Amtrak orders more new trains to meet growing demand
Amtrak's next-generation of rail cars is set to roll out to even more passengers than originally planned.
The U.S. rail carrier is ordering 10 more of its new Amtrak Airo trainsets to meet surging passenger demand, the rail carrier announced Monday.
The order brings Amtrak to 83 Amtrak Airo trains, which are set to debut in 2026 along various routes in the Northeast, spanning from Toronto to Miami.
"We're thrilled to satisfy the soaring demand for train travel with new state-of-the-art, American-made equipment that ensures the highest standards of comfort, service and amenities," Amtrak president Roger Harris said in a statement. "These new trainsets will help us get people where they need to go while reducing road and air congestion, creating jobs and supporting the American economy."
Passenger demand for rail travel has exceeded its expectations, according to Amtrak. In a CNBC interview on Monday, Harris said the rail carrier has seen increased ridership this summer as overall travel demand has grown.
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In August, ridership along the Northeast Corridor — the carrier's busiest railroad — increased 12% from 2019, according to CNBC, despite experiencing mounting delays this summer caused largely by sweltering weather, an aging fleet and nationwide reconstruction projects.
"There's a renewed interest in rail," Harris said on CNBC.
The new trains are part of a multi-billion dollar project to upgrade Amtrak's existing infrastructure. Amtrak directly received $22 billion from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which passed Congress in 2021. The act earmarked a total of $66 billion for freight and rail. The remaining $44 billion went toward the Federal Rail Administration for various passenger and freight upgrades, such as renovations for the Northeast Corridor's tunnels and bridges.
At a December 2022 press conference in New York City's Moynihan Train Hall, Harris said the Amtrak Airo trains combine "sustainable transportation, world-class design and modern amenities."
The trains are Amtrak's latest car design that it intends to roll out on a number of routes throughout the country. Passenger-friendly upgrades include seats with USB ports, an updated cafe car with grab-and-go service and boarding equipment for passengers with reduced mobility.
As part of a push toward more environmentally friendly travel, the new Amtrak trains will feature hybrid engines; this will allow for zero emissions when passing through New York City's tunnels, Janet Ho, the assistant commissioner for New York City's Department of Transportation, said at the December 2022 press conference.
Amtrak is also rolling out new Acela trains in 2023 that can travel as fast as 160 miles per hour. While the new Amtrak Airo trains won't be as fast as the Acela, the new trains will be more energy efficient. The Amtrak Airo trains will still shave time off routes because, with the new technology, the trains won't have to switch engines — a step currently necessary to swap electric engines for diesel-fueled ones in more rural areas.
The new trains will serve the Northeast Regional Corridor, Empire Service, Virginia Services, Keystone Service, Downeaster, Cascades, Maple Leaf, New Haven/Springfield Service, Palmetto, Carolinian, Pennsylvanian, Vermonter, Ethan Allen Express and Adirondack.
Amtrak projects the entire Amtrak Airo fleet should be rolled out by 2031.
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