Acela Test Trains at 165 mph to start 9/24/2012

[afigg]

Those interested and live nearby the NEC test segments may want to break out their video cameras starting tonight - well, if you can find a lighted place to take video. Amtrak has issued a press release about the test runs starting tonight: AMTRAK TO OPERATE TEST TRAINS AT 165 MPH. The interesting part is that they will conducting the tests in four areas on the NEC covering more than 100 miles (really?): Perryville-WIL, NJ, RI, and MA.

It should be emphasized that the tests are being run at up to 165 mph to get approval for 160 mph operation in revenue service. The tests on the 150 mph segments in RI and MA would suggest that there could be 160 mph running there well before the Trenton to New Brunswick track and catenary work is completed.

Quoting the press release:

WASHINGTON— Beginning tonight and continuing into next week, Amtrak plans to operate high-speed test trains at 165 mph in four areas covering more than 100 miles of the Northeast Corridor. The tests in Maryland / Delaware, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Massachusetts are locations that may at some future time experience regular 160 mph service.
The tests will utilize high-speed Acela Express equipment and will measure the interaction between the train and the track, rider quality and other safety factors. The test runs must be performed at 5 mph above the expected maximum operating speed of 160 mph.

The test areas between approximately Perryville, Md. – Wilmington, Del. (21.3 miles) and Trenton – New Brunswick, N.J. (22.9 miles) currently have a maximum speed limit of 135 mph. The test areas between approximately Westerly – Cranston, R.I. (29.2 miles) and South Attleboro – Readville, Mass. (27.8 miles) currently have a maximum speed limit of 150 mph. The same areas were used for similar high-speed tests before the introduction of Acela service.

The initial test run is in New Jersey where Amtrak is presently advancing design, engineering and other pre-construction activities for a $450 million project funded by the federal high-speed rail program. The project includes upgrading track, electrical power, signal systems and overhead catenary wires to improve reliability for Amtrak and commuter rail service, and is necessary to permit regular train operations at the faster speeds. Some construction activity is anticipated in 2013, but the project will ramp up dramatically thereafter to be completed in 2017.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

It will zip right past my development (and my work) (Perryville, Md. – Wilmington, Del). But probably after my bedtime.

 

[MikefromCrete]

All right, NE933 can stop tearing his hair out about lack of 165 mph testing.

 

[NE933]

All right, NE933 can stop tearing his hair out about lack of 165 mph testing.

LOL!

Well, i'm already 90% bald at the top, guess they've been torn out during those rough nights... :-0

Thanks for the laugh. And, it's good to hear about this...wow... does anyone know the times? Probably 3 to 6AM when virtually nothing runs by those areas.

 

[afigg]

Thanks for the laugh. And, it's good to hear about this...wow... does anyone know the times? Probably 3 to 6AM when virtually nothing runs by those areas.

The test time window would probably be earlier, maybe 1 AM to 4 AM if they don't want to interfere with the early morning trains. By 5 to 6 AM, the early commuter trains are running. For Amtrak, northbound, there is the #190 Regional that departs WAS at 3:15 AM, arrives WIL at 4:50 AM. Southbound, there is #67 departing NYP at 3 AM, arriving Trenton at 4:03 AM and the #151 Regional that departs NYP 4:40 AM.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

Anyone in NJ going to be out there this evening? Seems like the Hamilton station platform would be one of the better places to view this.

 

[Acela150]

Anyone in NJ going to be out there this evening? Seems like the Hamilton station platform would be one of the better places to view this.

Why? They are accelerating there... I would say for full 165 MPH goto Jersey Avenue. At Princeton Junction they will still be accelerating but very close. Just my opinion. Don't have to believe it. But it's a good theory.

 

[NE933]

A northbound Acela that flies past Trenton at the 115mph max. (?) has 50mph more to go, probably would just be done with accelerating just as it reaches Hamilton. And if it doesn't, it would be heavenly to hear those electric motors scream inside the locomotives as it's going away -- if you're after that sound effect it will come out clearer as the train recedes instead of approaches.

