Amtrak's NextGen Acela trains pull into Penn Station for 1st time
Amtrak's NextGen Acela trains, part of the fastest new fleet in America, pulled into Penn Station on Thursday morning.
The first public trains to New York City picked up passengers just before 10 a.m. at Moynihan Train Hall and then continued along the Northeast corridor to Boston and Washington, D.C.
NextGen Acela trains speeding up travel time
The new Acela trains have all types of new features to get up to speed with today's commuters.
They come with free, high-speed 5G internet throughout, individual charging stations at each seat, reading lights and specialized windows that don't interfere with cellphone signal.
"We're going to have 28 of these trains, so there will be more Acelas, there's more seats in each one of these Acelas, the seats are big and wide and nice. They have winged headrests, so maybe the person next to you isn't going to hear what you're saying as well. And they're smooth and fast," said Amtrak spokesperson Marc Magliari.
"It's gorgeous, it's such luxury compared to the old train and compared to an airplane, because I fly a lot, and it is gorgeous," one Penn Station commuter said.
The NextGen Acela trains also have the ability to reach speeds of 160 mph, slightly faster than Amtrak's older models but still not as fast as the highspeed trains in Europe that can travel well over 200 mph.
Amtrak says NextGen Acela tickets will cost about the same
The new trains are set to operate along the Northeast corridor, which connects Boston and Washington, D.C. with stops in Providence, New York City and Philadelphia.
The roughly $2.5 billion investment is the first overhaul to Amtrak's Acela fleet since it launched 25 years ago.
"This is world-class, high-speed train technology, and it was designed and developed and approved under new regulations, which have been adopted from global standards," Amtrak President Roger Harris said. "So that always takes a bit longer with a big industrial enterprise like this, but I think you'll find out that it was well worth it."
Amtrak says the price of a ticket will mirror their old Acela fleet and will be set based on demand, similar to booking a flight.
Penn Station redevelopment update
The Acela trains' arrival comes a day after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy traveled to New York City to announce the timeline for the now-federally-operated Penn Station redevelopment project.
Duffy and Amtrak special adviser Andy Byford said the goal is to start construction by the end of 2027. Developers can now submit bids for the project, but the question remains as to whether the winning design will call for Madison Square Garden, which sits above the station, to relocate.
Byford said that will be decided in time, saying "a series of criteria" is being looked into.