Quote:
Originally posted by Matt Leese
Amtrack is installing a highspeed rail service between Boston and Washington, DC. That happens to be about the only place in the country where they can do it because it happens to be one of the few sections of track Amtrack owns (much of the rest is owned by CSX, Conrail, etc.). And as far as bullet trains go, I know France has a good deal of them. They call it the KGV and Alstom (look over to the left  ) makes them.
Matt who's hoping France orders some more KGV's
|
Amtrak's Acela trainsets are already running along some of the Northeast Corridor after months and months of problems during testing.
They were having issues with things like the 800 lb. coupler hood flying off at 100+ mph and stuff.
The Acela trainsets will only run on the Northeast Corridor right now because it's one of very few stretches of electrified mainline in the country. That is, it's wired to deliver electricity to the locomotives via an overhead catenary system.
Finally, the Acela trainsets are a bit different from their European and Japanese counterparts because of the way they're designed. In Europe and Japan, many of the rail lines are newer than those over here (The US has let rail service die, unfortunately). All of their curves are superelevated, or banked, which obviously allows trains to take them at higher speed (just like in racing). Acela trainsets actually use something that's a bit like a motion simulator base to tip the cabins over while the train goes through a curve. It's the only way Amtrak could maintain high speed service along the Northeast Corridor.
At any rate, passenger rail service in this country is dead as a doornail, and the Acela's probably won't take off.
And Matt, Conrail doesn't exist anymore :-) It's all owned by CSX or Norfolk Southern these days.