HD: Amtrak Acela Express NEC 165Mph Speed Test

*UPDATE*
I have calculated the actual speed from the video. This was done in the video editor, by timing when the train begins to leave frame, and when the train actually leaves frame, taking that time and then calculating by the length of the train (9,013inches, or 751ft, 1in)
Titled Run / Actual Speed
135Mph Run: 128.3mph
140mph Run: 129.9mph
145mph Run: 131.3mph
150mph Run: 161.5mph
155mph Run: 133.7mph
160mph Run: 134.8mph
165mph Run: 166.8mph
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On Monday, September 24th, 2012, Amtrak announced that the 165mph speed tests will commence tonight on the Northeast Corridor in New Jersey. DaveNJersy and I headed down to NJ Transit's Princeton Junction station along with a dozen or so other railfans to witness the first high speed testing in years on the NEC. Amtrak started out at 135mph, normal track speed to get a good baseline of the track around 10:50pm through Princeton Junction. Each run, the speed was increased by 5mph until they reached 165mph at 2:06am. All tests were conducted on Track 3 between County Interlocking (New Brunswick) and Ham Interlocking (Trenton). Below is a listing of the clips shot for this video. Please enjoy the footage!
00:20 - 135mph - Normal Track Speed
01:02 - 140mph
01:36 - 145mph
02:20 - 150mph
03:04 - 155mph
03:50 - 160mph - Proposed track speed between New Brunswick and Trenton, NJ
04:37 - 165mph
**04:44 - Amtrak CETC Dispatch 7 & 8 line track 3 for the 165mph westbound move.
**04:52 - Amtrak Acela Express flies through Princeton Junction at 165mph.

[@bjl1238]

Hi from France ! 165 MPH is the same speed (270km/h) than first TGV in 1981 between Paris and Lyon. Actually, the maximum commercial speed for TGV is 320 km/h (199 MPH). USA is on the way for high speed trains, and those how consider it as low speed probably don't know what low speed means...

[@KoJesko]

B JL Coming soon, 220 mph Acelas

[@ethanlamoureux5306]

Smart Dog Only if we can get the track fixed. Current Acela can go much faster than is safe on most of its route.

[@1nsertTitleHere]

A lot of people complain about high speed rail in the US, but there is just a lot to consider. We run Acela Express on existing commuter and freight rail. There are some places where trains simply cannot bank enough like the TGV or ICE, and so it's harder to achieve faster speeds. The goal right now is to bring it up to 160 and hopefully 200, so that New York to Boston is less than 3 hours and DC to NY is about 2. Let's not forget we still have century old bridges that have to be replaced as well.

[@bjl1238]

Yes, i totally agree with you. TGV have special railways for high speed, Acela uses existing rails. Very few countries are able to do that. 160 or 200 mph is a very good speed according to existing railways. The main advantage with train compared to planes is that trains station are in town center, not planes...

[@tuele4302]

The Acela will be replaced by the Avelia Liberty, which is even faster and will have its own tracks. Hooray!

[@Euroduplex]

oh Acela.. I love the looks of those glaring stainless carriages.

[@Mike77E9]

Euroduplex Thanks! We do too!

[@HungryGuyStories]

What would have been really cool if, at the end of the video, you showed the fastest run and the slowest run together in split screen...

[@priority6885]

Hungry Guy the slowest run would be at 0.01 MPH in a yard xD

[@thenewjerseyrailfan9460]

Priority#6 more like 0.00001

[@anitamoncur5379]

Me To I Am In Love With The Amtrak Acela Express

[@Kane615]

Holy hell that overhead wiring just dances around, doesn't it?

[@buba4267]

Kane what about the Radjani express?? I heard that thing FLIES.

[@robmausser]

I mean I think they are pushing the limit of what the infrastructure was designed for. We have to remember the Acela was engineered to work on traditional mainline rail, not rail designed for HSR.

[@jaysmith1408]

That’s one of the scroll of things keeping the train speed at bay. North of Connecticut (likely wrong) the method of catinary suspension does not handle speeds much over 100 (also likely wrong). The PRR was forward thinking enough to have a sturdy power supply for high speed. ConnDOT, was not. Something like over a certain speed, unless the wires are tensioned in a certain way, contact could be lost with the pantograph (the arcing) and could damage the wire, the pantograph, or both. Also, if I’m not mistaken (I’m shooting 0-2 at the moment) there is friction wear between the pantograph graphite and the metal power wire, and the materials have to be designed for high speed, and each other. The Acela’s pantograph is, the wire may not be. Cannot finish my soapbox speech without acknowledging the major issue with speed, the design of much of the track (whatever yutz forgot to fix Frankfort Junction should be smacked, leaving a 50mph curve in a 100 zone) and Amtrak’s inability to realize that they own the line (shocking, ain’t it) and that sharing with freights and slower local traffic limits speed and equipment types available. In France, the TGV need not have rolling bank vaults if it hasn’t another train to hit.

