Acela 21 (Avelia Liberty) development, testing and deployment (2Q 2024)

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KP2022 / Avelia Liberty is leaving Penn Coach Yard at around 8:08PM.
- 8:20PM KP2022 heading out of the yard.
- 8:30PM KP2022 stopped on Schuylkill bridge - holding for a Regional
- 8:51PM on the move east once #197 passed
- 9:06PM passed Tacony

For the first time I tried this feed: https://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/40934
This worked fantastically since trains have to announce when they leave the yard and where they're going. This channel (channel 54) is out of my reach most of the time unless the atmosphere feels like bouncing signals.

Acela150 said:
Yes.
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Wish the engineer congratulations... on something... I couldn't hear what it was about.
 
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KP2022 / Avelia Liberty contacted CETC-5 at 8:02PM. Doing testing Holmes - Grundy tonight. Now I see why I've seen them leave to go east but they don't make radio contact in Central NJ.
 
The text below was posted on Reddit's r/Amtrak subreddit. I cannot vouch for its accuracy, but it's interesting enough even as gossip.

I had an expiring upgrade coupon, so I used it to ride first class this morning. I overheard the attendant talking to a passenger about Avelia Liberty. The train crew has been taken to see the new trains.

  • Ribbon cutting is March 26, 2025. I don't know if this will be public or not, and I don't know what city it will be in.
  • Avelia Liberty trainsets will be added one by one as they become available, they will not all be available right off the bat.
  • The overhead luggage racks are very thin. They're considering measuring people's bags on the platform and not letting them board if their bag is too big.
  • The seats will be Venture Car style. The recline will be implemented by the front of the seat moving forward, but the back will stay in place.
  • At least at first, there will no longer be assigned seating. All seats will be first come first served.
  • The new trains are desperately needed. There are concerns about if the current fleet can even make it to March 26.
  • First class meal service will be on carts. I couldn't quite hear if the rest of the train will also get cart service.
 
sportbiker said:
The text below was posted on Reddit's r/Amtrak subreddit. I cannot vouch for its accuracy, but it's interesting enough even as gossip.

I had an expiring upgrade coupon, so I used it to ride first class this morning. I overheard the attendant talking to a passenger about Avelia Liberty. The train crew has been taken to see the new trains.

  • Ribbon cutting is March 26, 2025. I don't know if this will be public or not, and I don't know what city it will be in.
  • Avelia Liberty trainsets will be added one by one as they become available, they will not all be available right off the bat.
  • The overhead luggage racks are very thin. They're considering measuring people's bags on the platform and not letting them board if their bag is too big.
  • The seats will be Venture Car style. The recline will be implemented by the front of the seat moving forward, but the back will stay in place.
  • At least at first, there will no longer be assigned seating. All seats will be first come first served.
  • The new trains are desperately needed. There are concerns about if the current fleet can even make it to March 26.
  • First class meal service will be on carts. I couldn't quite hear if the rest of the train will also get cart service.
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Sounds like they really botched the order process if bin sizes are too small. Kills the “better than airlines” appeal for some customers. No assigned seating is unfortunate
 
Steve4031 said:
What the heck? Check bag size and not let passengers board? This is third world stupidity and gross incompetence as well as negligence. Where are the bags to go if you don’t let passengers board? These things run empty.
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I will note that looking at the original post on r/Amtrak, there were responses calling BS on this claim, since the interiors that have already been shown of these trains don't seem to have this problem. Looking at pictures of it, it seems like bags would fit fine in the overhead bins, so it does make me question a few things about the finer details, but I'm hoping that the date holds at least somewhat accurate, though ideally sooner since the current Acelas are definitely getting pretty worse for wear.
 

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sportbiker said:
The text below was posted on Reddit's r/Amtrak subreddit. I cannot vouch for its accuracy, but it's interesting enough even as gossip.

I had an expiring upgrade coupon, so I used it to ride first class this morning. I overheard the attendant talking to a passenger about Avelia Liberty. The train crew has been taken to see the new trains.

  • Ribbon cutting is March 26, 2025. I don't know if this will be public or not, and I don't know what city it will be in.
  • Avelia Liberty trainsets will be added one by one as they become available, they will not all be available right off the bat.
  • The overhead luggage racks are very thin. They're considering measuring people's bags on the platform and not letting them board if their bag is too big.
  • The seats will be Venture Car style. The recline will be implemented by the front of the seat moving forward, but the back will stay in place.
  • At least at first, there will no longer be assigned seating. All seats will be first come first served.
  • The new trains are desperately needed. There are concerns about if the current fleet can even make it to March 26.
  • First class meal service will be on carts. I couldn't quite hear if the rest of the train will also get cart service.
Click to expand...
Man I’m glad that most of this isn’t true.
 
8:03PM KP2022 / Avelia Liberty on the move out of PCY
8:05PM to CETC-5: "around the wye and then head east for testing"

Did not hear any specific bounds for testing tonight.

