I'm with DGVR. This is incompetence.
As for the claim that this is "propaganda", I'd posit that Amtrak's rolling stock procurement history is 100% accurate empirical evidence to the contrary. Since the 1968 Metroliner EMU program, each procurement of rolling stock off-the-shelf and designed and proven by private enterprise has been a success. F40PH, AEM7, amfleet, superliner, horizon, etc...
Each procurement of specialty government-and-consultants-designed rolling stock has been an unmitigated disaster. The empirical evidence carries over to the local commuter carriers for the most part as well. Metroliner, Acela, Viewliner, DE/DM30, et al...
It's plain to see when it takes five years to deliver 55 boxcars (perhaps we know them under their fancy name as baggage cars) that the trend is continuing. For comparison, Budd had to retool from wartime production but still managed to make a similar size order of diners, coaches, and domes in four years.
In the end, the concept of private enterprise reward successful endeavor with money, while unsuccessful endeavor does not see money. At the government, they get their checks and keep their jobs regardless, so it's little wonder why we don't get an explanation, we don't see any heads rolling at CAF or Amtrak. You may also notice the same exact problem across the country at the corridor bilevel project. Those cars are almost as late as the Viewliner 2.
The new Acela: It's not Aveliable.
