by Matt Johnson
Acela150 wrote: ↑Sat May 16, 2020 5:50 pmTrue, due to cost overruns they went with upgraded/improved variable tension hangars from roughly Jersey Ave to Monmouth Junction and then just south of Princeton Junction to Trenton. The constant tension portion runs from Monmouth Junction to somewhere south of Princeton Junction.
Keep in mind that the Raceway is between Trenton and New Brunswick. A span of about 25 miles. But, the constant tension overhead isn't anywhere near that length.
Testing certification speeds are 5 MPH above the proposed limit, AFAIK. Could be wrong. But I highly doubt that any Alstom equipment will get anywhere near 180 during testings. There is a curve along the Raceway that must be taken at 130 MPH, per the FRA mandated speed limit for curves.Acela I got up to 165+ through Princeton Junction during testing. As for the 130 curve limit, I believe that was due to truck hunting or some stability issue with the Acela I coaches. Presumably the lighter Acela II will have better tracking characteristics.