The New Haven stretch of the Northeast Corridor (if i’m not mistaken) uses an older electrical catenary system, only providing 12kV at 25Hz AC as opposed to the Rhode Island/Massachusetts sections which uses a newer 24kV at 60Hz AC, hence slower speeds.
Oh that's interesting - I had no idea. Will the New Haven stretch ever get upgraded to increase speeds and does it speed up again the other side of New York on the way down to D.C?
@@Tims_Travels I’m sure there’s definitely proposals for increasing the speed on the corridor but most of them have gone unfunded by the Federal Railroad Administration. I’m taking the exact same route in August, so it’s very exciting to see what the experience onboard is like. I’m still debating whether upgrading to Acela is worth as opposed to just taking the regional.
I see. I hope they find the funding one day as then it would be a true competitor of options if they can reduce that time. Are you on the exact same route (Boston to NY)? This is the only train in the US we’ve been on but it was comfortable and I don’t regret taking it at all. I imagine it’s more comfortable than the regional services from what I could see
NYC to DC avg speed is faster than Bos to NYC. The max speed of around 150 mph is achieved between NY and Bos but NY to DC has much longer stretches where you maintain 110 - 120 mph. So NY to DC is under 3 hrs, vs 3.5+ hrs NY to Bos.@@Tims_Travels
I thought they also had to replace some of the track to accommodate the higher speeds. Its a shame, the acela is only one hour faster then the slow train. Be much more appealing if they could make it more competitive with the plane. I could almost drive it at that rate, not that I want to, its nice not having to deal with a car in NYC.
We’re taking our first trip on Sunday. My son has been asking us for years to take an Amtrak so we finally decided to use Amtrak instead of booking a flight. We’re traveling from South Station to Newark,NJ
I'm taking this exact train from Boston to NYC in 2 weeks and if I may ask, when approximately did you guys take this train? Also, any recommendations for the food on the train? Thank you
We took this train in Spring 2023 (March/April). We don’t actually eat from the dining cart on the train - we just grabbed some drinks from it - we had breakfast before boarding and took some snacks onboard with us to keep us going.
I haven’t been on the Acela at all or on CT trains to NYC in a few years. The slow speeds are hard to explain and there are probably 100 different reasons for every one of the 100 miles or so of track. The bridge over the CT River in Old Saybrook is over 100 years old. Trains can travel only 40 mph and the bridge is quite long. Replacement of this bridge is the top project in the state funded from Biden’s infrastructure project. Also I believe there are still a number of level crossings where danger lurks from motorists trying to go through barriers when trains are passing. Many areas must be elevated to avoid crossing dangers but it will be decades before that happens, if ever. In the first years of Acela service with curves in the track, and tilting of the train, there was danger of collision with a train traveling in the opposite direction. I don’t know whether that obvious danger was fixed, but slowing trains and proper scheduling to avoid collisions probably still add to delays. Past New Haven toward NYC there is heavy traffic with commuter trains. Tracks were welded years ago but probably in need of repair. There are over 100 rail bridges in CT on this route many of them very old and in need of replacement like the CT River crossing, but that’s difficult to do with the volume of daily traffic. Lots of money has been put into repairs but it never seems to be enough. On hot days overhead power lines often sagged dangerously close to passenger cars. I’m not sure whether that has been addressed. The last time I took MetroNorth NH to NYC this commuter swayed back and forth to an extent that never occurred 30 years ago. I have no idea why that happened. If the video maker thought this “high speed” train was slow he should try the NH to NYC with the standard 17 stops at suburban stations. There is no express service between NH and NYC at any time during the day. The state and federal governments have made major efforts to improve services but due to high costs of doing almost everything, and the restrictions of space in this heavily populated area, seemingly no amount of money and effort can transform this part of the rail network. These are some of the reasons that may be responsible for slow Acela speeds. Perhaps decades after I’m dead this part of the Northeast Corridor rail service will be what I remembered from European rail travel 40 plus years ago.