[@EvanAviator]

@@jaysmith1408 yeah that first part is completely wrong

[@bobbyelian630]

a trick : watch movies at Flixzone. I've been using them for watching loads of movies recently.

[@TrainGoon]

I would love to be riding in one of those Acelas during the speed test with my head out the window like a dog!

[@yojo7870]

TrainGoon, ouch

[@jackpez]

Until another train passes 🤢

[@youminholastransit3218]

Yeah, if you want to be decapitated

[@nickstojanovic8868]

@@jackpez Or a bug hits you.

[@danielboone3770]

I love the Acela Express! These night times shots are just picture post card.

[@paulwalker1443]

That is a thing of beauty. Such mighty speed, long live the railroads!

[@tjrtt]

I love it, we need more of this in America!

[@Mike77E9]

tjrtt Could't agree with you more!

[@coreywilliams7445]

We will soon here in California. The construction is going right now.

[@ethanlamoureux5306]

Corey Williams If by soon you mean in 15 years. That’s the kind of timeline I heard for California’s LA to San Francisco project.

[@user-ji1om9cu9h]

We still have more to do make train

[@MrRCGNL]

Start paying (more) taxes and try to get rid of the republican lobby

[@nenblom]

Back in 2012, I rode the X2000 from Gothenburg to Stockholm, Sweden. It was a 3-hour trip and the COOLEST train ride I have EVER been on! VERY SMOOTH!! I think we did about 150 mph and we went so fast that my ears popped every time we went through a tunnel!

[@flapanep]

The ears may easily pop when you do 100km/h as well, it depends from the relative size of the train compared to the tunnel (and from its shape, but that's less relevant in rought terms).

[@theintamindude]

Niklas Enblom Liseberg to Gröna Lund?

[@RobertJohnson-fw2hz]

I love trains. I especially love the trains in Sweden starting in 1968. I did the Stockholm to Gothenburg, then to Halmstad and later on to Copenhagen. All first class. If we can go to the moon, we can do high speed trains. The worst part of my trip from Chicago were the flights over and back. It is the dread of those flights that prevent me from seeing my family in Sweden more often.

[@amjkodaz]

X2000 goes 125mph (200kph) maximum

[@CaptainTransit]

Now THAT is a lot of pantograph sparking!

[@danielwanner8708]

Just like on the model railroad

[@tarobrob513]

Well here in India 15 mph. So be thankful on what you get.

[@user-ji1om9cu9h]

I'm American in Florida and I have a high speed train that come out last year and train 18 new fastest train in India

[@eight10aaronn]

We are very thankful!

[@thestarlightalchemist7333]

Ive seen 60mph and higher speed trains on indian yt videos...

[@longhornfinch]

Well, there are some trains in India that do reach ~100mph(not train 18).

[@utleychase7]

Tarobrob yeah for the cheap. But in the U.S. You pay hundreds on Amtrak trains just to get stuck on a slow train

[@h0ckeymodz]

That thing pasted me once while I was waiting for the NE corridor. The sound of wind it made was LOUD

[@DirkGorgiel]

CantYandleTheHeat that's why we in Germany have specially constructed tracks and noise reducing walls along the tracks in urban areas.

[@counterfit5]

I watched it go through an MBTA station just after a snowstorm. It was like it started snowing again 😂

[@samw3086]

Nice! And thank-you for not mindlessly zooming in like crazy that I see in a lot of the train videos on KZbin.

[@Watsonincorporated]

I'm surprised that they didn't say, "train approaching. please remain behind yellow line"

[@IndigosClothing]

Watson inc. The train was on the platform track

[@ttkane217]

Gene was no NJT coming

[@DavidNightjet]

That’s because this was done on the stretch of track in Hamilton NJ, where there’s a straight section several miles long. But since NJ Transit is the regional rail operator in that region, and it’s their station that it was filmed at, it’s their discretion as to what the oncoming train announcements sound like. Out in Connecticut, where Amtrak owns, operates and maintains more of the stations, that announcement is more common.

