The first Amtrak Airo test run through Albany, Oregon, gave local railfans an early look at the Cascades trainset before passenger service is expected to begin in the Pacific Northwest this fall.

Amtrak Cascades Airo cab car travelling through forest near Alta, California
The first Airo delivery move heads through Alta, California, toward testing in Pueblo on 22 July 2025. Photo: George Luchs / Wikimedia Commons / CC0.

Route Testing Before Passenger Service

Railfans gathered beside the line on July 23 as the equipment traveled south from Seattle to Eugene and returned north the same day. The movement carried no regular passengers, according to a local Albany report on the test⁠.

Amtrak describes the Pacific Northwest work as the final stage of a three-part program. After validation at Pueblo, Colorado, and active-track trials on the Northeast Corridor, the train moved into route testing, practice runs and staff training⁠ on the Cascades corridor.

Revenue service will not start as soon as one set is ready. ODOT expects the new equipment to enter operation after three trains have been delivered, with the first Airo departures planned for fall. The official corridor update says only a portion of departures will initially use the new trains, with additional sets phased in later.

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Eight Airo Trainsets for Amtrak Cascades

Amtrak plans eight Airo trainsets for the route, plus two additional locomotives. The corridor links Eugene with Vancouver, British Columbia, via Portland and Seattle. All eight Cascades sets are expected to finish manufacturing in 2026⁠, while Amtrak’s broader order covers 83 sets nationwide.

Each train will seat about 300 passengers, nearly 50% more than the outgoing equipment. Features include panoramic windows, upgraded seating, USB-C charging, power outlets, onboard Wi-Fi, digital information displays, a redesigned café and larger ADA-accessible restrooms.

The trains are designed for up to 125 mph, although Cascades operations remain limited to 79 mph on tracks shared with freight traffic unless infrastructure is upgraded.

Airo Fleet Launch Depends on Further Deliveries

The Airo arrival follows an earlier fleet disruption. Horizon cars used by Cascades were withdrawn in March 2025 after corrosion problems emerged, and the service has used other Amtrak passenger cars since then. Two daily round trips continue between Eugene and Portland.

Passengers cannot yet select a guaranteed Airo departure because the launch timetable has not been announced. The next operational milestone is reaching the three-train delivery threshold for starting revenue service.

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