By Jim Cameron
Amtrak’s oldest new trains are arriving shortly: the NextGen Acela (finally) starts running between Washington and Boston on August 28. Ordered in 2016 for $1.8 billion, the first trains arrived from the Alstom assembly facility in Hornell, NY in 2020. That meant jobs there for 1300 workers and business for 180 suppliers across 29 states. These new trains are 95% “made in the USA”. Like any new trains, the new Acelas required extensive testing, especially for crash worthiness and compatibility with the aging tracks and wires in the Northeast Corridor. Continue Reading →