Thank you for the reply - very interesting read. I hope they can address some of the issue but as you said, there is a lot there and not a quick fix. I would do it again though - it was very comfortable
The overhead wires no longer sag with heat. About ten years ago, a new catenary system was installed with counterweights and cables which move to keep the power lines at a more or less constant height regardless of the temperature. The biggest problem is the track geometry. The curves are sharp. I was amazed on you commenting on the slow speed over Hell Gate. How fast do you expect to go in those sharp turns? The original tracks were laid about 1850, with moderate straightening circa 1910. Higher speeds could be achieved with more can't, but slower commuter and freight trains use the same tracks, so the cant cannot be maximized for Acela. There's also a near constant amount of track work going on. Lastly, CT DoT and the MTA own the tracks from New Haven to New Rochelle so they are optimized for Metro-North, not Amtrak.
@PeterBlack-nl5hy seems like the track can’t handle the advertised high speed service from what you’re saying. Also, age of the build doesn’t matter, foresight and proper planning does. My local line here in the UK was built in 1830’s and averages 125mph.
@PeterBlack-nl5hy still, the journey was n the Acela was comfortable and well worth the stress free journey. I just hope improvements can be made to properly complete with with air travel
@@Tims_Travels So, you are saying the builders of your local line foresaw and planned for 125 mph trains in 1830? As for "advertised service", Amtrak advertises travel times, not speeds. As far as planning, the primary consideration was gradient. The New Haven Line and Shore Line hug the coast, keeping pretty much at sea level and servicing the villages along the way. 40 mph was plenty fast when the competition was horse-drawn carriages and watercraft. An "Air Line" was built from New Haven to Boston, but the grade actually made it slower than the Shore Line, so it was gradually abandoned. Only a short section remains in use today. Topographically, New England is fold mountains running north/south, so one can build roads north/south up the river valleys fairly easily, but east/west travel is hard except along the coast.
Great video, we are a British family making this same journey on Tuesday. It seems from your video, our suitcases can come into the carriage with us? We don't really want to check them into a separate carriage if not necessary, as we are in a rush when we arrive at Moynihan train hall...
Thank you ☺️ Yeah we took our cases on with us - plenty of space. Airline equivalent of hand luggage easily fits in the racks above your seat whilst larger cases can be stored in the areas at either end of the cars. It really depends on how much luggage people are taking on in total. I’d recommend making your way to the train immediately after the platform is announced to ensure you have the space you need. On our trip no one in the car had any issues with their luggage. It’s a lovely way to travel, very relaxing and easy watching the world go by. You’ll be making the journey almost a year to the day that this video was filmed 😎
Unfortunately lengthy slow sections are common place on US rail. I honestly can't even call the Acela "highspeed" rail if you compare it to Europe. And the Acela Express on the Northeast Corridor is the best in the country, everything else is worse (in terms of speed). Don't get me wrong I enjoy train travel, but even on shorter routes it is rarely the fastest or cheapest way to get around the United States.
It’s a shame parts of the network can’t cope with the speed but I will say it was a very comfortable journey and very stress free. We would definitely do it again over flying if the price point was right
Thanks for watching! Yeah we were disappointed with the shakiness through Boston Station and to the train/boarding. In short - I had go-pro for that part attached to my body whilst also pulling two wheeled cases along a very uneven floor which reverberated up. It did not turn out how we wanted but it is certainly a lesson learned there. (Everything after that was iPhone). Thanks again for watching
No - we debated upgrading to try it. To be honest after travelling we were happy with business. Large spacious seats was the most important thing to us and we were happy with that in business. Maybe one day we’ll try first to compare
Not for this trip. We looked at the prices and what you get and we were happy with Business Class. If we do that route again, we may look into first for a comparison video
![[#2024MAMA] ROSÉ (로제), Bruno Mars - APT. | Mnet 241122 방송](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/dgGqD28J6aQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I Love Amtrak ! It’s so romantic , rail travel and the choochoo sound . A room with a view to say the least 😍
First time we’ve ever travelled with Amtrak. It was a very easy journey and quite relaxing 😌
I took Amtrak from Los Angeles to Seattle and man was it fabulous . A private roomette for two nights , oh boy.
I’ve looked at some of those roomettes and I bet they are such a nice way to travel. Totally private, watching the world go by.. 🌎
I took Amtrak from Los Angeles to Boston, with a train change in Chicago. Amazing experience!
So cool! We'd love to try a longer trip with an overnight cabin
The New Haven stretch of the Northeast Corridor (if i’m not mistaken) uses an older electrical catenary system, only providing 12kV at 25Hz AC as opposed to the Rhode Island/Massachusetts sections which uses a newer 24kV at 60Hz AC, hence slower speeds.