 

[NE933]

By 5 to 6 AM, the early commuter trains are running.

That would be one hell of a surprise for those people on the NB platforms or leaning on windows the side of the express tracks; wouldn't need any Starduks that morning, eh?

 

[afigg]

Amtrak is sure working the PR angle on the Acela 165 mph tests. trainorders had links to two newspaper articles with details on when the test runs will start. 10:30 PM, BTW.

USA Today

Baltimore Sun. Check the photo of the "Acela". Hmm, not quite.

 

[Mid-Atlantic Rider]

Amtrak is sure working the PR angle on the Acela 165 mph tests. trainorders had links to two newspaper articles with details on when the test runs will start. 10:30 PM, BTW.

USA Today

Baltimore Sun. Check the photo of the "Acela". Hmm, not quite.

This story got me excited enough to register as a member, so hello, and thanks for having me.

I saw that video that identifies itself as from last night's test run was uploaded to http://youtu.be/d4gpZiUyy-U YouTube.

You can see that in one of the passes, the test Acela is identified as passing at 170 mph!

 

[VentureForth]

$450 MILLION dollars to improve 101.2 miles of track to a potential of 160 MPH service (165 is just the test mark) for an overall time savings of 4 and a half minutes. $100 Million for every minute saved.

Where could $450 MIL be better spent? Seriously, what can you do with $450 MILLION that would benefit Amtrak more? I don't doubt that the catenary needs to be fixed, but what else?

90 Superliners? 100 MORE Viewliners? 20 Superliners, 4 P42s, and a restored SSL East (figuring in the cost of super fancy stations like the multimillion dollar Beaumont)? Implementing ANY of the performance improvement initiatives?

All this while we sit here wondering if our LD system is gonna survive... :wacko:

 

[rrdude]

Link didn't work for me, try this

 

[Ryan]

You get a lot more than 4.5 minutes from spending that money.

 

[afigg]

$450 MILLION dollars to improve 101.2 miles of track to a potential of 160 MPH service (165 is just the test mark) for an overall time savings of 4 and a half minutes. $100 Million for every minute saved.

Where could $450 MIL be better spent? Seriously, what can you do with $450 MILLION that would benefit Amtrak more? I don't doubt that the catenary needs to be fixed, but what else?

90 Superliners? 100 MORE Viewliners? 20 Superliners, 4 P42s, and a restored SSL East (figuring in the cost of super fancy stations like the multimillion dollar Beaumont)? Implementing ANY of the performance improvement initiatives?

All this while we sit here wondering if our LD system is gonna survive... :wacko:

The $450 million will finally get a heavily traveled 24+ mile segment of the NEC between NYP and PHL into a state of good repair. Track and interlocking upgrades, outer tracks upgraded to 125 mph speeds, constant tension catenary, power system upgrades. The grant will also be used to upgrade and reconfigure the interlockings on the west side of NYP.

The Sunset Limited East will not carry tens of millions of passengers per year. Between Amtrak and NJ Transit, the Trenton to New Brunswick segment of the NEC is a pretty busy corridor. The LD trains are not doing badly at all between the HSIPR and TIGER grants for corridor and freight projects that will also benefit LD train routes.

The videos of last night's test runs are showing up on Youtube, but I would treat the speed claims in the Youtube videos with some skepticism until there are confirmed numbers from reliable sources. Here is

.

 

[fairviewroad]

Here's a link from the same location but with a higher video quality:

 

[jis]

$450 MILLION dollars to improve 101.2 miles of track to a potential of 160 MPH service (165 is just the test mark) for an overall time savings of 4 and a half minutes. $100 Million for every minute saved.

Where could $450 MIL be better spent? Seriously, what can you do with $450 MILLION that would benefit Amtrak more? I don't doubt that the catenary needs to be fixed, but what else?

90 Superliners? 100 MORE Viewliners? 20 Superliners, 4 P42s, and a restored SSL East (figuring in the cost of super fancy stations like the multimillion dollar Beaumont)? Implementing ANY of the performance improvement initiatives?

