File photo (2019): A worker at LB Steel LLC manufactures a wheel assembly to be used on the new Amtrak Acela trains, which are being built in partnership with Alstom. The trains will run at speeds up to 160 mph carrying passengers along Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor from Boston to Washington, D.C. The trains were initially expected to begin service in 2021.
Amtrak was supposed to have brand new high-speed Acela trains on the tracks years ago — but a new report from Amtrak's inspector general isn’t painting a positive picture.
The report claims that new trains that have been produced have some serious defects, such as glass windows that have spontaneously shattered and water draining between railcars, causing corrosion to parts that hook the cars together. Regarding the windows, footnote 25 in the report says: "As of July 2023, the vendor’s monthly report indicates that they believe they have identified and remediated the root cause of this issue."
Other defects pointed out in the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) report involve a hydraulic system that’s supposed to allow these new trains to tilt, producing higher speeds. But the report says some of those hydraulic systems are leaking.
There are also concerns about increased costs, because corrections will need to be made, and Amtrak’s existing Acela trains need to be retrofitted so that they can last longer.
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The first new Acela trains are now more than three years behind schedule, with the first trains expected to go into service next summer year.
We have reached out to Amtrak and the manufacturer of these railcars, Alstom manufacturing.
In a statement, Laura Mason, Amtrak's executive vice president of capital delivery, told us:
"We appreciate the OIG’s continued review of this first-of-its-kind equipment purchase. We’re excited to operate these new Alstom-built Acela trains, which will deliver a more modern and smoother service between Washington, New York and Boston. We want our customers to experience these new trains as soon as possible, but as noted in the report, Amtrak cannot operate them for passenger service until Alstom has completed testing and meets all safety requirements. We’re working closely with Alstom as they complete the modeling and testing activities established during the program planning phase to satisfy the safety requirements specified by the FRA. Based on the data we’ve received from Alstom, we anticipate the initial revenue launch in 2024.
"Furthermore, we have learned a lot through this process and have already made significant improvements to our procedures and program management, as noted in the OIG report. Not only have these changes helped with the new Acela procurement, but they will also provide a more efficient process for future equipment acquisitions."