Oh that's interesting - I had no idea. Will the New Haven stretch ever get upgraded to increase speeds and does it speed up again the other side of New York on the way down to D.C?
@@Tims_Travels I’m sure there’s definitely proposals for increasing the speed on the corridor but most of them have gone unfunded by the Federal Railroad Administration. I’m taking the exact same route in August, so it’s very exciting to see what the experience onboard is like. I’m still debating whether upgrading to Acela is worth as opposed to just taking the regional.
I see. I hope they find the funding one day as then it would be a true competitor of options if they can reduce that time.
Are you on the exact same route (Boston to NY)? This is the only train in the US we’ve been on but it was comfortable and I don’t regret taking it at all. I imagine it’s more comfortable than the regional services from what I could see
NYC to DC avg speed is faster than Bos to NYC. The max speed of around 150 mph is achieved between NY and Bos but NY to DC has much longer stretches where you maintain 110 - 120 mph. So NY to DC is under 3 hrs, vs 3.5+ hrs NY to Bos.@@Tims_Travels
I thought they also had to replace some of the track to accommodate the higher speeds. Its a shame, the acela is only one hour faster then the slow train. Be much more appealing if they could make it more competitive with the plane. I could almost drive it at that rate, not that I want to, its nice not having to deal with a car in NYC.
gonna take this route soon and this was very helpful for my anxiety
Super pleased this has helped you, in anyway ☺️
It’s a very comfortable journey, so just relax and watch the world go by ☺️
EXCELENTE, VIDEO,,MUY BUENA INFORMACIÓN, GRACIAS.
Gracias!
I did the Texas Eagle ride from LA to Dallas, great trip! 39 total hours
Sounds great! I just looked it up and would be an amazing trip. Did you have a room?
@@Tims_Travels yep! We had the room with a private bathroom, very comfy and our attendant was incredible
I've took the train acela from New haven and Washington DC it was cool
Definitely a great way to travel
We’re taking our first trip on Sunday. My son has been asking us for years to take an Amtrak so we finally decided to use Amtrak instead of booking a flight. We’re traveling from South Station to Newark,NJ
Are you taking the Acela too? It’s a great way to travel. Stress free, comfortable and much more space. Not to mention fresh air! Have a great trip ☺️
Post more for 24 very helpful.
Thank You!
You're welcome!
I'm taking this exact train from Boston to NYC in 2 weeks and if I may ask, when approximately did you guys take this train? Also, any recommendations for the food on the train? Thank you
We took this train in Spring 2023 (March/April). We don’t actually eat from the dining cart on the train - we just grabbed some drinks from it - we had breakfast before boarding and took some snacks onboard with us to keep us going.
@@Tims_Travels thank you!
What is that app you used to monitor the speed? Thanks for the excellent video.
It’s called ‘speedometer’ - free to use
I haven’t been on the Acela at all or on CT trains to NYC in a few years. The slow speeds are hard to explain and there are probably 100 different reasons for every one of the 100 miles or so of track.
The bridge over the CT River in Old Saybrook is over 100 years old. Trains can travel only 40 mph and the bridge is quite long. Replacement of this bridge is the top project in the state funded from Biden’s infrastructure project. Also I believe there are still a number of level crossings where danger lurks from motorists trying to go through barriers when trains are passing. Many areas must be elevated to avoid crossing dangers but it will be decades before that happens, if ever. In the first years of Acela service with curves in the track, and tilting of the train, there was danger of collision with a train traveling in the opposite direction. I don’t know whether that obvious danger was fixed, but slowing trains and proper scheduling to avoid collisions probably still add to delays.
Past New Haven toward NYC there is heavy traffic with commuter trains. Tracks were welded years ago but probably in need of repair. There are over 100 rail bridges in CT on this route many of them very old and in need of replacement like the CT River crossing, but that’s difficult to do with the volume of daily traffic. Lots of money has been put into repairs but it never seems to be enough.
On hot days overhead power lines often sagged dangerously close to passenger cars. I’m not sure whether that has been addressed. The last time I took MetroNorth NH to NYC this commuter swayed back and forth to an extent that never occurred 30 years ago. I have no idea why that happened. If the video maker thought this “high speed” train was slow he should try the NH to NYC with the standard 17 stops at suburban stations. There is no express service between NH and NYC at any time during the day. The state and federal governments have made major efforts to improve services but due to high costs of doing almost everything, and the restrictions of space in this heavily populated area, seemingly no amount of money and effort can transform this part of the rail network.
