Amtrak unwrapped its new NextGen Acela trains this week, giving railfans and commuters something to cheer about. The sleek fleet now tops out at 160 mph (up from 150), seats 27% more passengers, and comes with free high-speed Wi-Fi plus a smoother tilt system. Five trains are running now, with 23 more arriving by 2027.
But the journey here wasn’t smooth: pandemic delays and infrastructure snags pushed the launch back from 2021. Financially, Amtrak is still off track, spending $4.3B last year against $3.6B in revenue. The White House is pressing for profitability, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy calling the new Acelas a step forward. Amtrak says it’s on course to finally hit operational profit by 2028.
