Overview

• Revenue service launched with the first five trains on the Northeast Corridor, including inaugural runs from Washington and Boston.
• The new sets are capped at 160 mph, add about 27% more seats, and feature 5G Wi‑Fi, power at every seat, upgraded café service, and larger accessible restrooms with built‑in gap fillers.
• Built by Alstom in Hornell, New York, the fleet will roll out over the next two years after a 2016 order that faced multi‑year testing and supply‑chain delays.
• Operational gains will be gradual due to infrastructure limits such as track geometry, legacy catenary and state speed caps in Connecticut, with schedules to be refined as real‑world performance data comes in.
• USDOT announced it will reclaim management of Washington’s Union Station to address safety and deferred maintenance, with revised agreements targeted by September and planned upgrades to the roof, elevators, lighting and security.