# Acela Vibrations/bumps



## Phil Downey (Dec 19, 2011)

Has anyone noticed that the old REGIONAL trains have a smoother ride than ACELA at high speeds between NYC and D.C.? It is virtually impossible to type on ACELA because of all the vibration and bumps. Given the monies spent, this should not be the case.


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## stntylr (Dec 19, 2011)

I rode the Acela last August and noticed how bumpy iit was.


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## me_little_me (Dec 19, 2011)

Phil Downey said:


> Has anyone noticed that the old REGIONAL trains have a smoother ride than ACELA at high speeds between NYC and D.C.? It is virtually impossible to type on ACELA because of all the vibration and bumps. Given the monies spent, this should not be the case.


Acelas have square wheels. They were cheaper and Amtrak was trying to save money.


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## Acela150 (Dec 19, 2011)

Besides the normal stuff nothing. I ride both so much that I don't see a difference.


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## OlympianHiawatha (Dec 19, 2011)

While I have never ridden Acela, I wonder if some of that has to do with the tilting mechanism.


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## jb64 (Dec 19, 2011)

I noticed the ride was much rougher on Acela than on the regionals on my recent trip WAS to NYP.


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## Anderson (Dec 19, 2011)

jb64 said:


> I noticed the ride was much rougher on Acela than on the regionals on my recent trip WAS to NYP.


I noticed this on Saturday as well. It reminded me of a rough ride on the Lake Shore in upstate New York. It occurred to me that I got a smoother ride out of one of the Heritage diners than I did out of the fancy new Acelas.


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## Shawn Ryu (Dec 19, 2011)

Was this on the 150 MPH section near Kingston?


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## TCRT (Dec 20, 2011)

I'm not an expert, but the one time I took the _Acela Express_ on the 150mph PVD-BOS segment, it was much smoother than some of the beat up Amfleet I cars I've experienced on the _Northeast Regional_ at times (though they are normally just fine).


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## the_traveler (Dec 20, 2011)

And as an opposing opinion, I do most of my point runs on both AE and Regionals on the northern section of the NEC (between NYP and BOS) and find the AE to be a rougher ride! Even on the 150 MPH stretches! (Yes, that includes thru KIN!




) I find the Regionals to be smoother at 125 MPH than AE at 150 MPH!





And between NYP and WAS, the AE goes "slow" - "only" 135 MPH!


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## amamba (Dec 20, 2011)

I do think its pretty bumpy, too.


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## Blackwolf (Dec 20, 2011)

Suspension parts wearing out because of being too overweight, mixed in with the tilt mechanism and a 'hunting' locomotive on the point? I'm curious now!


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## TCRT (Dec 21, 2011)

the_traveler said:


> And as an opposing opinion, I do most of my point runs on both AE and Regionals on the northern section of the NEC (between NYP and BOS) and find the AE to be a rougher ride! Even on the 150 MPH stretches! (Yes, that includes thru KIN!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I guess I must have gotten a good one....or a lot of bad _Regionals_.


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## cirdan (Dec 21, 2011)

me_little_me said:


> Acelas have square wheels. They were cheaper and Amtrak was trying to save money.


They even hired a team of very expensive consultants to work on it.

After two years of studies the consultants said they believed the reason square wheels are bumpy is because of the corners.

To make them less bumby they recomemnded Amtrak reduce the number of corners.

So Amtrak ordered triangular wheels.


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## jis (Dec 21, 2011)

In my experience, compared to HSR trains in Europe and Japan, both Regionals and Acelas have pretty poor ride quality. I have often wondered why that is so. Perhaps has to do something with the additional weight that they carry around? I don't know.


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## Bostonian who is not happy (Jan 29, 2012)

Acela is overrated. It shakes and shimmies like nothing i've been on. If it were my car, I would take it in for a front end alignment immediately. The Europeans and Asians laugh at our "high speed" joke. Absolutely ridiculous. What poor ride conditions. FYI - I ride the BOS-NYC corridor - and it is like getting an unwanted massage. Fix is Washington NOW!


