Amtrak’s first Acela trainsets left the manufacturing facility Monday to travel for high-speed testing at the Transportation Technology Center in La Junta, Colo.
The prototype set will travel from manufacturer Alstom’s facility in Hornell, N.Y., to Colorado on the route used by the Amtrak Lake Shore Limited and Southwest Chief trains.
The set will undergo nine months of testing that will include the brakes, train control management systems, and railway dynamics.
“With strong demand for Acela travel continuing to grow, we will test the trains to ensure customers will have safe and reliable service with modern amenities when these trains go into service next year,” Amtrak President and CEO Richard Anderson said.
Acela trains are the fastest, all-electric intercity trains available in the United States. The trains will help Amtrak further reduce its carbon footprint.
The prototypes are the first of 28 new Acela trains scheduled to enter service throughout the Northeast Corridor in 2021. They will accommodate approximately 25 percent more customers than the current Acela service.
During fiscal year 2019, Amtrak served more than 3.5 million Acela customers, a 4.3 percent increase from the previous year.
After testing is completed, the trainset will return to Alstom for the installation of interiors featuring sustainable components.