[@Watsonincorporated]

@@DavidNightjet Ah that makes sense

[@theclearsounds3911]

I lived in Princeton years ago. These tests were done at night, and I'm assuming that the tracks and stations are way too busy to do it during the day. During normal hours, you do get these announcements. Also, all these tests were done on track 3, which is the middle one, and it isn't close to where people stand, so it wouldn't generate these automatic announcements.

[@joebob3719]

Isn't it pretty dumb that we're running the Acela on equipment built for the GG1?

[@walloffame8383]

The tracks and overhead cabling have been upgraded especially to handle the Acela Express

[@lorumipsum1129]

joebob3719 plus the gg1 was pretty badass. Probably my favorite electric locomotive that isn’t high speed

[@danielwanner8708]

GG1 was way ahead of its time . One of the most impressive electrics .

[@rebooted.jupiter_]

no cap GG1s really needed to be retired

[@firebunny3198]

People seem to forget that the US is massive compared to countries like the UK, France, China and Japan when comparing high speed rail. For us, it's more cost effective and faster to fly long distances or drive short ones. There's also the fact that our "high speed lines" were originally designed for 65mph, not 165, meaning they wind about, still have a few grade crossings, and many bridges and sections of track are nearing or over 100 years old.

[@charlesdreiser4801]

China's land area is only .092 million square miles fewer than the land area of the US - 3.797 million sq. mi. US vs 3.709 million sq. mi. China. But yes the other countries are significantly smaller.

[@everythingisawesomebaby2290]

Fire Bunny People seem to forget steam trains once ruled

[@hobog]

also, china has way more cities with at least 1 million people, and cities within the 300km optimal distance for HSR

[@ethanlamoureux5306]

China is bigger than the contiguous US, and it’s not all heavily populated. The UK and Japan are both similar in size to California. France is similar to Texas. The reason our rail infrastructure is so poor (crooked track, grade crossings, 100 year old bridges) is because we have not adequately invested in rail for a century or so. Our rail infrastructure has been shrinking, falling apart and cannibalizing itself for a hundred years due to lack of investment, and people want to blame it on our size? That’s just a lame excuse.

[@jontownsend6451]

People also seem to forget that air travel is screwing up the planet, i have no problem traveling from Spalding, UK to Moscow by train, most people fly because its quicker, but one day we will all have to take the train wether we like it or not. There is no excuse not to invest in rail.

[@BruceHoffman]

Impressive, I know you can feel the difference when you hit the 150 mph in the New England Area. Train ravel is the most comfortable way to travel and still see the country.

[@PGHammer21A]

True there. I have no real animus against plane travel (I have done plenty of it; in fact, I haven't traveled by train in two decades); however, that is because I tend to travel in spurts, and have no travel of ANY sort in THREE years - so it's not entirely due to Covid-19).

[@danielwanner8708]

for sure

[@mrksvideos]

I applaud your work with the frame count / length of the train speed calculations. I have done this in the past and it seems no one understands how accurate it is. Also, if you have a chance (since you seem to be a lot closer to the NEC compared to me on the west coast) get a real inexpensive radar gun for the next time the Acela does tests like this. Was only $89 at opticsplanet about 2 years ago. They are fun to use and I have been able to detect trains over a mile away with it.

[@mightygreen1017]

5:26

[@amardave84]

Damn! that dopplar effect on the horn is fantastic!

[@jayydarailfaner549]

this type of speed should come in service, love having trains blow by me sounding like airplanes

[@georgeferrocarril4894]

NICE!!! I've been to PJ back in the 80's and videoed Amtrak trains going 125+ really impressive, those Swedish toasters really could crank up the speed. One time I was heading back to Virginia and took Amtrak to Alexandria VA where I left my car. We left Penn Station 30 mins late. We got to Philly 30th St and had to wait for the schedule to catch up to us, we got to Wash 10 mins ahead of schedule. Talk about speed!!!

[@Mike77E9]

It was nice meeting you last night Jim! Can't wait to see your video!

[@KennyPeepers]

Those wires sure were bouncing big time. Good sound and nighttime picture lets you hear and see the wires responding to the speed -- hence the need for constant-tension wires to permit 160 mph operation. This will be great to see in regular operation in a couple years.

[@marvinwatkins8889]

It's not Europe or East Asia, but it's something of a start. Nice to see and here those flashes snd wires afterward. A day cab view of same would be nice, if it could ever be done.

[@Wes8761]

I live about a half hour from Princeton junction and head out there often to watch trains and take the dinkey(shuttle train) into Princeton

[@kuerpotino8401]

You live in nj too I’m from long branch

[@kjrehberg]

The record remains 170.8 mph and was achieved by the Amtrak UAC TurboTrain between Trenton and New Brunswick on December 20, 1967. That was over 45 years ago!! The TurboTrain wasn't even an electric train.

