Was Amtrak's new Acela NextGen worth the wait?

The Amtrak's NextGen Acela finally starts running between Washington and Boston on August 28. They replace the original Acelas that are now 27 years old. The launch of these new trains are almost four years late and only 5 of the 28 trains are ready to start. The rest will be put into service by 2027.

Why so delayed? According to expert Jim Cameron in this story, they needed to keep going back to the drawing board. When tested on the aging tracks and wires of the Northeast Corridor the wheels didn't track with the old track and the trains kept losing contact at high speed with their overhead catenary wires.

Was it worth the wait? The new trains allow more train sets, hopefully meaning more frequent service. There will be free Wifi, power plugs, fold down tables, a cafe and comfy seats. Fares will probably match the existing Acela fares.

Beware the hype about speed: The NextGen trains are described as offering 160 mph speeds, but that can only happen on 32 miles (28 in RI and 4 in NJ) of 457 miles of track from DC to Boston. In CT, because of many bridges and curving track, the new trains will go no faster than Metro-North, about 90 mph.

Still an expensive ride: the Acela is already an expensive ride. From Stamford to Boston, the Acela fare is about $330 for a 3-hour ride compared to a regular seat on the 50-year old regional train of $134 for a 3.5-hour ride.

Between the Lines: Glad to have the upgraded trains, but this seems like an improvement on the margin, not the overhaul needed.

Story here