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

I really get the feeling that we may be over-analyzing this. I suspect that a) we're not seeing the final paint scheme here and b) not seeing the final faring for the engine. My guess is that what is being sent to Pueblo is "what's functional" not what's the final look and feel.

The earlier they can start testing, the better and a paint job certainly doesn't impact that. The fairing might be considered important (for example make sure it doesn't vibrate off, etc.) but for initial testing I'm guessing they want to focus on things like how the trucks track, does the engine overheat, etc.

bostontrainguy wrote: ↑Mon Feb 17, 2020 6:56 pm I play a game named Transport Fever 2 and there is an Avelia AGV and an Amtrak Avelia Liberty in the game. They are based on the same Pendolino platform but the AVG looks so sleek and truly beautiful and the Liberty just looks odd.

Since they are based on the same Avelia platform and made by the same manufacturer, why does the Liberty look so blah? You would think they would look almost identical except for the length.

Let's hope the fairing is still in the plans.

There is a good Alstom video here: https://www.alstom.com/our-solutions/ro ... -favourite

What's the spec between the two? I bet getting the Pendolino platform to US FRA spec made the Liberty mismatch by a few miles. Just looked at the video and damn that's a mess. Were there supposed to be some transition on the engines? Did Amtrak mandate compatiblity with any diesels? Or were they so tight on time, they just shoved the engine into a known-good FRA-spec shell and called it "time savings"?

Greg Moore wrote: ↑Mon Feb 17, 2020 7:49 pm I really get the feeling that we may be over-analyzing this. I suspect that a) we're not seeing the final paint scheme here and b) not seeing the final faring for the engine. My guess is that what is being sent to Pueblo is "what's functional" not what's the final look and feel.

Completely agreed.

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Mon Feb 17, 2020 7:54 pm

bostontrainguy wrote: ↑Mon Feb 17, 2020 6:56 pm I play a game named Transport Fever 2 and there is an Avelia AGV and an Amtrak Avelia Liberty in the game. They are based on the same Pendolino platform but the AVG looks so sleek and truly beautiful and the Liberty just looks odd.

Since they are based on the same Avelia platform and made by the same manufacturer, why does the Liberty look so blah? You would think they would look almost identical except for the length.

Let's hope the fairing is still in the plans.

There is a good Alstom video here: https://www.alstom.com/our-solutions/ro ... -favourite

What's the spec between the two? I bet getting the Pendolino platform to US FRA spec made the Liberty mismatch by a few miles. Just looked at the video and damn that's a mess. Were there supposed to be some transition on the engines? Did Amtrak mandate compatiblity with any diesels? Or were they so tight on time, they just shoved the engine into a known-good FRA-spec shell and called it "time savings"?

We have known for some time the power cars were not from the same family as the pax cars. And no, no fairing is going to fix it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8ZuT8dG4Dg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNirea41-TQ
Probably didn't register in the windtunnel at 130 mph where this train where spend most its time at.

frequentflyer wrote: ↑Mon Feb 17, 2020 3:44 pm

So we will be able to see it go though the Galesburg Cam.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jcW-Rbzg6s

And Chesterdon cam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6BRXDXcGS0

North East, PA cam (not public) caught it earlier: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbDJrgNIHz0
Elkhart, IN will catch it just before Chesterton.
La Plata, MO will catch it after Galesburg and then Santa Fe Junction (probably cam 2/Top)

I'm trying to remember if someone has a public camera in Kansas.

frequentflyer wrote: ↑Mon Feb 17, 2020 8:49 pm
We have known for some time the power cars were not from the same family as the pax cars. And no, no fairing is going to fix it.

It doesn't look like it - I'm looking at the existing train from videos posted today and it doesn't seem like attachment points for additional fairings are present. But apparently Alstom had a design for one:

I don't know guys I think the livery we've seen is what will adorn every new trainset. I prefer the original livery as depicted in the video Alstom released in August 2016 (looked much better on the train itself and would no doubt look great on the Siemens coaches), but I think if they wanted to keep that one they wouldn't have used something different.

Matt Johnson wrote: ↑Mon Feb 17, 2020 8:55 pm

frequentflyer wrote: ↑Mon Feb 17, 2020 8:49 pm
We have known for some time the power cars were not from the same family as the pax cars. And no, no fairing is going to fix it.

It doesn't look like it - I'm looking at the existing train from videos posted today and it doesn't seem like attachment points for additional fairings are present. But apparently Alstom had a design for one:

You are looking at the concept CGI , the model of the real thing showed it



And from Amtrak's own webpage
https://www.amtrak.com/next-generation-acela-express

Studying the videos a bit . . . what is that black edge on the "rear" edge of the power cars? Both power cars have it except for the lead unit on it's right side where it seems to be painted white. Looks almost like a flexible rubber piece but can't tell. Maybe something to do with the transition? Probably not but must be a reason for it.

Yeah, I wonder why they decided to make it look worse. Cost savings? The first gen Acela locomotives don't tilt, but they still made the effort to nicely match the profile with the coaches.

Very boring livery, the coaches look like something that belongs in the 1950s or 1960s (not that I was looking at trains then!) but pre-Amtrak & pre-stainless. Like pictures of the L&N railroad or the old MBTA Blue Line subway cars.

Noticed on one video that there was not any connection of HEP from the front sleeper. Only had a small fiber looking or coax cable connection. Was the Acela section run cold without power.?

Just air, the same way the Acelas are now, or if you go to rescue MUs with a diesel.
If you get a rescue, it's a cold dark rescue.

BandA wrote: ↑Tue Feb 18, 2020 1:28 am Very boring livery, the coaches look like something that belongs in the 1950s or 1960s (not that I was looking at trains then!) but pre-Amtrak & pre-stainless. Like pictures of the L&N railroad or the old MBTA Blue Line subway cars.

More like HST125's first production livery. Coaches only.

https://cml.sad.ukrd.com/image/495032-1458x930.jpg

Regardless of the paint or the look (neither of which are likely final) those new trains will probably be the most successful passenger rail service in North American history.

By "successful" I specifically mean two things, passengers and revenues. Seems like an "obvious" thing to say but with all the discussion of fairings and red stripes it appears to have been lost in the sauce.

Those trainsets are literally the future rolling by and I strongly suspect by the time they retire from service that Amtrak will be operating significantly more electrified territory than they do today.