[@gwenynorisu6883]

The problem isn't so much one of power or raw ability to reach those speeds. It's doing so safely, and with an effective signalling system (signals built for trains that never exceed 60 ~ 80mph become almost worthless for HSTs operating at twice that speed... because it takes almost 4 times the distance to stop, which may mean the difference between seeing a red up ahead and comfortably stopping short of it, and jamming the brakes on at the first sight of a distant-caution/approach signal but still blowing through the red that comes two signals later at a fair speed). The whole network that the high speed trains are to run on, plus at least a little of any lower speed part that crosses it at grade or has merges/diverges leading onto it, need to be upgraded to centrally controlled, long distance, absolute block in-cab signalling. And when there are enough parts of the US network that struggle to maintain any kind of effective signalling system at all, or are even essentially "dark" and running either to timetable or token-passing rules, that could be something of a challenge. Any US train company could right now purchase a set of locos and carriages capable of something decidedly north of 200mph and start running them on their lines, but until they implement the necessary signalling system modernisation works, they can't legally go past 125. Maybe not even 80.

[@Milnoc]

That's the Shinkansen's "slow" speed. 😁

[@matteo7676]

True lol 😆

[@tibbers3755]

Too many curves and kinks in the line for those trains to go faster anyway

[@tech4pros1]

Much of the US's rail infrastructure was laid down in the days of horse, cart and steam, so bends in the track didn't matter that much for slower steam locomotives where grades needed to be kept as shallow as possible. The high speed railways in Europe and Asia were planned from the outset for 200mph running so were routed without tight bends and no level crossings. Also rail in the US is much more freight oriented, while in Europe many main lines had speedy passenger service as a primary concern.

[@jackpez]

Matteo Dona most shinkansens reach 150 mph except for one of them

[@italianguy4195]

@@jackpez American always lying. I went on a Shinkansen and it ran at 300km so guess again.

[@thafff]

Nice video. Obviously this catenary will need a bit of maintenance and more tensioning before these speed are introduced: there were a lot of sparks on the 150+mph test runs, which would wear out carbon plates on the pantograph if left as is on commercial service.

[@MrRCGNL]

Who says you should use carbon plates on the panto's. As far as I know, we only use them on DC systems, AC systems use steel

[@RRansomSmith]

@@MrRCGNL not on the Pantograph sliders you don't. Carbon inserts that rub against the wire. Steel alone would cause too much friction. You obviously know nothing of what you refer to.

[@MrRCGNL]

@@RRansomSmith Your right, my info was wrong. Steel is used for AC, some DC systems use Cupper. Another proof, that you should not believe everything what written on the web.

[@gliese909]

This has now become reality. In late May 2022, the speed in this region was upped to 150 (160 for the new Acelas). An additional 8 miles is also being upgraded in NJ and will open in 2024.

[@gregorygrice]

Now I know who was on the other side of the tracks, Awesome video! It was exhilarating seeing that thing go that fast.

[@JoeyLovesTrains]

I find it interesting they were able to perform these tests on catenary that wasn’t under constant tension

[@leadslinger49]

It seemed as though you could hear it sooner. The faster it went. Good video.

[@Ztbmrc1]

we are now 5 years later, what is the actual speed now? The faster the more of a competition to airlines. Now the US should build more of these higspeedlines. I hope to travel some time on Acela. I have already traveled on German ICE at 300 kmh (186 mph) and TGV in France also over 300 kmh (186 mph). Thanks for sharing.

[@lorumipsum1129]

Still 150, though the Acela is cable of 160 or 170 mph I believe. The avelia liberty in 2021 witch will replace the Acela will go at those speeds or more when it arrives.

[@Ztbmrc1]

@@lorumipsum1129 So if I want to ride the Acela, I must come to the Us before 2021.... Tnx.

[@lorumipsum1129]

@@Ztbmrc1 pretty much, who knows, though.Might be some time when both avelia liberty and Acela will run side by side, but only for a year it seems, and who knows if any will be saved.

[@lorumipsum1129]

@@Ztbmrc1 your right about needing more high speed rail, but slot of states are fighting against it for whatever reason. It's really annoying. The future is going back to rail and we need to welcome it not push it away, all these airlines and road vehicles we just can't support.

[@filanfyretracker]

NEC could probably support a 400mph Maglev, of course just improving the tracks enough for the Acela required a lot of tooth pulling in Congress. So no way in hell could we get a new system with totally new infrastructure.

