BUFFALO, N.Y. — Amtrak says it's the future of high speed rail.
The so-called "Acela train set" is the first of its kind, and it's going to eventually take passengers up and down the East Coast at 160 mph.
It passed through Buffalo on Monday en route to a testing facility in Colorado.
The trains will undergo nine months of testing, which includes: the trainset’s pantograph, railway dynamics, tilting, traction, slip/slide and wayside protection, brakes, and train control management systems.
“Amtrak is proud to celebrate this major achievement for the new Acela fleet program, as we are bringing customers one step closer to enjoying the benefits of these new trains,” said Amtrak President and CEO Richard Anderson in a released statement. “With strong demand for Acela travel continuing to grow, we will test the trains to ensure customers will have safe and reliable service with modern amenities when these trains go into service next year.”
The new trains can accommodate 25 percent more travelers than the current Amtrak passenger trains. They are expected to be in service sometime in 2021.