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## NE933 (Jan 29, 2012)

I don't know what y'all talking about; the only thing smoother than an Amfleet 1 or 2, or Acela, is an outer body trip to the afterlife. If the cars bump a lot it's probably the track or some part of, like a turnout or crossover. Otherwise, I'd trust going under a dental procedure in them (well, only if the dentist does that regularly!). The worst offenders are the Heritage diners and Viewliners. Superliners are smoothe because of their weight, but the height makes them really sway if the rails are old and jointed. That said, I hope the V2's get a better type of truck.


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## gatelouse (Jan 29, 2012)

I don't ever recall the Acela vibrating so badly that I couldn't type. I'm usually at a real table so YMMV with a tray table.

What I do recall from my last ride was a surprising amount of swaying. I almost lost my balance while in the restroom while the train was presumably crossing over a switch. I expect that on a high Superliner on freight RR tracks, but on the Acela it caught me off guard.


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## jis (Jan 30, 2012)

The perceived extra sway in the Acelas is probably courtesy of the active tilt system.


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## benjibear (Jan 30, 2012)

I did notice that the Acelas are rougher as well. I also kept hearing what I assume was the tilting mechanism every time we stopped at the station.


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## AlanB (Jan 30, 2012)

benjibear said:


> I did notice that the Acelas are rougher as well. I also kept hearing what I assume was the tilting mechanism every time we stopped at the station.


Anytime the speed drops below something like 10 MPH or so, you'll hear a metallic clunk from the cars. That's the tilt mechanism turning itself off due to the slow speed.


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## PacificStarlight (Jan 30, 2012)

Never been out on the regional s but the Cascades's talgo ride very well i think.


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## benjibear (Jan 31, 2012)

AlanB said:


> benjibear said:
> 
> 
> > I did notice that the Acelas are rougher as well. I also kept hearing what I assume was the tilting mechanism every time we stopped at the station.
> ...


I never really heard it when arriving at the station but leaving I always heard it.


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## Martin (Jun 4, 2012)

I'm getting rattled to death on this train to NY from Boston. This is horrible,

I was counting on getting work done. Now I'll be glad if I don't get violently

ill before we arrive.

It's been 30 years since I've been on a train in the US. Been many times

throughout Europe and in Japan. Never anything like this.

Sad -- I really want Amtrak to succeed.


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## JLo (Oct 10, 2012)

On Acela 2100 from DC to NY and it is much bumpier than past trips. Can barely type this message...or sleep


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## stonesfan (Oct 10, 2012)

I've had 'mixed' results on Amfleet stock. Some ride extremely well and are impressive at 110mph+. Others have been real old vibrators, hunting at will, luggage racks resonating at full volume etc.

As for the Acela, the few I've been on I found on the bumpy side too.

Maybe its a case of maintenance or lack of maintenance issues?

Our own Mk3's (which you could consider a rival to the amfleet) glide along with the best ride quality of any World intercity train when they are well maintained. However, they are absolute dogs if they are overdue maintenance. Hunting, wheelflats thundering away, seats and luggage racks creaking away etc


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## guest (Oct 10, 2012)

All one need do is look down the tracks on the NEC, then do the same anywhere on a European or Asian high speed line. The American rails look like they were laid by drunken chimps.


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## NE933 (Oct 10, 2012)

guest said:


> All one need do is look down the tracks on the NEC, then do the same anywhere on a European or Asian high speed line. The American rails look like they were laid by drunken chimps.


Lol!! Ok, that said, the poor quality tracks weren't always like this. During the original Northeast Corridor Improvement Project circa early 80's, track structures were like holy cathedrals of passenger rail: carefully aligned concrete ties that were evenly spaced, none of them cracked, and long ribbons of welded rails that were joined with other rail properly. Today we have the scourge of the Rocala tie debacle, where entire cracked and pulverized ties combine with unattended drainage issues (check out the swimming pools and mud baths at North Elizabeth, the so poorly done weld of track 1 at Rahway it seems dangerous, and jumping frogs and surrounding ballast in the turnouts at Metuchen) to make for a sad situation. Add to this is two years ago when concrete ties were being replaced in NJ, track laying equipment was parked in Linden on a Saturday. Amtrak should've had continuous shifts of track gangs smoking that machine 24/7 to ensure this crucial artery is fixed up ASAP, not relaxing on the weekend. In the old days workers on the NEC were more serious and higher ups were also serious about observing the tie product with scientist's eyes before making a contract. And the nonsense of reading a text message would be worthy of a hanging.


