Does the Accela actually tilt?
as to whatever the accela tilt i have no knowledge of it doing so,although it is considered a high-speed train since it’s top speed is i belive 135 mph.
Unless the speed has been reduced, their is a section of rail in New Hampshire which allows Accela train sets to operate at 150mph.
How much does it tilt? For example, is it something really noticeable for the passengers?
That would be “section of track”, and the state(s) involved would be Rhode Island and Massachusetts, correct? None of the Acela Express route passes through New Hampshire; that’s a bit too far northwest of the Atlantic coast.
Incidentally, the AE goes through the reverse curve in Elizabeth NJ slower than non-tilting trains. Maybe it might have to do with Elmora Interlocking being a bit speed-restricted; but that ought not be the cause, because the NJT trans still go through faster, even the diesel express trains bound for Bay Head.
The following is from trainweb.org:
Trucks and Tilt System. The six passenger cars are fitted with an active tilt system based on Bombardier’s proven LRC (Light, Rapid, Comfortable) technology. The tilt system compensates a maximum of 75% of the lateral force felt by the passengers when running through a curve, and becomes fully active above 60 mph. The trucks are related to the standard TGV design, with a long wheelbase dual transom H frame welded steel construction with outboard mounted tapered roller bearings. There are three brake disks fitted to each axle (as opposed to the TGV’s four). As in TGV practice the primary suspension is swing-arm coil spring, and the secondary suspension uses air springs with a coil spring backup in case of pneumatic failure. The tilt system is accommodated by a tilting bolster, which is suspended from the truck frame by four swing arms. The tilting is hydraulically actuated by an under floor hydraulic power unit. Each car has a tilt control processing unit and tilts independently of the others by up to 6.5 degrees either side of vertical; tilt functions are controlled by the tilting master sensor and master controller located in the power car. The power cars themselves do not tilt.
The only places the Acela Express trains are allowed to travel at 150 mph are on short segments in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Timetable still shows the same maximum for Acela as for other trains, doesn’t it? 65 for the east curve and 55 for the west? (Tho now that signal 129 can’t show Clear all the westward trains (at least) are doing less than that.)
Last I looked, Acela timetable speed thru Elmora was 80-- is there some long-term slow order out?
No train ever did 65 through that curve. Acela creeps through while your average F40PH or Geep with Comets zips through.
You mean since the Acela came out, there’s a slow order? Fastest that trains go through ELMORA is the speed that they do around the curve.
The 150 mph running is between New Haven Conn. and Boston Mass (in spurts). The Acela doesn’t make it as far north as NH. The tracks end at South Station in Boston!
If you want to further north to NH, you have to take a Downeaster train from North Station. Amtrak has to sue Pan Am (nee Guilford) to get the track speed on that route up to 79 mph (after Amtrak has paid for the upgrade of the line)
Maybe not, but the timetable allowed 65 thru the east curve, and probably still does. It’s only been the last few years that signal 129 has forced westward trains to slow to 45 before they ever reach the curve.
Elmora is something over half a mile long, all west of the curve, so a westward Acela might well be doing 80 by the time they pass the west limits of Elmora.
I have heard of no 150-mph running in Connecticut; only Rhode Island and Massachusetts, for 18 miles or so.