Amtrak Cascades Airo train reaches Seattle for testing

The Amtrak Cascades Airo train is scheduled to arrive in Seattle on Saturday. It will be tested as part of Amtrak’s nationwide rollout of updated passenger rail equipment. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Amtrak is conducting a test run for its first Airo fleet in the Pacific Northwest. Also, staff training is part of the work before passengers are welcomed later this year. The company aims to begin the new Seattle service as early as this fall. An Amtrak spokesperson gave that timeline.

Testing and rollout for Amtrak Cascades Airo train

The train set is made up of multiple passenger cars. It is expected at King Street Station at 11:29 a.m., as The Seattle Times reported. Also, it is the first of eight Airo train sets planned for Amtrak Cascades. In addition, it belongs to a wider Amtrak program. That program will roll out 83 Airo train sets across the United States.

Also, these eight sets are assigned to Amtrak Cascades. They are intended to replace all trains currently used on the route. Once fully deployed, they will operate across the Amtrak Cascades network. The network includes Seattle, Portland and Vancouver, B.C.

Passenger features and operating limits

At the same time, Amtrak says the Airo fleet is designed to improve passenger comfort. It is also designed to update older equipment. Features include panoramic windows up to 40% larger than Amtrak’s most commonly used window configurations. For example, the trains include “ergonomically designed” seats. They also include individual arm rests, larger tray tables and more legroom.

Each Airo train set has seating for 300 passengers. In addition, the trains add accessibility features. These include onboard passenger lifts and improved audible and visual messaging. Separately, redesigned cafe cars will serve local Northwest food and drinks. These include beer, wine and spirits. The cars will shift toward more self-service food and drink options.

Amtrak says the Airo fleet is more fuel efficient. In addition, it produces 90% fewer emissions during diesel operations. The trains can reach speeds of up to 125 mph on some East Coast routes. Still, they may operate at lower speeds in the Pacific Northwest. That is “due to track and signaling constraints,” according to Amtrak.

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