Acela Express (trainset)

Acela Express
Acela Express
	Amtrak Acela Express train, led by power car #2009, at Old Saybrook, Connecticut
	Business Class car interior
Manufacturers	Bombardier, Alstom
Constructed	1998–2001
Entered service	2000
Number built	20 sets
Number in service	20 sets
Successor	Avelia Liberty
Formation	8 cars (two power cars, six coaches)
Fleet numbers	2000–2039 (power cars)
Capacity	304 (44 in First Class, 260 in Business Class)
Operator	Amtrak
Depots	Ivy City, Washington, D.C.; Sunnyside Yard, Queens, NY; Southampton Street Yard, Boston;
Line served	Northeast Corridor
Specifications
Car body construction	Stainless steel
Train length	663 ft 8+3⁄4 in (202.30 m)
Car length	69 ft 7+3⁄8 in (21.22 m) (power car); 87 ft 5 in (26.64 m) (coach);
Width	10 ft 5 in (3.18 m) (power car); 10 ft 4+1⁄2 in (3.16 m) (coach);
Height	14 ft 2 in (4.32 m) (power car, rail to roof); 13 ft 10+5⁄8 in (4.23 m) (coach);
Floor height	4 ft 3 in (1.30 m)
Entry	Level
Doors	Single leaf sliding plug doors: 4 per side (intermediate coaches); 2 per side (end coaches);
Wheel diameter	40 in (1,016 mm) (power car); 36 in (914 mm) (coach);
Wheelbase	35 ft 3 in (10.74 m) (power car); 59 ft 6 in (18.14 m) (coach);
Maximum speed	165 mph (266 km/h) (design); 150 mph (240 km/h) (service);
Weight	1,246,000 lb (565,000 kg) (trainset); 204,000 lb (93,000 kg) (power car); 142,000 lb (64,000 kg) (end coach); 139,000 lb (63,000 kg) (intermediate coach); 137,000 lb (62,000 kg) (bistro coach);
Axle load	51,000 lb (23,000 kg) (power car); 35,750 lb (16,220 kg) (coach);
Traction system	Alstom GTO–VVVF inverter control
Traction motors	4 × Alstom 4-FXA-4559C 1,540 hp (1,150 kW) 3-phase AC induction motor
Power output	6,200 hp (4,600 kW)
Tractive effort	49,500 lbf (220.2 kN) (per power car, starting)
Transmission	AC–DC–AC
Power supply	2850 V DC (PWM rectified) voltage regulated from mains re-inverted to three-phase, frequency and voltage controlled AC waveform
Electric systems	Overhead line; 25 kV 60 Hz AC; 12.5 kV 60 Hz AC; 12 kV 25 Hz AC;
Current collection	Pantograph, 2 per power car
UIC classification	Bo'Bo' per power car; 2'2' per coach
AAR wheel arrangement	B-B per power car; 2-2 per coach
Braking systems	Dynamic and regenerative (power car); Electro-pneumatic disk and tread (coach);
Safety system	Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System (ACSES)
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Notes/references
	Specifications:

The first-generation Acela Express trainset is a unique trainset used on the Acela, Amtrak's flagship high-speed service along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) in the Northeastern United States. When they debuted in 2000, the sets were the fastest in the Americas, reaching speeds of up to 150 miles per hour (240 km/h) on 33.9 miles (54.6 km) of the route. Built between 1998 and 2001 by a consortium of Alstom and Bombardier, each set consists of two power cars derived from units that Alstom built for the TGV and six passenger cars based on the LRC design Bombardier created for Via Rail.

Although based on TGV technology, the Acela equipment is substantially heavier to meet Federal Railroad Administration crashworthiness standards, resulting in a lower power-to-weight ratio of about 22.4 horsepower (16.7 kW) per tonne (2,200 lb), compared to 30.8 hp (23 kW) for a SNCF TGV Réseau set. Unlike the TGV, the Acela incorporates active tilt technology, which mitigates lateral centrifugal force and allows higher speeds through the NEC's sharp curves without discomforting passengers.

The current Acela Express fleet is being replaced by new Avelia Liberty trainsets, similar to the SNCF TGV M, the first five entering service on August 28 2025. The new trains offer increased passenger capacity and an enhanced active tilt system to allow faster speeds on curved sections of the route.