Business Class on the FASTEST Train in America. Amtrak's Acela Express NYC-PHL | Amtrak
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- čas přidán 5. 06. 2024
- Hello and welcome to New York Penn Station in the heart of NYC! Today we are going to be riding on Amtrak’s Acela Express down to Philadelphia in business class!
--- Train Information ---
Train Number: Amtrak Acela #2121
Train Consist: Two power cars, with 6 Acela coaches
Locomotives: Acela #2031 (Leading) and #2030 (Trailing)
Departure Time: 2:00pm
Scheduled Arrival Time: 3:08pm
Journey Time: 1hr 08min
Top Speed: 150 mph
Ticket Price: $51.00
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Thanks for watching and I hope you enjoyed!
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Main Channel: / lonestaryt
--- Chapters ---
0:00 Introduction and Route Map
0:35 Moynihan Train Hall
2:00 Track Level at Penn Station
3:07 Boarding Acela Business Class
4:17 Seating in Business Class
5:25 Departure from New York Penn
5:39 Stats for Nerds!
6:57 Wifi Onboard
7:25 Bathrooms
9:17 Acela Cafe Car
10:09 Top Speed!
10:53 The Delaware River and Approach into Philadelphia
11:26 Arrival into Philadelphia 30th Street Station
11:40 Acela #2121 Continues South
12:08 Philadelphia Station
12:38 Exit and Outro
Equipment:
Camera: iPhone 12 Pro Max
Gimbal: DJI OM5
Camera: GoPro Hero 9 Black
Camera: Sony AX-43
Mic: Rode Videomic Pro+
Tripod: Coman DF06 + Manfrotto 502 Head
Philadelphia is my home station. I am always in awe with 30th street station. The architecture is breathe taking for sure taking you back to the age of the great American railroads. Just like Union station in DC and Union Station in Chicago ect. These stations where built to inspire and impress. This was due that the time they were built was the time that train travel was the primary way of traveling from city to city, so each city built these amazing massive stations to impress visitors when arriving beacuse it was the first thing you saw getting off the train into that city, so to make that grand impression on the traveler the stations had to be grand. I love how some cities across the US like Philadelphia still uses and maintains these awesome grand stations. They maybe old and out of date looking but they stand as historical moments to American history.
Standing back, the Acela looks nice. But up close, it's a different story. The dirt in the crevices is gross at 4:56. The interiors are so worn out. Don't get me wrong. I like the Acela and yes, they're getting old but this is supposed to be a premium service. Perhaps a deep cleaning needs to be added to their maintenance but Amtrak can't afford to take them out of service for that.
Great video. I like how you continue the commentary throughout the video sharing tips and helpful information. You do have a great narration voice too. I look forward to watching more of your great videos again soon.
Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed! I do my best to make the videos as informative as possible while still being entertaining, and I'm glad to hear it's working as intended.
Great video. I miss the Acela trains.
This video is refreshing and you got a great narrating voice. Don’t know why your channel doesn’t have more subscribers.
I really appreciate the support! It takes time to grow a channel from the ground up, but that’s not gonna stop me from putting out the best content I can!
Yesterday I did BWI to Metropark for $108. Much smoother and quieter than NE Corridor train and only took 2 hours
I took the Acela business class from Metropark to Providence RI. great trip.
Beautiful !
Thank you. I always enjoy your honest reviews, unlike some vloggers who sound like railroad PR .
Thanks for the support as always! I do my best to give the most transparent and informative reviews as possible, and I'm glad to hear the videos I make are appreciated.
I needed but to thanks 😊
Nice video
WOW p, great content, do more videos like this amazing one and I’m excited for when you do the Siemens venture video
I hope to get on the Acela to Boston in April 2023, I wanted to do it next month but I can’t because in September 202s I’ll be going to cape cod
I'm glad you enjoyed! The Venture coach video is going to be amazing, plus I'll actually be riding in Business Class, so we'll get to see that AND the venture coaches! Hopefully you can get on an Acela sometime soon!
I caught the Venture coach video first. It is great. You will enjoy it.
@@garyturner5204 I did enjoy it
I also have been into 30th street station but not on acela. I rode from Bridgeport ct to 30th street station. Anyways, good video though
I like tilt trains because I've been on one top speed was 160 km/h
How was the Acela ride quality at higher speeds? When I was conductor on Acela (2001 - 2015) the ride was pretty shaky or rough at all speeds.
