HD: Amtrak Acela Express NEC 165Mph Speed Test
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- Опубликовано: 24 сен 2012
- *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. 
Авто/Мото
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...
B JL Coming soon, 220 mph Acelas
Smart Dog Only if we can get the track fixed. Current Acela can go much faster than is safe on most of its route.
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.
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...
The Acela will be replaced by the Avelia Liberty, which is even faster and will have its own tracks. Hooray!
oh Acela.. I love the looks of those glaring stainless carriages.
Euroduplex Thanks! We do too!
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...
Hungry Guy the slowest run would be at 0.01 MPH in a yard xD
Priority#6 more like 0.00001
Me To I Am In Love With The Amtrak Acela Express
Holy hell that overhead wiring just dances around, doesn't it?
Kane what about the Radjani express?? I heard that thing FLIES.
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.
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.
@@jaysmith1408 yeah that first part is completely wrong
a trick : watch movies at Flixzone. I've been using them for watching loads of movies recently.
I would love to be riding in one of those Acelas during the speed test with my head out the window like a dog!
TrainGoon, ouch
Until another train passes 🤢
Yeah, if you want to be decapitated
@@jackpez Or a bug hits you.
I love the Acela Express! These night times shots are just picture post card.
That is a thing of beauty. Such mighty speed, long live the railroads!
Now THAT is a lot of pantograph sparking!
Just like on the model railroad
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!
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).
Niklas Enblom Liseberg to Gröna Lund?
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.
X2000 goes 125mph (200kph) maximum
Nice! And thank-you for not mindlessly zooming in like crazy that I see in a lot of the train videos on RUclips.
That thing pasted me once while I was waiting for the NE corridor. The sound of wind it made was LOUD
CantYandleTheHeat that's why we in Germany have specially constructed tracks and noise reducing walls along the tracks in urban areas.
I watched it go through an MBTA station just after a snowstorm. It was like it started snowing again 😂
Well here in India 15 mph. So be thankful on what you get.
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
We are very thankful!
Ive seen 60mph and higher speed trains on indian yt videos...
Well, there are some trains in India that do reach ~100mph(not train 18).
Tarobrob yeah for the cheap. But in the U.S. You pay hundreds on Amtrak trains just to get stuck on a slow train
I love it, we need more of this in America!
tjrtt Could't agree with you more!
We will soon here in California. The construction is going right now.
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.
We still have more to do make train
Start paying (more) taxes and try to get rid of the republican lobby
I'm surprised that they didn't say, "train approaching. please remain behind yellow line"
Watson inc. The train was on the platform track
Gene was no NJT coming
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.
@@DavidNightjet Ah that makes sense
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.
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.
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).
for sure
It was nice meeting you last night Jim! Can't wait to see your video!
Isn't it pretty dumb that we're running the Acela on equipment built for the GG1?
The tracks and overhead cabling have been upgraded especially to handle the Acela Express
joebob3719 plus the gg1 was pretty badass. Probably my favorite electric locomotive that isn’t high speed
GG1 was way ahead of its time . One of the most impressive electrics .
no cap GG1s really needed to be retired
That was Amazing!!!
You have me in Awe!!!
My next several trips, will be on Amtrak!!!
Thanks Mike!!!!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Fire Bunny People seem to forget steam trains once ruled
also, china has way more cities with at least 1 million people, and cities within the 300km optimal distance for HSR
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.
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.
Damn! that dopplar effect on the horn is fantastic!
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.
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
Now I know who was on the other side of the tracks, Awesome video! It was exhilarating seeing that thing go that fast.
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.
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!!!
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.
How much time would the proposed speed ( 160 mph ) shave off the trip between 30th St Station and NYP?
Do u think they r doing an Avelia liberty test train past there at 186 or 220 mph?
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.
Awesome catches. I had Hamilton station all to myself last night. It was a great catch.
That station I use alot in travel and that train is just amazing to ride
At some point, do they need to seal the gaps between the carts? Or does it not matter at all?
Great video Mike! Do you know if they will be testing this weekend?
5:26
this type of speed should come in service, love having trains blow by me sounding like airplanes
Fantastic Video!
Super production value.
You've earned a subscriber
I love this Amtrak Acela not the new this looks better than the Acela just came out
Fantastic video, Mike!!!
Correct me if I’m wrong but did that Acela trainset have 7 passenger cars?
And zoom!
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.
That's the Shinkansen's "slow" speed. 😁
True lol 😆
Too many curves and kinks in the line for those trains to go faster anyway
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.
Matteo Dona most shinkansens reach 150 mph except for one of them
@@jackpez American always lying. I went on a Shinkansen and it ran at 300km so guess again.
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
You live in nj too I’m from long branch
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.
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.
I find it interesting they were able to perform these tests on catenary that wasn’t under constant tension
Due to speed restrictions there are only few spots that the Acela train can go fast on a Northeastern corridor.
It seemed as though you could hear it sooner. The faster it went. Good video.
Did it work out or our trains still gonna be slow on Nec?
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.
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
@@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.
@@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.
So now with the westbound catenary upgrades complete we are getting closer and closer to revenue service of 160 mph between New Brunswick and Trenton. I know all the FRA jargon and reasoning, but can anyone explain, in laymans terms preferable, why we even need to upgrade the catenary to constant tension if the train set is already able to achieve the high speed using the old PRR catenary? I get that catenary wobble is an issue per se, but when only 3-4 trains per hour are using the express tracks, with only 1 (theoretically 2) trains per hour achieving the 160 mph mark, like why was this upgrade needed? I;m genuinely curious. Can we can (theoretically) also upgrade the Delaware-Maryland segment where it currently runs 135?
