Acela II (Alstom Avelia Liberty): Design, Production, Delivery, Acceptance

lensovet wrote: ↑Thu Sep 19, 2024 9:28 pm Any idea what they are testing with those?

These are most likely commissioning tests of specific units prior to putting those units into revenue service.

From the July 2024 NGEC report:

On the ALC 42:

There are 55 in service. A number are in transit or in commissioning. 6 or 8 are en route for testing on the corridor. A variety of FAIs on software updates and other items are proceeding nicely. The total to be produced is 125 including option orders.

Still missed another one. Retired Railfan Horn Guy posted a Septa RFW where an extra westbound Avelia Liberty move passed just west of Cornwells Heights. Skip to 25:57 to see it.



Septa SL5 RFW Philadelphia to Trenton. 8/24
Shared September 3, 2024

Hi CNJGeep.

lensovet wrote: ↑Thu Sep 19, 2024 9:28 pm Any idea what they are testing with those?

I was looking for this post but I didn't remember which forum, now I see it was in this thread.

Those two few nights I believe they were testing brakes. The dispatcher specifically asked if they were going to be stopping and it was affirmative. I believe they're already allowed as normal trains on the NEC so they're probably doing full testing of individual engines as the above poster said.

How many train sets are currently in hand and being tested now?

Saw a picture recently where there's 5 of them at 30th St. So there's at least that many.

There have been six (6) A2 trainsets the past couple weeks. Sometimes one is out somewhere. They’ve been moved around a bit so there’s some kind of activity.

From Hauptbahnhof, Berlin--

You'll never see a train station (maybe China) to equal this one.

But note how Amtrak's favorite vendor gets "top billing".

Bum-Bar-Dee-Air has built a lot of equipment for DB, and Alstom has built some, too. Go figure.

The more obvious thing I last saw was an Siemens-built ÖBB locomotive pulling SBB cars. One big happy family :/

More on topic, Alstom and Amtrak seem to be almost silent on what's going on. There's few "roundhouse rumors", too. Congresscritters are silent.

And the same with the new NJT EMUs basically nothing for either order to show.

Alstom bit off more than they could chew with Bombardier?

Nasadowsk wrote: ↑Fri Oct 18, 2024 5:21 am Bum-Bar-Dee-Air has built a lot of equipment for DB, and Alstom has built some, too. Go figure.

The more obvious thing I last saw was an Siemens-built ÖBB locomotive pulling SBB cars. One big happy family :/

More on topic, Alstom and Amtrak seem to be almost silent on what's going on. There's few "roundhouse rumors", too. Congresscritters are silent.

And the same with the new NJT EMUs basically nothing for either order to show.

Alstom bit off more than they could chew with Bombardier?

Has rail-related factories closed? Has there been any workforce reductions? Those will be telling.

I can’t say much but I’ve heard directly from Senior management at Amtrak that the sets are still on par to be in service at the beginning of 25. The 90 hasn’t been lifted yet for non testing moves but on a positive note, more crew members are being prepped to run them so we shall see. These thing are desperately needed with the daily failures the current Acelas are having, and Amtrak can’t afford to lose any of the current sets operating because there are no spares.

Nasadowsk wrote: ↑Fri Oct 18, 2024 5:21 am More on topic, Alstom and Amtrak seem to be almost silent on what's going on. There's few "roundhouse rumors", too. Congresscritters are silent.

And the same with the new NJT EMUs basically nothing for either order to show.

Alstom bit off more than they could chew with Bombardier?

What on earth do you want them to be yapping off about? If you care about the progress, meeting notes are publicly available online and you can peruse them at your leisure.

Testing is happening, more units are on site, and crews are being trained. Are you expecting weekly press releases? You'll hear about it when they are ready to launch the service.

Are you expecting weekly press releases?

Look, I'd at least like something from Amtrak explaining what the major hold up is. I'm not expecting proprietary information and details down to which vibration mode Alstom's using. The most information we've gotten officially is an OIG report from last year and one nytimes article about the new trains being cleared for testing from January. From Amtrak It's been a vague statement from Amtrak's new fleet website that has "Amtrak’s new Acela fleet is scheduled to enter service on the NEC in 2024" which looking though the wayback machine has merely been incremented every year that it has been late.

Other than that it has been the best I've been able to scrounge is from JuniusLivonius following the testing or speculation from someone who heard from someone else on reddit.

I want a pony too, but I realize that's probably out of the realm of possibility.

Nasadowsk wrote: ↑Fri Oct 18, 2024 5:21 am Alstom bit off more than they could chew with Bombardier?

Yes, and BBD was not in a good place to begin with.

lensovet wrote: ↑Sun Oct 20, 2024 12:09 am What on earth do you want them to be yapping off about? ... Are you expecting weekly press releases? You'll hear about it when they are ready to launch the service.

For the amount of money they spent belonging to the taxpayers, we expect a lot more than the typical magical disappearing Amtrak executives act coupled with the typical equipment-didn't-meet-specs act. It's getting old.

For example, NICTD/South Shore CEO Mike Noland wrote letters every two weeks to the general public after the new trackage and schedule were implemented detailing the ups and downs, and owning up to the misfires and problems. This is how you run a railroad. Not by hiding in Washington and never riding your trains.

Ha! I'm not holding my breath to ride aboard one but I am kind of curious if/when testing will progress to a phase where I can go down to Princeton Junction on a weekend when I'm off from work and catch a few of 'em running at 160 mph in daylight hours.

ChesterValley wrote: ↑Sun Oct 20, 2024 1:20 pm Look, I'd at least like something from Amtrak explaining what the major hold up is. I'm not expecting proprietary information and details down to which vibration mode Alstom's using. The most information we've gotten officially is an OIG report from last year and one nytimes article about the new trains being cleared for testing from January. From Amtrak It's been a vague statement from Amtrak's new fleet website that has "Amtrak’s new Acela fleet is scheduled to enter service on the NEC in 2024" which looking though the wayback machine has merely been incremented every year that it has been late.

Other than that it has been the best I've been able to scrounge is from JuniusLivonius following the testing or speculation from someone who heard from someone else on reddit.

Personally I expected a press release after they completed whatever testing stage they just allegedly finished outlining the plan and remaining tasks. I don't even know what stage they're at now in relation to FRA requirements (§ 213.345 Vehicle/track system qualification); we shouldn't have to wait for the OIG to summarize it like last year.

Tadman wrote: ↑Mon Oct 21, 2024 7:42 am For the amount of money they spent belonging to the taxpayers, we expect a lot more than the typical magical disappearing Amtrak executives act coupled with the typical equipment-didn't-meet-specs act. It's getting old.

For example, NICTD/South Shore CEO Mike Noland wrote letters every two weeks to the general public after the new trackage and schedule were implemented detailing the ups and downs, and owning up to the misfires and problems. This is how you run a railroad. Not by hiding in Washington and never riding your trains.

Wow that's quite the communication. This assessment is pretty agreeable, too. Amtrak is too big and management is too disconnected from its passengers. I suspect there are also cultural problems inside Amtrak specifically regarding day-to-day delays and incidents but my specific issues are just suspicion and I won't elaborate on it right now.

Matt Johnson wrote:Ha! I'm not holding my breath to ride aboard one but I am kind of curious if/when testing will progress to a phase where I can go down to Princeton Junction on a weekend when I'm off from work and catch a few of 'em running at 160 mph in daylight hours.

I wonder if we've hit the end of 165mph testing. I sure hope we get a good share of predictable testing or crew qualification runs.