I did notice it got a bit iffy at higher speeds. There were quite a few bumps that shook everything around, and walking around was a bit perilous at time.
Thank you for your very good introduction about the Acela express. I have a question. If we put the luggage at the front of each car, where there is a place for big luggage. Is it safe? I mean is the luggage safe? Will anybody take it away? Thank you.
World's most handsome power cars: 1. GE GENESlS P42, 2.ACELA [first generation], 3. AEM7, 4.F59 PHl and of course Stainless Steel Double Deck Coaches
Hello Lonestar, Thank you very much for the information about the Amtrak Acela express train! I would happily take this train on my next USA visit if it made the NYC to Chicago route via Allentown, Pittsburgh, Columbus and Indianapolis! That would mean that Amtrak absolutely must build new lines! By the way, what do you think if these Acela express trains, like in Germany, were given names in addition to the train number, e.g. Acela Express 2130 "Lake Michigan", or Acela Express 2121 "Benjamin Franklin" etc.
Greetings from the nuremberg/fuerth area, Germany!
Hello, and thanks for stopping by! It would be awesome if the Acela could run as far as Chicago, but unfortunately, all of the tracks out that way are freight owned, which means it’d be super expensive for Amtrak to buy the right-of-way and then upgrade it to be electrified with the correct speed requirements. The names sound awesome though! It would be great if each train set had its own unique identity.
Can you please make a video about new haven to Philadelphia
i uploaded our vid lol!
Awesome! I'll go check it out!
Thanks for the video about the ACELA train between New York and Philadelphia. While these trains are nice I don’t feel the price is worth the difference for the small improvement in travel time compared to some of the Northeast regular service trains. While there are trains that make more stops and take longer, Amtrak also schedules regular trains that only stop at Trenton and Newark on the way to New York. These trains are only about 10 minutes slower than ACELA service. So for me it only makes sense to ride ACELA trains if you are going on longer rides in the northeast such as to Boston or Washington D.C.
I absolutely agree that the price difference does not make sense for the average commuter, especially for such an insignificant reduction in travel time. That being said, I was just out here to enjoy the trains of the Northeast, and taking a ride in Acela's business class was a great way to start off my adventure!
@@LonestarTrips Calling it “business class” is not accurate. It’s a marketing gimmick. The seats are no wider than regional coach, less cushioned, and actually spaced CLOSER together than coach by 1 inch, and it is the lowest class of service on the train. With that out of the way, paying $90 extra one-way to save 10 minutes, in no extra comfort, is a very poor value, and I’m shocked how many people fall for it
@@lukethompson5558 so much nonsense in one post. Everything you wrote is wrong.
@@FFred-us9tw Oh, and did I mention that snacks, water, and soda are NOT included… yea “business class”
@@lukethompson5558 why would you assume that business class offers free snacks? First class does But not business class.
I don’t know why they are not renovating and refurbishing Acela sets to either be a low cost coach high speed service or just to use in general. I think Amtrak should sell them and another Company should try to implement more options and competition. I could see them being successful on other service beyond the nec.
I've been thinking the same thing. I could TOTALLY see them operating on like, the Keystone or even the Cascades (perhaps coupled with an electrification project?!). I think some of the Acelas have gotten pretty beat up in recent years though and they have really specific technical specifications since they were designed for use on the NEC. I have a feeling that costly conversions and restorations would need to be done to even get them to work on any other route aside from the NEC, and Amtrak just signed a huge contract with Siemens to replace dated equipment on comparable corridors. It still seems like a bummer they'll just be retired though, because I could see even like, MARC or NJT getting use out of them (since they both already use the NEC anyway)
They are well beyond their useful life and require a full top to bottom overhaul. The majority of the components are long since out of production and to rebuild then to like new standards with modern upgrades would be too costly. Their are less than 20 useable Acela’s right now. Far too few to make that investment even worthwhile.
New trains are already on order, including for the Keystone Service.
So I’m confused was moniyhan always designed to be a rail station or was it converted
Moynihan was built within the Beaux-Arts Farley post office building.
The rails already existed below the Post office, they just had to convert part of the building to access the tracks. The post office is still there.