All this while we sit here wondering if our LD system is gonna survive... :wacko:

Talk to your congresscritters to have them actually endorse the perpetuation and growth of the LD system. They have been on the hook for that for many years and have done nothing. Without their action the LD system's future is bleak indeed. I do not expect any further LD orders until Congress comes up with the money.

However, Regional systems do have a sort of endorsement from them and there are some legislation that spell out how costs are to be shared between states and Amtrak. So those are likely to thrive, as will the NEC, albeit with a somewhat modified cost sharing plan between the states and Amtrak, and possibly be trackage charge scheme that better reflects the actual costs. This will of course have a negative impact on Acela and Regional cost recovery as well as on farebox recovery of commuter systems using the NEC. No amount of bellyaching here will change this reality as it exists today.

 

[jis]

By 5 to 6 AM, the early commuter trains are running.

That would be one hell of a surprise for those people on the NB platforms or leaning on windows the side of the express tracks; wouldn't need any Starduks that morning, eh?

That won't happen because they can run the 165 mph runs only under track possession and possibly block traffic on the two adjacent tracks too during the high speed portion of the test.

BTW, the high speed portion of the test is roughly between CP Ham and about 2 miles west of CP County, roughly the west end of Adams RoW yard. That is the portion targeted for 160 mph operation.

 

[Sunset01]

Here is another video.

 

[jis]

The amount of sparking going on at the pantograph/contact wire interface is not too good at all. Of course that should get fixed to quite an extent by CT catenary. But the basic problem of requiring two pantos in such close proximity to be in touch with the contact wire still remains. The French TGVs use a single panto when in high speed operation, with both motors fed by a train length HV bus from the single panto. Such is not allowed by FRA regulations in the US, because FRA expects US trains to tumble off the tracks rather frequently I suppose.

 

[NE933]

The amount of sparking going on at the pantograph/contact wire interface is not too good at all.

Yeah but it looks good and cool, don't it?

:-D

 

[jis]

According to an Amtrak guy who is involved with these tests, and was on board the test train, they never got up anywhere near 160mph yesterday. They ran into some equipment problems during the 140mph or 150mph test, and testing was discontinued.

They will give it another shot tonight, if the lower speed tests are completed in time.

They apparently go up in steps from 140mph.

interestingly, one of the videographers claims that someone from the train radioed the speed to him, and yet the guy on the train says it was not so. I love it!

This is why we will have to wait on some official word from someone. The fact that Amtrak is not already crowing about it suggests that at least no 170mph happened.

 

[Amtrak Cajun]

I wish them the best of luck and safety for these tests.

 

[NE933]

$450 MILLION dollars to improve 101.2 miles of track to a potential of 160 MPH service (165 is just the test mark) for an overall time savings of 4 and a half minutes. $100 Million for every minute saved.

Where could $450 MIL be better spent? Seriously, what can you do with $450 MILLION that would benefit Amtrak more? I don't doubt that the catenary needs to be fixed, but what else?

90 Superliners? 100 MORE Viewliners? 20 Superliners, 4 P42s, and a restored SSL East (figuring in the cost of super fancy stations like the multimillion dollar Beaumont)? Implementing ANY of the performance improvement initiatives?

All this while we sit here wondering if our LD system is gonna survive... :wacko:

We need ALL of these items. Acela had to go 160 mph ten years ago. As far as Superliners to hell with 90, we need at least a hundred, as well as a hundred + more Viewliners. Acela, and its predessor Metroliner, started as experiments which were intended for nationwide applications. Let's hope we can see a day when an Acela II runs Florida, Illinois, Texas, Michgan, and other metropolis groups.

 

[jis]

Further update....

The guy on the train was right and the guy on the platform at Princeton Jct. was wrong. The train did not reach planned speeds night before last.

However, the planned tests for this round were completed last night on NEC South.

The test train is resting tonight and heading up north for test runs on NEC North.

So it is time for the_traveler to go and camp out on the platform of KIN for the next couple of nights I suppose. The test sequence will presumably be shorter up north since they don;t have to start at 135 and go up incrementally. They can start at 150 up there.