[@stevenromero1723]

I love this Amtrak Acela not the new this looks better than the Acela just came out

[@Thomas1980]

Fantastic Video!

[@michaeltb1358]

10 years later - how many high speed trains operate in the USA?

[@1940limited]

That's so fast it's almost scary. Great video. The N&W Js would do 100 MPH back in the 40s and 50s. That was quite advanced for the time.

[@bombasticbuster9340]

We may be a large country, but we need to begin more regional train service. Flying has become such a miserable experience. I would lovevto get on a high speed from Tulsa to DFW or HOU. I dont expect to travel via train from Little Rock to LA, but regional might pay if the region was chosen properly.

[@KingdaToro]

Absolutely, each megalopolis should have its own high speed rail system connecting all its cities. For Texas, you'd start by connecting Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Houston in a triangle. Then you'd connect Houston to Mobile via New Orleans, and Dallas-Fort Worth to Tulsa via OKC. Other good ones would be Chicago-Indianapolis-Cincinnati-Columbus-Pittsburgh and Birmingham-Atlanta-Charlotte.

[@flyingspotscanner]

At all test speeds a lot of arcing is visible between the pan' and the contact wire. Do the Acelas normally arc like that, or was it due to weather conditions that night? Great vid!!

[@skullmangaming1413]

That back engine of the train sparks a lot as I see

[@mysock351C]

0:40 I work right next to this station... and have to listen to that all day long. Really gets stuck in your head after a while.

[@doctorstrangelove9487]

Due to speed restrictions there are only few spots that the Acela train can go fast on a Northeastern corridor.

[@Salmagundiii]

Do you mean without passengers? Far from it...trains in the northeast are often sold out. Elsewhere they are not as busy but Amtrak had its highest ridership ever last year.

[@dam1041960]

And still lose money! That's Our tax money Paying for it!

[@ethanlamoureux5306]

@dam1041960 How much money do highways make for all the billions we spend on them? Isn’t it hypocritical to expect trains to make money when you don’t show a bit of concern over roads and the great loss involved in their building and upkeep?

[@peterw.8434]

That catenary construction definitely isn’t built for these speeds... kinda makes me worry...

[@amjkodaz]

Actually they upgraded it for speeds of 165 MPH

[@mihirpanchal5754]

People laughing at lack of high speed trains in the U.S. are flat out stupid.. The U.S. Is a huge country spread out over 3000 miles.. High speed rail like the tgv won't work everywhere here.. It does work in the northeast corridor where larger cities are just a few hundred miles apart..and the Acela does just that.. 150-165 mph is nothing to laugh about

[@vbanks1956]

Mihir Panchal they are not stupid at all,the airlines lobby hard againt high speed rail in this country

[@MrRailroadrunner]

+vk banks Actually Mihir has a point. If you could get a diesel up to 150 though........ Then we'll talk.

[@ploopy5235]

MrRailroadrunner they have gotten diesels up to 170+mph

[@MrRailroadrunner]

Official registered record is 125.

[@wharris302]

+MrRailroadrunner Talk to the Brits then lol, class 43 HST 125 did 148mph, just 2mph slower then 150 but could easily do 150 with a bit more track

[@michaeljoyner3707]

That was Amazing!!! You have me in Awe!!! My next several trips, will be on Amtrak!!! Thanks Mike!!!!

[@cassandraglowacki9251]

To add, a high speed rail system from NY to LA directly involves a lot of land problems. You have snowstorms in the Northeast, you have tornadoes in the Midwest, you have heat restrictions out West and then you have earthquakes. Any of these can destroy the rails at any point during the year. This isn't something Europe has to contend with. We're fighting just to get a high speed rail system here in Florida & all these Floridians are doing is crying about it. Maybe when they can take a train to work in Orlando/Miami, they might finally think otherwise.

[@christophers.o622]

You forgot California is building high speed rail between Los Angeles, Fresno & San Francisco and in Texas is going to build the Texas Central between Houston & Dallas and both are getting help from Japan Railways which are experienced in earthquakes and Japan sits on the Pacific Horseshoe earthquake fault line.

[@MAX-dh8tv]

Cassandra Glowacki has

[@homeofthemad3044]

Cassandra Glowacki Who would take a cross country high speed rail trip? It would take like 15 hours with no delays.

[@homeofthemad3044]

Of course, I am not saying Amtrak is bad, but 15 hours is a long time. In a plane that would take what? like two and a half hours?

[@danburch9989]

People who get tired of the TSA crap just to get on the airplane and the high density seating.

