frequentflyer wrote: ↑Tue Feb 07, 2023 9:40 am
Why? This has been covered many times on this site, its a mx hog. I bet Amtrak is having to fabricate parts for it instead of ordering it from the manufacturer. You don't think Amtrak did not run the numbers to see how they could be repurposed after 20 years of service?
Alstom is providing the Acela II equipment which is better in every way, guess who owns Bombardier transportation now? Alstom. Do you think Alstom wants to continue servicing a relic or sell new equipment with less mx headaches.
Lets correct the record here a bit. Acela I equipment was built under a Bombardier/Alsom consortium at the time. Now it's all Alstom. (By comparison, Amfleet I/II cars are Budd, the designs sold to Bombardier, which is now Alstom)
To the question of "Do you think Alstom wants to continue servicing a relic or sell new equipment with less maintenance headaches?" the answer is "yes." Alstom will do both, but usually in a "taper off the older for the newer" and possibly "rehab the older into something with less headaches" depending on how much it would take to do so and if Amtrak's willing to pay for it.
The question now is will Amtrak pay for such a rehab to squeeze another 10-20 years out of the Acela I's like they did with the Amfleets (which are older than me by a few years)? I would contend it would be safer to do so in light of the ICT sets, which look like won't completely replace Regional service.