cab cars. Currently, Amtrak relies on a fleet of 16 cab cars
rebuilt from 1960s-era Metroliners. These cab cars can be seen on heavily traveled routes such as the
Keystone, Springfield Shuttle, and Valley Flyer, all of which are routes that routinely hit speeds
as high as 90, or in the case of the Keystone, 125 mph. These Metroliner cars, though very
reliable, are clearly well past their prime, and Amtrak wants to retire them as soon as possible.
In order to do so, Amtrak is doing something somewhat unconventional. This here is an HHP-8
locomotive. Built in 1998, these electrics were plagued with constant mechanical issues leading to
an early retirement in 2014. Since then, they’ve sat on Amtrak property awaiting their fate.
Luckily, the majority of their reliability issues stemmed from their powertrain, so as control
cars, the HHP-8s show quite a bit of promise. Originally built for high-speed operations, the
HHP-8s, or Hippos as they’re called by railfans, are an ideal fit for use as cab cars on routes
that demand high-speed capabilities. Currently, a small fleet of 8 are undergoing a comprehensive
transformation process, with the removal of roof gear rendering them completely non-powered. This
temporary roster will be reclassified as HHP-C and renumbered to 9750-9757. With the first unit #9750
beginning the testing process in mid-November, the HHP-C debut isn’t far off. As briefly
mentioned before, they’ll replace Metroliner cab cars beginning on the Keystone, and possibly
the Springfield Shuttle and Valley Flyer as soon as 2024. In addition to the HHP-8s, rumors are
circulating, many of which are from reliable sources, that Amtrak is considering rebuilding
a handful of Genesis locomotives into cab cars. This potential move is aimed at replacing vintage
F40-based NPCUs, and would likely consist of 20 P42DCs being rebuilt to P42-Cs. Ultimately, this
will just be a temporary quirk of Amtrak’s fleet, providing railfans with one final opportunity
to shoot the HHP-8s before they’re inevitably scrapped. When they start showing up as cab
cars, definitely shoot them while you can. The 2020s have already proven a
transformative time for Amtrak, but as they continue, their fleet of trains will
continue to change and become more standardized. The gradual phasing out of Amfleet Is, though
a prolonged process due to their sheer numbers, will be the biggest fleet rejuvenation
in the company's 50+ year history, and while the original Acelas may appear to
have some time left, the Acela II trainsets will soon become the new face of Amtrak’s
flagship route. Amidst the ongoing changes, the P42s, possibly the most iconic locomotives
on Amtrak’s fleet, are expected to gradually fade away over the next few years. Despite delays and
challenges, a few years from now, Amtrak will look completely different, and this will go down as one
of the most interesting eras in Amtrak’s history.
