- Most NYC-Boston Trains Slower than Driving -

After spending $680 million to electrify its tracks between New Haven and Boston, Amtrak has yet to capitalize on the investment (MTR #255). The railroad is still running only two electric Acela Regional trains per day (the highly-touted 3-hour express trains have yet to make their debut). Thus, most rail passengers on the line continue to undergo the frustrating, time-consuming switch between diesel and electric locomotives in New Haven, and suffer a dreadful 5-hour-plus (when on schedule) run between Boston and New York.

Amtrak's ideal plan is to run seven regional 4-hour and ten 3-hour express daily round trips between link Boston and New York City. That plan was originally going to get started last September, but is severely delayed due to problems obtaining new train equipment.

According to an Amtrak spokesperson, the bare bones regional (4-hour) schedule on the NorthEast Corridor is due to long delays receiving the new electric locomotives from the Bombardier-led consortium building them. To even get the program off the ground, Amtrak has had to begin refurbishing retired Metroliner locomotives in-house, a gradual process that could bring at least two additional regional trains to the line this summer. No schedule was available for the roll-out of the remaining three regional trains. The nature of the delay, and whether Bombardier, etc. are paying penalties for the overrun were not clear at press time.

Meanwhile, June brought reports of further technical problems with the Acela Express trains. Already stymied for over ten months trying to match high-speed, European-style wheels to aging American tracks, engineers on a test run between Washington DC and Newark recently discovered missing or loose bolts connecting the engine gear box to the locomotive's frame. Rectifying the problem is expected to push inauguration of express service back until at least mid-August.

Amtrak is banking its economic and political solvency on the success of the Acela program, plus expanding a nascent cargo business. Market growth in the Boston-NYC corridor appears to be targeted as the back-bone of the Acela strategy. The NorthEast Corridor is by far the busiest and most lucrative of all Amtrak lines; and while Amtrak already serves around 70% of combined NYC-DC air and rail trips, only 30% of NYC-Boston plane and train travelers took Amtrak last year.

Unfortunately, the railroad has been reduced in recent months to rolling out new cafeteria cars and a more robust passenger complaint policy, instead of new trains.