Acela Express (trainset)

Acela Express (first-generation)
Amtrak Acela Express train, led by power car #2009, at Old Saybrook, Connecticut
Business Class car interior
Manufacturer	Bombardier, Alstom
Constructed	1998–2001
Entered service	2000
Number built	20 sets
Number in service	20 sets
Formation	8 cars (two power cars, six coaches)
Fleet numbers	2000–2039 (power cars)
Capacity	304 (44 in First Class, 260 in Business Class)
Operators	Amtrak
Depots	Ivy City, Washington, D.C. Sunnyside Yard, Queens, NY Southampton Street Yard, Boston
Lines 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 system(s)	Overhead line; 25 kV 60 Hz AC 12.5 kV 60 Hz AC 12 kV 25 Hz AC
Current collector(s)	Pantograph, 2 per power car
UIC classification	Bo′Bo′+2′2′+2′2′+2′2′+2′2′+2′2′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′
AAR wheel arrangement	B-B+2-2+2-2+2-2+2-2+2-2+2-2+B-B
Braking system(s)	Dynamic and regenerative (power car) Electro-pneumatic disk and tread (coach)
Safety system(s)	Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System (ACSES)
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Notes/references
Specifications:[1][2]

The first-generation Acela Express trainset is a unique set of vehicles 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 150 mph (240 km/h) on 33.9 mi (54.6 km) of the route. They were built between 1998 and 2001 by a consortium of Alstom and Bombardier. Each set has two power cars derived from units that Alstom built for the TGV, and six passenger cars derived from the LRC that Bombardier built for Via Rail.

While the Acela sets were based on TGV equipment, the power cars and passenger cars are much heavier in order to meet the Federal Railroad Administration's crash standards. The extra weight leads to the Acela's power-to-weight ratio being about 22.4 hp (16.7 kW) per tonne, compared to 30.8 hp (23.0 kW) for a SNCF TGV Réseau trainset. Unlike the TGV, the Acela sets employ 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.

Bombardier later used the Acela carriage design and a diesel/gas turbine variant of the power car for its experimental JetTrain.

The present Acela Express equipment is scheduled to be replaced by new Avelia Liberty (similar to SNCF TGV M) sets beginning in 2024. The new trains will have greater passenger capacity and an enhanced active tilt system that will allow faster speed on the many curved sections of the route.