[@jimwinchester339]

We obviously have the technology for the trains. The challenge is the routes and the positive control issue.

[@flawedpotato3665]

tbh idk why but p42 and p32 are still my favorite locomotives. must be the horns

[@Mike77E9]

Thanks! I believe it was due to the speed of the train

[@peterw.8434]

How can it be that it took so long to upgrade a track, that obviously runs on a straight enough route to reach these speeds and serves a very popular route?

[@RRansomSmith]

Track isn't fully straight. Lots of curves.

[@d65fitzer]

Nice work, I guess it's not possible to pan around fast enough.... love the night stuff.

[@FearHaIv]

Can't believe that China is actrually better than US in something.

[@chexlemeneux8790]

When your population is stacked on top of eachother instead of spread out across thousands of miles then high speed rail is financially viable but I would never trade living in Canada with our slow trains for living in a cubicle in China under draconian censorship and one party rule.

[@waldwickperson]

Great video Mike! Do you know if they will be testing this weekend?

[@Mike77E9]

Not sure, I know they're supposed to be testing each segment a few times through next week

[@mitchgoldman3917]

Great set of videos, Mike - and great to meet "All Aboard Productions"! I still say we should've found some leaves to put on the track, though, lol. /Mitch

[@asbjrne.stackmest5015]

I hope Godzilla don't go walking through all those towers and wires trying to get that dastardly Mothra! 🥴🚬

[@billgares7071]

That station I use alot in travel and that train is just amazing to ride

[@rosscustom]

You've earned a subscriber

[@spatrompete2601]

So looking at the footage I would say the track can handle it but the overhead wires needs some work done. What is the max speed of that train ? It looks like it can go much faster

[@lorumipsum1129]

Spaß Trompete the Acela is forced to go 150 at its max but is capable of with 165 or 180 mph if it was a specific track designed for it. I know the Amelia libertys advertised minimum speed is the same as the acelas mechanical top speed.

[@vheatherymae8174]

Correct me if I’m wrong but did that Acela trainset have 7 passenger cars? And zoom!

[@johnparker1290]

I notice none of your rail fan compatriots made it far into the series of speed runs... Nice job sticking it out.

[@plasmastar2374]

I calculated that 165 mph run was actually 150.892 mph.

[@therookie9276]

Plasmastar 23 Boi, it was 150.6252529372625183099999999999998889988373636272535353539993636353 MPH

[@crocodylusporosus5984]

Plasmastar 23 It was 166.8. Check the description...

[@JayJay-yl6ef]

@@crocodylusporosus5984 It's impossible that the Acela did 165 when the top speed of the train is a measly 150..I know that for sure because I come from a Amtrak family.

[@bhigdaddymark]

James JonesSr EXACTLY, “165 mph” yeah right, bullshit. Where’s the proof for such a ridiculous claim??

[@coveredb6582]

@@JayJay-yl6ef Acela actual top speed is geared toward 202 mph,but limited due to catenary power and track restrictions

[@AlphaSerpentis]

Favorite Passenger Train in the USA... I want to see one in person

[@PGHammer21A]

I saw the Acela Express in person (at Union Station in DC); literally Pure Luck I was there for a viewing event - I was at the station for *shopping* - not a trip. (What is forgotten is that Union Station also contains a mall - and a rather significant one; Books-a-Million replaced B. Dalton as the bookstore in it - there is also a subway station in addition to MARC and VRE that use the station. The last time I was there for a trip I was taking MARCs Penn Line - not AMTRAK - and I was only going to Baltimore.)

[@HJW81253212]

Super production value.

[@Bigjimvideo]

You beat me to it! I'll work on my video after work, and have something posted tonight...

[@barroningram7286]

you can hear the wires shaking after the train passes

[@66kprdwd]

The Acela train sets were designed to reach 200 MPH. I don't think they've ever come anywhere close to that though.

[@Jhihmoac]

To make these kind of trains truly effective traveling 200+ MPH on a nationwide scale, there would have to be dedicated rail lines that do not cross grades...From a transcontinental basis, that would not be very cost effective to build, nor maintain...Novel idea, but it would never happen coast to coast...There IS talk of another Acela-type train running from NYC to Chicago, however...

[@ploopy5235]

+Crazcompart there's the California HSR Project which will see progress when everybody who's putting lawsuits against the company building the railway loses the court case or grinds to a halt with filing lawsuits

[@petewangsly9705]

+ploopy523 theyre about to start building the Texas bullet train in 2017 from dallas to houston. in florida theyre already building stations for the all aboard florida brightline high speed rail

[@ethanlamoureux5306]

Funny. We built grade-separated freeways across the continent, and those are much more expensive to build and maintain than a railroad track.

