Acela

Acela

Acela at Rahway, New Jersey, in May 2021
Overview
Service type	Inter-city, high speed tilting train
Locale	Northeast megalopolis
Predecessor	Metroliner
First service	December 11, 2000 (2000-12-11)
Current operator(s)	Amtrak
Annual ridership	2,959,384 (FY23) 38.0%[a][1]
Route
Termini	Boston, Massachusetts Washington, D.C.
Stops	12
Distance travelled	457 miles (735 km)
Average journey time	6 3⁄4 hours[2]
Service frequency	20 per day[2][3]
Train number(s)	2100–2290
On-board services
Class(es)	First Class Business Class
Disabled access	Fully accessible
Seating arrangements	4 across in business class 3 across in first class
Catering facilities	Café; at-seat meals in first class
Baggage facilities	Racks and overhead bins; no checked luggage
Technical
Rolling stock	Acela Express (trainset)
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification	Overhead line; 25 kV 60 Hz AC (Boston–New Haven) 12.5 kV 60 Hz AC (New Haven–New York) 12 kV 25 Hz AC (New York–Washington)
Operating speed	150 mph (240 km/h) (top)[4] 170 mph (110 km/h) (avg.)[5]
Route map Legend 0 mi 0 km Boston South 1 mi 2 km Boston Back Bay 11 mi 18 km Route 128 MA RI 43 mi 69 km Providence RI CT 156 mi 251 km New Haven 195 mi 314 km Stamford CT NY across Byram River East River Tunnels 231 mi 372 km New York City NY NJ North River Tunnels 241 mi 388 km Newark Penn 255 mi 410 km Metropark NJ PA across Delaware River 322 mi 518 km Philadelphia–30th Street PA DE 347 mi 558 km Wilmington DE MD 416 mi 669 km Baltimore 427 mi 687 km BWI Airport MD DC 457 mi 735 km Washington, D.C. Northeast Regional to Virginia All stations are accessible This diagram: view talk edit

The Acela (/əˈsɛlə/ ə-SEL-ə; originally the Acela Express until September 2019) is Amtrak's flagship passenger train service along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) in the Northeastern United States between Washington, D.C., and Boston via 13 intermediate stops, including Baltimore, New York City and Philadelphia. Acela trains are the fastest in the Americas, reaching 150 miles per hour (240 km/h) (qualifying as high-speed rail), but only over 49.9 miles (80.3 km) of the 457-mile (735 km) route.^[6]

Acela carried more than 2.9 million passengers in fiscal year 2023, second only to the slower and less expensive Northeast Regional, which had over 9 million passengers.^[7] Ridership is down from the pre-Covid-19 pandemic high of 3,557,455 passengers in 2019.^[8] Its 2016 revenue of $585 million was 25% of Amtrak's total.^[9]

Acela operates along routes that are used by freight and slower regional passenger traffic, and reaches the maximum allowed speed of the tracks only along some sections, with the fastest peak speed along segments between Mansfield, Massachusetts, and Richmond, Rhode Island, and New Brunswick and South Brunswick, New Jersey. Acela trains use active tilting technology, which helps control lateral centrifugal force, allowing the train to travel at higher speeds on the sharply curved NEC without disturbing passengers.^[10] The high-speed operation occurs mostly along the 226-mile (364 km) route from Pennsylvania Station in New York City to Union Station in Washington, D.C., with a fastest scheduled time of 2 hours and 45 minutes and an average speed of 82 miles per hour (132 km/h), including time spent at intermediate stops.^[3][11] Over this route, Acela and the Northeast Regional service captured an 83% share of air/train commuters between New York and Washington in 2021, up from 37% in 2000.^[12]

The Acela's speed is limited by traffic and infrastructure on the route's northern half. On the 231-mile (372 km) section from Boston's South Station to New York's Penn Station, the fastest scheduled time is 3 hours and 30 minutes, or an average speed of 66 miles per hour (106 km/h).^[2][13] Along this section, Acela has captured a 54% share of the combined train and air market.^[14][15] The entire 457-mile (735 km) route from Boston to Washington takes between 6 hours, 38 minutes and 6 hours, 50 minutes,^[2] at an average speed of around 70 miles per hour (110 km/h).^[16]

The present Acela Express equipment will be replaced by new Avelia Liberty trainsets, beginning in 2024.^[17] The new trains will have greater passenger capacity and an enhanced active tilt system that will allow higher speed on the many curved sections of the route.^[18][19]

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