@@kylotech5056 thank youuuuuu lol I was actually really curious so I thank you lol
@@amiranore1707 np! It's a gorgeous new hall, I see it every day arriving into Penn station for work.
@@kylotech5056 I was fortunate enough to see it for myself last September truly a beautiful sight to see I just wish there were more seating areas
Are drinks included in business?
Drinks are not included in business class.
OK why hasn't Penn Station been closed by the safety regulators? The platforms are FAR too narrow to be safe. Especially with such large obstructions. And people complain about Birmingham New Street!
My own experience with Acela: the trains are VERY bumpy, and they rock violently from side to side as the wheels collide with the rails. The seats are arguably *less* comfortable than the Northeast Regional trains. And the price is so astronomical its literally cheaper to drive, pay tolls, and park! Also, what idiot forgot to install seating in Moynihan Train Hall?? There is a single room off to the side that's very easy to miss where ticketed passengers can sit while waiting for their train (which will almost certainly be late).
Lol!!! One hour and ten minutes from New York to Philadelphia on the Amtrak acela? Lol!! Now they said that this is the fastest train in America. It travels at 150 mph and it does so for only a short distance. Now if this is the fastest train in America then the mighty United States of America has a long way to go to catch up. The acela has to do atleast 200 mph to be classified as a bullet which is what California is working on now. One hour and ten minutes from New York to Philadelphia is a so, so good time. But, if the United States of America would obtain maglev super train technology in the northeast corridor, you could board in Washington DC and be in your office in New York city in an hour or less traveling at 375mph. Now this is a train. You damn right i would park my car, save the fuel and take the train and Washington DC to New York is a much greater distance than New York to Philadelphia. Ok so forget maglev super train technology because this kind of train belongs to the far more advanced countries of the far east. Lets talk about a true highspeed bullet train. If they would build a new track system for the acela and the acela is able to travel at speeds of up to 200 plus mph, now you would have a bullet and that little bit trip from New York to Philadelphia would take 30 to 40 minutes or better. The thing is, The United States can do it, why? Because they're supposed to be mighty. If they can spend billions and billions of dollars on space which dosent even benefit anyone except for a small few from the science community, they can definitely spend the money to improve infrastructure by constructing bullet train sets not only in the northeast corridor but a complete network throughout the entire United States continent. The Amtrak acela could really be improved if they would simply do it but till then its a joke and the advanced countries are launching. They could build a new line from Boston to Miami stopping in one major city in each state in between, If they really wanted to do it right. Then update and upgrade the Amtrak acela, increase speed to 230 to 250 pluss mph and the United States of America is on the map along with other countries that has fastest trains on earth. Its not the question of can they do it but will they do it. I know they can because if you can put a man on the moon to jump around and pick up rocks at a cost of billions and were not going to talk about the billions of dollars the United States of America is about to spend to put some fool on mars, they can put together a bullet train set that expands the eastern seaboard. Highspeed bullet trains and maglev super train technology, the new american dream....
The Shinkansen travelled at 130mph for its first 20 years of so and was called a bullet train. Trains are considered high speed when they reach 200 km/h on upgraded tracks and 250 km/h on new tracks. This means that the Acela is considered HSR.
@@StefanWithTrains3222 Because Acela shares tracks with thevslow ans lethargic freight trains, Acela is a low grade. When you watch videos on the worlds to 5 and even worlds to 10 fastest trains on earth, the United States of America is not on that list. Go figure. Now the cho Shinkansen is under construction. These are trains that travel at speeds of up to 375mph and not a ripple on your martinis.
@@carlsmith5545 In the future, there will be more 160 mph (260 km/h) trackage coming online on the NEC. Like Philidelphia to Wilmington. This will make the Acela for sure a rail service on the high end. There are actually near to no freight trains on the NEC.
Train looks ass tbh. It's basically just a tiny bit nicer than the new LIRR trains which is basically daily transportation. The legroom is even worse. Tldr Amtrak is complete garbage compared to basic train/subway
The seats are way more comfortable and spacious than anything on the LIRR. I’ve ridden on all of the LIRR’s rolling stock, including the new M9s, and they’re nothing close to the Amtrak. Plus they’re two different use cases, so it’s not a fair comparison to look at a commuter train vs intercity.
If you rode a commuter amtrak vs a BART subway you would change your mind?