{mosads}Amtrak CEO Joe Boardman said the new cars that will be purchased by the company will improve the performance of the Acela service.
“Moving directly to new high-speed train sets is the best option to create more seating capacity, permit higher speeds, and maximize customer comfort all while improving equipment reliability and reducing operating costs,” Boardman said in a statement released by Amtrak Thursday evening.
GOP lawmakers in the House have pushed to privatizing service in the Amtrak corridor that is served by Acela trains, arguing that private companies could better develop technology for running faster trains.
Amtrak has told lawmakers it has a plan to increase the speed of its trains to 220 miles per hour by 2040, but Republicans have derided the plan as unrealistic.