Amtrak launched a new fleet of high-speed trains Thursday that will pass through Wilmington and Newark on their way along the Northeast Regional Line.
The track runs from Virginia to Maine, giving people 12 options to get to New York City (or other stops) per day.
Amtrak now has five new NextGen Acela trains on the line, with plans to have 28 on tracks by 2027.
It’s the first new set of high-speed trains since Acela’s premiere in 2000, according to Amtrak spokesperson and government affairs specialist Megan Diggins.
“These trains can [...] operate at 160 miles per hour,” Diggins said. “Our previous trains could operate at 150 miles per hour, so that's a little bit faster. Also, [it] carries 27% more customers on each train set. So that is something we're really excited about.”
Stops include Washington, DC, New York City, Boston and many destinations in between.
The U.S. ranks 11th globally for railroad infrastructure quality – ahead of France and Germany, according to The Global Economy.
But American lines transport far fewer people at 10 million. India has 8 billion passenger trips annually; Germany has 1.2 billion and France has just under 900 million, according to the World Population Review.
Diggins said she’s excited to see the 28-train fleet deployed over the next couple years.
“Now we are here bringing the next fleet in and just taking the next step into travel here in the United States,” Diggins said. “... This is the longest stretch of high speed rail in the country, and we're really proud of that.”
The trains have free WiFi, power outlets, reading lights and updated seats and cafe cart.