[@ethanlamoureux5306]

@Kilo Byte Your logic escapes me.

[@ethanlamoureux5306]

@Kilo Byte Except that roads are tremendously expensive to build and maintain and terribly inefficient for carrying freight and are torture for long-distance travel if time means anything at all. And of course dangerous, with 30-50 thousand people killed on American roads every year. As the population increases we are falling behind on maintenance and many highways are reaching their capacity and cannot be expanded effectively, so they are becoming perpetually jammed in many areas.

[@jasonsaville2262]

Thanks for the video. We need high speed Amtrak. Especially express passenger service that would go up to 300mph

[@themightyzanoss8409]

well you will probably have to wait as that is faster than any scheduled service in the world

[@OntarioTrafficMan]

The extra car holds the equipment for measuring the track quality, ride quality etc.

[@ayce2553]

I was about to say how America has a truly high speed rail service before England forgetting about hs1 💀

[@dammionpeaks2209]

Uh, no joke! Serious speed! Love the horns...scary, but beautiful. Lol👏👍👏👍👏

[@Vxllain]

Dammion Peaks gotta love those K5LA’s!

[@stephenmccloughan7541]

I need to say something. If it wasn't the crappy goverment treating Amtrak like a puppet we would have gotten high speed already!

[@danielwanner8708]

Airlines are pushing back . Fighting it all the way .

[@stephenmccloughan7541]

@@danielwanner8708 if it was up to me, I sat cut the Acela tickets in half. Well over 200 dollars form Philadelphia to DC. About as much as a plane.

[@danielwanner8708]

@@stephenmccloughan7541 Acela tickets are premium prized . But you do enjoy good service . I talked with a conductor from Amtrak , of course he promoted his train over Acela because of the prize . 200 is expensive , unless you travel on business and the company pays ,then I would say it's a good deal . There are a lot of lines that lose money but still need to be served

[@stephenmccloughan7541]

@@danielwanner8708 I dont know but the government should start pushing the private railroads like BNSF and Union Pacific to run there own passenger train like they used to, and leave the North East for Amtrak. And Bright Line for the South. Also change how the Government taxes the railroads would help

[@danielwanner8708]

@@stephenmccloughan7541 I believe in less government and letting the private sector fill the void . In Germany , Lufthansa is investing huge amounts of money into very high speed train development between cities . SBB is working / planning a maglev line between Zurich and Bern with speeds in exes of 400 Km. I would love to see Delta ,United , etc . do the same here , instead of fighting Acela ,Amtrak . On the eastern corridor Washington , New York ,Boston would be a fantastic opportunity . I understand Unions , Private citizens , HOA ,Land acquisition would be major hurdles to overcome.

[@GreggRoberts]

Wish we had class 8 in Michigan. Max speed detroit to chicago is about 65mph.

[@COLocal51]

Great video. I was at the Hamilton station all by myself at about 1:30AM wondering where everyone was. I guess I should've gone to Princeton Junction! My video is not as good as it was taken from a digital camera. Not sure if the video I took was of the train at top speed, but Im guessing it was going well over 130 MPH. Very cool to see.

[@OntarioTrafficMan]

Yes, that's why the government has invested a bunch of money into upgrading the track, signaling and overhead wires.

[@andrewarmstrong7310]

I was always told the speed limit for the NEC was the pantagraph system at about 140mph. Guess they changed it up or crossing their fingers.

[@NJTDover]

Next to the Shinkansen, Acela is a tortoise and next to the new maglev Chūō Shinkansen (top speed 374 mph) is a snail. America has tremendously neglected for decades the benefits of a high-speed train. America should go for maglev transportation at all costs and Japan would no doubt be very happy of providing the technology.

[@amishmike1]

What made everyone meet up at Princeton Junction?

[@bjchav4489]

Lol this must have been filmed in slow motion. Knowing how those dreams were going more than 70 miles an hour

[@mr.boobania]

Surprisingly SMOOTH! No more clickety-clack!

[@jimh3500]

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acela_Express Can't go 165MPH. Why do people do this?

[@1nsertTitleHere]

Max speed is 165MPH by design. It operates at a max speed of 150MPH.

[@buddahbless6725]

Correct, Acela's are said to be replaced by 2020.

[@Mike77E9]

Description updated - Actual calculated speed posted.

