Amtrak passengers have complained about the disappointing problem with the Nextgen Acela train

The most anticipated Acela Railroads -look forward to Amtrak, Described by the company as “travel evolution,” Officially starts service on August 28. Not only did the new fleet addition have upgraded internal features, but they also promised smoother passengers between major cities along the Northeast Corridor, such as Boston, New York, and Washington, DC but, just a few weeks into the service, some passengers have questioned either “high-ceed”.

Although the Nextgen Acela train technically reached a speed of up to 160 mph, many riders say their journey still feels the same as before. Unfortunately, this problem is not an easy problem for amtrak, as it has nothing to do with the train itself and everything is related to what is under it.

Although Amtrak invests More than $ 2 billion in new equipmentMost of the aging infrastructure of the Northeast Corridor is not built to handle true high -speed travel. Compared to high-speed systems in countries such as France, Japan, and China, The US remains a decade behind.

The real cause of the Acela Train Nextgen Amtrak does not reach the top speed

The new Acela Nextgen Train (Alstom Avelia Liberty) Amtrak was built to change the future of high -speed train in the United States. Designed by French manufacturer Alstom And gathered in the United States, each train could reach 186 mph, though it would initially operate at 160 mph in the Northeast Corridor (NEC).

Defer Environmental Statement of End of the Federal Railway AdministrationThe National Passenger Relation System is divided into maximum speed. Tier I equipment operates at a speed of 125 mph or below.

These include:

• Amfleet cars I and II
• Viewliner I and II Sleep/Visitors
• Superliner cars I and II
• Coach Siemens Venture

Level II covers speeds between 125 and 150 mph and includes the original Acela train. Finally, Tier III is intended for a train capable of traveling at a speed of over 150 mph. The new Acela Nextgen is one of the first Tier III -certified trains in the country.

Although the new design promises a smoother and faster trip, the early riders have been washed. Some passengers have shared their frustration over Reddit, saying the experience does not meet the “high -speed” hype.

“Talking to say that I was riding 2153 from Boston and there were two delays due to mechanical issues already … I am now more than 45 minutes later. This is not ‘next level’ or ‘high speed,'” wrote one reddit user.

Other reviewers at R/amtrak subreddit Acknowledging that there are some stretches where the train reaches 160 mph, but most agree that the train, on average, is much slower for most of the routes -especially stretching in New Haven, CT, reported between 45 and 80 mph.

This is a valid disappointment, but because the train is not quick to have nothing to do with the equipment itself. Most NEC is over a century, with tight curves, the older Overhead Catenary System, and heavy commuter traffic that all blocks speed. To make the situation worse, the corridor is shared with train and regional services, which means that the trail must safely accommodate a moving train at different speeds.

The Federal Railway Administration describes in the 2019 Report That each curve has a balance speed, where the train weight and a balanced track tilt. The slower train pulls in while the faster is forced out. Because the track is shared, the NEC curve cannot be consolidated enough to support the 160 mph Acela speed without making a slower train unstable. As a result, most routes are limited to 90 to 125 mph.

How is the United States compared to the world’s high -speed train

Although the new Nextgen Acela in Amtrak is no doubt is an important step in the right direction for the American train travel, most of the world has reached this speed for decades.

For example, research for Shanghai Maglev China began in the late 1980s. Defer A study by Yan Luguang from the Institute of Electrical Engineering at the Chinese AcademyThe construction of the train began in 2001, and it began his career in 2002. To date, the short line between Shanghai Pudong Airport and Longyang Road Exchange Station remains one of the fastest commercial cars in the world, reached 268 mph.

Shinkansen japaneseAlso known as the “Bullet Train,” has been in operation since 1964. The original Shinkansen train reached a speed of up to 130 mph, but after improvements were made, they could reach speeds of between 150 and 185 mph -lower than the latest Acela Train Amtrak. Finally, in 2013, some trains began to run at a maximum speed of 200 mph. Although the train is moving much faster than Acela Nextgen Amtrak, they remain among the safest in the world, equipped with advanced emergency brakes in each car and monitored through Tokyo -based control systems.

Finally, the French Train à Grande VITESE (TGV) started a career in 1981, reaching a speed of 180 mph According to the New York Times article from 1980. The High Speed ​​Rail Alliance describes That TGV operates on a dedicated à grande vite (LGV), a high -speed corridor built exclusively for passenger services, free from slower commuters or transportation traffic that can slow down the train. On France’s latest high -speed line, the TGV train can reach speeds of up to 205 mph. But even operating on a slower track, they can still slide through the curve and speed up quickly when leaving the station.

Acela Nextgen Railroad Acela high -speed Amtrak compared to other countries

While other countries build a special network that separates high-speed passenger trains from slower services, The US has faced challenges in terms of modernization despite knowing what Americans want. But the problem is much deeper than the old rail and tight curves. The American struggle to build a true high -speed train is also rooted for how the train is funded, regulated, and managed.

Why is an American train problem not just about infrastructure

Other countries have built their high-speed rail network through long-term investment and coordinated strategies, but the American system has been formed in a divided way due to inconsistent financing and the contrary interest among lawmakers.

The United States has been prioritized the highway on the passenger train for decades. Although Amtrak financing depends on the annual allocation process, financing for highway programs is automatically allocated from the remaining highway trust funds. As a result, it is struggling to plan or invest outside of the instant budget cycle. Long -term infrastructure reform, an important part of planning high -speed services, remains difficult without guaranteed financing. For example, The new US government has recently made funds to upgrade the transport that New York City are in a great dealpotentially leading to future project delays.

Defer Reports from Congress Research Services:

“In the context of the federal allocation process, it is difficult to provide a large number of financing on a basis that can be predicted to grant programs that depend on the general funds of the Treasury, as it must compete with many other programs for financing each year.”

The reason is that the US government has placed a passenger train behind the burner due to a policy in favor of the use of the car. News report from CNBC Explaining that these policies, known as “Modordom,” were created by several automotive groups in the early 20th century. The core belief is that Americans living in cities such as New York and Chicago do not buy cars, even if they can. As a result, the policies call more roads to build through suburbia and eventually go to the city. The cycle continues to this day -as more roads and between states are built, the dependence on the car is stronger.

This dependence is what shakes the lawmaker today when discussing the modernization of the train travel. According to news reports from NBC4 ColumbusOhio proposes a train project in 2010, which will make Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati Hub for long distance amtrak pathways. The Federal Government approved the $ 400 million funding, but in 2011, former governor John Kasich rejected the money, canceling the project due to doubts about the projected passengers. This recently has renewed a plan for the 3C+D Ohio Amtrak Development that moves forward.

Just like the 3C+D expansion in Ohio, the high -speed Nextgen Acela represents a small step in the right direction. However, even the most advanced train can only go as fast as the infrastructure that supports them enables it. Until the US made a change in how it funded a passenger relish project, it was difficult to pursue countries such as China, France, and Japan.