These are some of the reasons that may be responsible for slow Acela speeds. Perhaps decades after I’m dead this part of the Northeast Corridor rail service will be what I remembered from European rail travel 40 plus years ago.
Thank you for the reply - very interesting read. I hope they can address some of the issue but as you said, there is a lot there and not a quick fix. I would do it again though - it was very comfortable
The overhead wires no longer sag with heat. About ten years ago, a new catenary system was installed with counterweights and cables which move to keep the power lines at a more or less constant height regardless of the temperature. The biggest problem is the track geometry. The curves are sharp. I was amazed on you commenting on the slow speed over Hell Gate. How fast do you expect to go in those sharp turns? The original tracks were laid about 1850, with moderate straightening circa 1910. Higher speeds could be achieved with more can't, but slower commuter and freight trains use the same tracks, so the cant cannot be maximized for Acela. There's also a near constant amount of track work going on. Lastly, CT DoT and the MTA own the tracks from New Haven to New Rochelle so they are optimized for Metro-North, not Amtrak.
@PeterBlack-nl5hy seems like the track can’t handle the advertised high speed service from what you’re saying. Also, age of the build doesn’t matter, foresight and proper planning does. My local line here in the UK was built in 1830’s and averages 125mph.
@PeterBlack-nl5hy still, the journey was n the Acela was comfortable and well worth the stress free journey. I just hope improvements can be made to properly complete with with air travel
@@Tims_Travels So, you are saying the builders of your local line foresaw and planned for 125 mph trains in 1830? As for "advertised service", Amtrak advertises travel times, not speeds. As far as planning, the primary consideration was gradient. The New Haven Line and Shore Line hug the coast, keeping pretty much at sea level and servicing the villages along the way. 40 mph was plenty fast when the competition was horse-drawn carriages and watercraft. An "Air Line" was built from New Haven to Boston, but the grade actually made it slower than the Shore Line, so it was gradually abandoned. Only a short section remains in use today. Topographically, New England is fold mountains running north/south, so one can build roads north/south up the river valleys fairly easily, but east/west travel is hard except along the coast.
Great video, we are a British family making this same journey on Tuesday. It seems from your video, our suitcases can come into the carriage with us? We don't really want to check them into a separate carriage if not necessary, as we are in a rush when we arrive at Moynihan train hall...
Thank you ☺️
Yeah we took our cases on with us - plenty of space. Airline equivalent of hand luggage easily fits in the racks above your seat whilst larger cases can be stored in the areas at either end of the cars. It really depends on how much luggage people are taking on in total. I’d recommend making your way to the train immediately after the platform is announced to ensure you have the space you need. On our trip no one in the car had any issues with their luggage. It’s a lovely way to travel, very relaxing and easy watching the world go by. You’ll be making the journey almost a year to the day that this video was filmed 😎
@@Tims_Travels thanks for the info! That's settled my concerns. Really looking forward to it.
Unfortunately lengthy slow sections are common place on US rail. I honestly can't even call the Acela "highspeed" rail if you compare it to Europe. And the Acela Express on the Northeast Corridor is the best in the country, everything else is worse (in terms of speed). Don't get me wrong I enjoy train travel, but even on shorter routes it is rarely the fastest or cheapest way to get around the United States.
It’s a shame parts of the network can’t cope with the speed but I will say it was a very comfortable journey and very stress free. We would definitely do it again over flying if the price point was right
Great trip! Please invest in a tool so the video isn't so shaky next time around.
Thanks for watching! Yeah we were disappointed with the shakiness through Boston Station and to the train/boarding. In short - I had go-pro for that part attached to my body whilst also pulling two wheeled cases along a very uneven floor which reverberated up. It did not turn out how we wanted but it is certainly a lesson learned there. (Everything after that was iPhone). Thanks again for watching
Did you experience first class at all? I wonder if it's worth the extra money.
No - we debated upgrading to try it. To be honest after travelling we were happy with business. Large spacious seats was the most important thing to us and we were happy with that in business.
Maybe one day we’ll try first to compare
have you considered acela first class?
Not for this trip. We looked at the prices and what you get and we were happy with Business Class. If we do that route again, we may look into first for a comparison video
Why do we need Italy to make our trains? The design is not American.