Without seeing an actual proposal, I'd have to guess this was an engineering consideration based on calculations of the effects of the vertical waves produced on the catenary structures based on theoretical train speeds. From what I just read to educate myself on this, the existing catenary was not properly field evaluated prior to submitting an RFP, and it wasn't discovered until afterwards (as seems to be the norm with government financing) that upgrading was going to be a LOT more expensive and time consuming than originally thought, resulting in abandoning the plans for upgrading some sections.
In theory, the higher train speeds necessitated constant tensioning so as to produce vertical catenary waves that moved faster than the new trains, something that was not thought possible with the existing fixed tension system. I can only presume the engineers who came up with this determined that the risk of producing harmonic waves on the older catenary was too great and thus specified a constant tension system to produce smaller and faster moving waves.
The contact, as well as support wires, expand and contract as temperature changes. You need constant tensions to prevent the standing wave as well as inertia and the pantograph working together to rip everything apart. Also, Acela v1.0 is a total pig with high axle loadings so power consumption is pretty high at 160 mph, not to mention track damage from the bogies hammering the crap out of the rail at those speeds.
ok, I might go down there this Saturday night, but im not sure if I can go to Princeton Jct.
Not sure, I know they're supposed to be testing each segment a few times through next week
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.
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.
Thank you ....
So it never stops at the station? What's that sparking at the top? I'm confused.
It passes the stations... because they dont stop there lol
It has a spark at the top because it uses a pantograph which is a rod that touches the wires above the locomotive and it sends electrical energy into the locomotive which helps power it.
Awesome video!
tbh idk why but p42 and p32 are still my favorite locomotives. must be the horns
That back engine of the train sparks a lot as I see
10 years later - how many high speed trains operate in the USA?
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...
Pretty cool to know about this ahead of time. Does Amtrak/NJT really consider these tracks as East/West? I guess you could say that Trenton's west of New York, but...
It's most accurate to call it Northeast/Southwest. If you draw a straight line between the ends of the NEC, Washington Union Station and Boston South Station, its heading is 50.69 degrees. That's just barely East/West, as Northeast is 45 degrees. The NJT portion is even closer, with the heading from Trenton to NY Penn being 47 degrees. However, the tracks between Trenton and New Brunswick are almost completely straight, with a heading of about 44 degrees. That's just barely North/South.
Thanks! I believe it was due to the speed of the train
Favorite Passenger Train in the USA... I want to see one in person
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.)
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.
That was outstanding!
awesome catch!
I wonder today with the underbudget Amtrak how fast this stretch is today, in 2019. Probably slower than before, like 125 mph right? Or were the tracks maintained or upgraded?
135 for the Acela sets last I checked, everything else is 125.
@@THEFINALHAZARD So 10 mph more. Thank you!
The extra car holds the equipment for measuring the track quality, ride quality etc.
Great video!
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.
How many coaches?
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?
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
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.
not bad at all !!! your acela and our TGV (i m french) is very similar (both manufactured by alsthom ) !! maybe soon a true new fast line track on your east corridor !!! i wish you...
What made everyone meet up at Princeton Junction?
What a unique sound...
Nice work, I guess it's not possible to pan around fast enough.... love the night stuff.
Just for comparison a Boeing 747 take off speed (v2) is 163 mph or 188 knots on a standard day.
SWEET!!!! How did you get the speeds for each individual run?
2:10. Whose that other train?
Nice video!
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?
You make my day!
Jesus! Love me a fast train. Fantastic technology.
Description updated - Actual calculated speed posted.
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?
Track isn't fully straight. Lots of curves.
You beat me to it! I'll work on my video after work, and have something posted tonight...
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.
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.
@@lorumipsum1129 So if I want to ride the Acela, I must come to the Us before 2021.... Tnx.
@@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.
@@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.
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!!
Such amazing speed!!!!!!!!
I notice none of your rail fan compatriots made it far into the series of speed runs... Nice job sticking it out.
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.
Uh, no joke! Serious speed!
Love the horns...scary, but beautiful. Lol👏👍👏👍👏
Dammion Peaks gotta love those K5LA’s!
yeah turbo was a cool train & the way turbo suspension was set up
That sounds about right
This is excellent. Is 150 mph the normal operating speed between 30th St and Metropark?
The tracks are only rated to go up to 160 in Rhode Island. Between DC and NYC it's top speed is around 120 I think.
135 MPH is the fastest speed presently between NY and Washington. Their are 150 MPH sections between NYC and Boston (Those locations are in Rhode Island and Massachusetts). The speeds will be increased to 160-165 in many sections once the new trains are put into service.
Great filming! Pardon the pun, but I am really starting to feel as if the United States is on the right track to FINALLY getting some real high speed rail! I’m from Sweden and Sweden knows a lot about high speed rail. That is where the first X 2000 originated. I have been on that train between Gothenburg and Stockholm. That takes approximately three hours and it is a fantastic ride!! I’m really excited about getting it over here. Fingers crossed!! I know the automobile manufacturers and Boeing isn’t going to really like it. Oh well. High speed rail would be a great thing for the United States!!
man when I saw Acela go by, it seriously shook me and was just- insane
It’s like a heart attack for 5 seconds
It’s seriously so fast in real life
I hope Godzilla don't go walking through all those towers and wires trying to get that dastardly Mothra! 🥴🚬