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## Ashley (Dec 11, 2012)

On Acela from DC to NY... It has been bumpy the entire trip. Plus, the Internet signal comes and goes every few minutes... It's actually a miracle I'm able to post this message right now. Come on, Amtrak! I'm rooting for you!


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## oulous (Dec 24, 2012)

Baltimore to NYC was brutal. Our laptop screens were shaking so much we couldn't read. Both of us stepped off the train with bad naseau. Without a doubt we are a country in decline.


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## ED (Jan 28, 2013)

I am on the Acela now. I found this thread because I googled Acela Bumpy Ride. Its really bumpy in here.


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## NS (Jan 28, 2013)

The Acela Express trains ride as rough and bumpy as the original Metroliner EMU's - and they still ride as bad after their conversion to cab cars (they have different trucks than the Amfleets).


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## Nyced (Apr 15, 2014)

here we are 3 years later. the ride is awful. shakes and bumpy. don't know if there was a patch that did not shake. working was useless. take a train Europe, what a delight.


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## NE933 (Apr 15, 2014)

This will hopefully get corrected as old, wooden tie turnouts are replaced for concrete tie ones.

Also, I noted last week that Track 1 in New Jersey is getting the TLM treatment. In the stretches past Rahway and Linden, the Rocla concrete ties were cracked and, simply smashed to pulverization in some cases. Obvious slow orders and lots of jerking while in motion was the result, but I did observe the track crews and their machinery finally remedying this. Now the trick is to get to all the other areas that need.


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## afigg (Apr 15, 2014)

Nyced said:


> here we are 3 years later. the ride is awful. shakes and bumpy. don't know if there was a patch that did not shake. working was useless. take a train Europe, what a delight.


I was on a Regional on Saturday that got very bumpy for a stretch between BAL and WAS. So it is not just the Acelas.

Boardman said recently that Amtrak was planning to spend around $300 million or so over the next 3-4 years undercutting the track beds between WAS and NYP. The track beds are in poor condition in many segments which is a major reason for the rough rides. But the funds to repair the track beds will be coming out of a tight NEC capital budget, unless Congress provides the increased NEC funding Amtrak will be asking for in future fiscal years.


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## Dutchrailnut (Apr 15, 2014)

you don't hear tilting system below 25 mph, as it cuts out, including hydraulic pumps.


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## cirdan (Apr 16, 2014)

me_little_me said:


> 'Phil Downey' said:
> 
> 
> > Has anyone noticed that the old REGIONAL trains have a smoother ride than ACELA at high speeds between NYC and D.C.? It is virtually impossible to type on ACELA because of all the vibration and bumps. Given the monies spent, this should not be the case.
> ...


They hired McKinsey and other consultants to study why Acelas were so bumpy.

The consultants billed millions for studies and finlly realized that the reason square wheels are so bumpy is that they have corners.

The consultants said, if you get rid of those corners, the ride will be smoother.

But round wheels were too expensive, so Amtrak studied if there was a middle way.

Surely seeing the corners on the wheels caused the bumps, any decrease in the number of corners would improve the ride.

So Amtrak ordered new wheels which were triangular.


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## Christophe (May 7, 2015)

Hi fellow Acela riders

I'm writing from the train and as many of you, I came here by Googling this bumpy situation hoping to find an explanation and maybe a tip about where to sit to get less vibrations.It looks like that there is no real answer to this question, that's a shame. I would not consider this train high-speed by any standard of the 21th century but in any case, even at low speed it's not comfortable. I find some subway trains in NYC more comfortable to ride (from a bump perspective)!

I've been used to riding the French TGV, who"s actually high-speed (200 MPH or more) AND very comfortable. So there's definitely a conception issue here, speed is not an excuse.

On my first journey I was nearly sick when I arrived in Boston after working on my computer for most of the trip.


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## Acela150 (May 7, 2015)

Near the middle of the train set and the middle of the car. It works best. Unless you have a FC ticket. Then try to sit in the middle of the car.


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## the_traveler (May 7, 2015)

This thread started in 2011 and has some interesting information. It gets revived from the dead file every so often. I am closing it but feel free to start a new thread if necessary.


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