8:23PM crossed the Schuylkill without stopping
8:33PM passed Tacony
 
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sportbiker said:
The text below was posted on Reddit's r/Amtrak subreddit. I cannot vouch for its accuracy, but it's interesting enough even as gossip.

I had an expiring upgrade coupon, so I used it to ride first class this morning. I overheard the attendant talking to a passenger about Avelia Liberty. The train crew has been taken to see the new trains.

  • Ribbon cutting is March 26, 2025. I don't know if this will be public or not, and I don't know what city it will be in.
  • Avelia Liberty trainsets will be added one by one as they become available, they will not all be available right off the bat.
  • The overhead luggage racks are very thin. They're considering measuring people's bags on the platform and not letting them board if their bag is too big.
  • The seats will be Venture Car style. The recline will be implemented by the front of the seat moving forward, but the back will stay in place.
  • At least at first, there will no longer be assigned seating. All seats will be first come first served.
  • The new trains are desperately needed. There are concerns about if the current fleet can even make it to March 26.
  • First class meal service will be on carts. I couldn't quite hear if the rest of the train will also get cart service.
Click to expand...

Ok now that I'm on a computer allow me to debunk the myths of this post.

"Ribbon Cutting"- MYTH, 100% false information. There is no date for service as of now. The company is hoping to have them in service by the end of the year.

"Transition Plan"- I'm not sure what the plan is currently, however this does make sense.

"Luggage Racks"- MYTH, They're not "thin", and there has NOT been any talk of taking a measuring tape to passengers bags.

"Seats"- This is true. The seatback stays in place and the cushion slides.

"Assigned Seating"- I'm not sure how this transistion will take place.

"Needing Trains"- Majoirty MYTH, Yes a new fleet is needed, however I haven't heard anything as far as a concern of the longevity of the legact fleet.

"First Class Meals"- I don't have any intel on it, but I doubt that is going to be the case.
 
Acela150 said:
Ok now that I'm on a computer allow me to debunk the myths of this post.

"Ribbon Cutting"- MYTH, 100% false information. There is no date for service as of now. The company is hoping to have them in service by the end of the year.

"Transition Plan"- I'm not sure what the plan is currently, however this does make sense.

"Luggage Racks"- MYTH, They're not "thin", and there has NOT been any talk of taking a measuring tape to passengers bags.

"Seats"- This is true. The seatback stays in place and the cushion slides.

"Assigned Seating"- I'm not sure how this transistion will take place.

"Needing Trains"- Majoirty MYTH, Yes a new fleet is needed, however I haven't heard anything as far as a concern of the longevity of the legact fleet.

"First Class Meals"- I don't have any intel on it, but I doubt that is going to be the case.
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Thank you for the fact check. This is what I HATE about the Internet. People make up stuff, post it, it spreads uncontrollably and people take it as gospel. THIS is a true example of FAKE NEWS. Great to have YOU as a credible resource!
 
PaTrainFan said:
Thank you for the fact check. This is what I HATE about the Internet. People make up stuff, post it, it spreads uncontrollably and people take it as gospel. THIS is a true example of FAKE NEWS. Great to have YOU as a credible resource!
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I have absolutely no idea about the person who originally wrote the rumors about the Avelia Liberty launch.

What I can say is that I fly a fair amount and I have learned that whatever the crew says is generally not reliable when it comes to internal company thinking.

It is possible that the original poster of the rumor was told that by an Amtrak employee who had absolutely no clue and was repeating the same rumor that he/she was told by someone else.

Again, no idea.

With that said, a neighbor's son works for Amtrak Corporate and he was recently in town visiting his parents.

I asked him about the Avelia and he said that he does not directly deal with that part of the business, but last he heard things were progressing but he didn't have anything concrete.

He added that Amtrak knows that the Acela "recipe" works and he highly doubts that they will change that recipe much, when I mentioned to him the rumor posted here.
 
Howdy, JL. Thanks for your updates. Is it possible you can get another video run by at Princeton Jct? I think that station is near County or Ham interlocking, don't remember anymore.
 
NE933 said:
Howdy, JL. Thanks for your updates. Is it possible you can get another video run by at Princeton Jct? I think that station is near County or Ham interlocking, don't remember anymore.
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Certainly, soon. It takes a bit of time to listen to all audio clips and summarize what happened. For videos I just do a date search on YouTube.



Tonight...

~8:20PM KP2022 to CETC-5: doing testing Ham - County tonight

8:35PM - CETC-6 says #138 will be going ahead before KP2022

#138 passed Tacony at 8:48PM and Avelia Liberty at 8:51PM

8:54PM Avelia Liberty passed Cornwells Heights
 
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NE933 said:
Howdy, JL. Thanks for your updates. Is it possible you can get another video run by at Princeton Jct? I think that station is near County or Ham interlocking, don't remember anymore.
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PJC is right in the middle of HAM and COUNTY. It’s about 1.75 miles away from CP CLARK which is only a controlled signal.

There is a set coming from Boston to Philly as of now. Not sure if they are swapping sets or not.
 

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