To be replaced: A northbound train of Amfleet coaches hauled by uniquely liveried ACS64 electric loco No. 642 passes New Rochelle north of New York City on June 15, 2017.
KEITH FENDER
US national passenger operator Amtrak has announced a contract worth up to $7.3 billion for up to 83 new trainsets, with options for up to 140 more trains. Siemens will build the trains based on the existing ‘Venture’ carriage design, which has been supplied to Amtrak and is on order for VIA Rail in Canada.
The new trains will replace the ‘Amfleet’ coaches, more than 640 of which were contructed in the decade from 1973 by Budd not long after Amtrak was first established, although they were based on the Pennsylvania Railroad ‘Metroliner’ design dating back to the mid-1960s.
A handful of Metroliner coaches remain in use with Amtrak as driving trailers, and will also be replaced by the new ‘Venture’ coaches.