WASHINGTON — According to a wire service, two high-speed Acela Express trains have resumed service, and more could join them for the start of the work week, Amtrak says.
All 18 of the premier trains, which can reach speeds of 150 mph (240 kph), were sidelined most of last week after inspectors found cracks in shock-absorbing assemblies beneath many of the locomotives.
The passenger railroad put two of the trains back into service Saturday, said Bill Schulz, a spokesman for the troubled company that runs national passenger services.
These repaired trains were operating again on Sunday, making a total of four trips in the Boston-New York-Washington corridor, Amtrak’s busiest.
More trains were expected to enter service Monday morning, but Schulz said scheduling details were not yet complete.
Amtrak will continue to use conventional trains when Acela Express equipment is not available.
Amtrak initially said none of the high-speed trains would return to duty until Tuesday at the earliest, but repair work is progressing ahead of schedule. Repairs to the Acela Express trains began Friday.
Even before the cracking problem was discovered this week, Amtrak said the Acela Express trains would need to be pulled out of service for repairs and modifications by their builders, Bombardier of North America and Alstom Ltd. of France.
Amtrak canceled all Acela Express runs last Tuesday, put two of the trains back in service Wednesday, but then pulled all the trains again after additional cracks were found Thursday.