[@cnman234]

Wish they had that here in Canada! Also I heard Amtrak is replacing there Acela's and getting new ones but probably in a while.

[@chuckwagon5518]

I love this country, but come on....140 mph, 165 mph? They have trains in the world that have set speed records around 358 mph. And we're testing a 140 mph train? What year is this?

[@112Ishaan]

Chuck Wagon Boy shut up, Some western countries of Europe has speed limits of 105 MPH or something (140 KM\H)

[@NortheastCorridorFilms]

Bruh, we cant have faster trains here, for danger reasons

[@damonrichardson8329]

I been on the broad st line express here in philly at 73 mph can't imagine going 165 mph lol 😂

[@gwenynorisu6883]

Going by the estimate someone else gave for the length on another video, a 9-car set passing in ~5 seconds = about 85mph, in ~4 seconds = about 106mph, in ~3 seconds = about 142mph. "140mph" run took 3 seconds for 9 cars... but the "165mph" one appears to also take a clear 3 seconds and change, when it should be barely over 2.5 (which, on the nose, would = 170mph). Were they actually getting faster each time? Maybe the length estimate is wrong?

[@THEATREofPAIN270]

Awesome catches. I had Hamilton station all to myself last night. It was a great catch.

[@thetrainguy1]

I looked up the track classes and the 165 mph makes the difference because they are into class 9 track, Class 9 Track is able to support 200mph rail speeds. So the stretch of track can support 200mph after upgrades, but the acela cannot go that FAST, equipment.

[@jimrichards4436]

Just for comparison a Boeing 747 take off speed (v2) is 163 mph or 188 knots on a standard day.

[@waldwickperson]

ok, I might go down there this Saturday night, but im not sure if I can go to Princeton Jct.

[@Train538]

Fantastic video, Mike!!!

[@puffnstuff12]

Does anyone else see how badly the rear power car carriage is breaking contact with the power lines vs the front power car on the last pass high speed run starting around 5:20? The light show looks really cool but something is different about it vs the lead power car which is barely arcing.

[@zackboone15]

You have to remember that the wire isn't completely flat, or rather, that is is perfectly taught. The wire moves up a little bit as the pad on the pantograph pushes against it. This causes a little wave/bounce to form. That wave causes the wire to bounce up and down and the trailing powercar isn't able to keep perfect contact like the lead has with a wire at rest. Think speedboat in perfectly flat water versus speedboat in waves. The speedboat in the waves most likely will break contact with the water at a few points, like the pantograph breaking contact with the wire.

[@weeardguy]

I was about to say the same thing, but I don't know how well Thalys (TGV-service Amsterdam - Paris) does in my country. I won't be too surprised if it arcs pretty good as well, especially when seen at night-time. What is the voltage on the wires there? 25 kV?

[@RailRide]

25 kV at 60 Hz (Boston to Mill River), 12.5 kV at 60 Hz (Mill River to Sunnyside Yard) 12 kV at 25 Hz (Sunnyside to Washington D.C.) Fixed tension catenary (former Pennsylvania RR, pre-dates variable tension). And before you ask, yes they're working on upgrading it, as (under) funding allows.

[@Qboro66]

Acela Express 165 MPH Japanese Bullet Train: "Hold my beer."

[@TheTallMan50]

Shanghai Maglev: Hold my Tsingtao

[@jonny2954]

@@TheTallMan50 More like hold my beer. The Shanghai Maglev was developed in Germany.

[@NortheastCorridorFilms]

Yo nobody cares about how fast your trains are.

[@MrZkr123]

So which is the next section to be tested? And do you think we will see an HHP-8 with Amfleets be tested to run at 135mph?

[@mattl.7159]

I have notices that the trainsets have 7 cars, I thought they only had 6 cars.

[@QuickBurn70]

They added a geometry car for this test.

[@jimgeo1000]

QuickBurn70 Partially true, actually they used the trainset that had the geometry car on it. Since they use permanent couplers, you can't disassemble them.

[@wcrr4230]

James G The geometry car usually sits by itself in Ivy City. These trains absolutely can be disassembled, it's just more difficult and complex than a standard regional set.

[@ethanlamoureux5306]

Even if they were welded together (a bad idea, I might add) they could be taken apart with a cutting torch. There is no such thing as a permanent coupler. These trains are semi-permanently coupled, meaning they are harder to decouple than a typical train, but not impossible.

[@stevefromPA2]

nice mike...i understand they will br doing the dame tonite from Ragan to Prince..Guessing Newark sta should be a good spot to watch..Buddy of mine who works for amtrak will be riding tonite, he was at princeton last night...