Big Changes in Texas and New York This week, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced major shifts in direction for two important projects. As advocates for quality trains, we need to speak up for the changes we want to see. On Tuesday, Sec. Duffy announced...
Sudden withdrawal of Amtrak Horizon coaches emphasizes need to ramp up trainset production
This week, Amtrak departures were abruptly canceled across the country when Amtrak removed all of its Horizon cars from service. Serious corrosion was discovered on several cars being rehabbed by Alstom.
Amtrak has not said what the problem is or if the cars will return to service.
An Amtrak Horizon car at a station stop in Springfield, IL in 2005.
Horizon cars, which were delivered to Amtrak between 1989 and 1990, have proven that railroad cars are a great investment with decades of useful life. Chicago’s Metra system, for example, still uses coaches built in the 1950s.
That’s the good news.
The bad news is that much of the nation’s passenger-rail cars are very old, and the current rate of production won’t replace them soon enough.
Replacing Superliners is Urgent
The biggest concern is the Superliner fleet—the linchpin of the national network. In addition to serving most of Amtrak’s night train routes, Superliners are used on the Los Angeles – San Diego Surfliner route, and they frequently appear on Midwest routes.
The first batch of Superliners was delivered between 1975 and 1981. The second batch was built between 1991 and 1996.
In 2017, then Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson spoke about the urgency of replacing the Superliners. But the process of placing an order has taken too long. Trains keep getting shorter as the cars become unrepairable. There is a risk of a sudden withdrawal, as with the Horizon cars.
A side shot of a Superliner coach taken in 2017 may show signs of sagging.
Time to expedite the replacement order
Amtrak has had an active procurement underway for several years. They are currently reviewing bids submitted by two vendors in December 2024.
But now the entire order is at risk. Several members of Congress have suggested that Amtrak redirect the funds targeted for rolling-stock replacement to daily operations.
If they are successful, the national network would continue to shrink and wither away. At the same time, a great opportunity to build a better supply chain for modern rolling stock would be lost, along with high-tech manufacturing jobs.
It is urgent for Congress to ensure that Amtrak’s replacement order move forward as soon as possible. Congress should:
- Work with Amtrak to simplify the order to speed delivery
- Commit to long-term funding to encourage more manufacturers to invest in American jobs
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