WASHINGTON — A new high-speed jet-powered locomotive was unveiled on Tuesday, but the future of the train in America is clouded by an uncertain market and mechanical troubles with its close cousin – Amtrak’s Acela, reports Reuters.
Montreal-based Bombardier Inc. (Toronto:BBDb.TO – News) showed off the sleek red JetTrain at Washington’s Union Station, touting its maximum speed — up to 150 mph — and adaptability to existing rail infrastructure, including track. Another plus, say proponents, is that JetTrain eliminates the enormous expense of having to electrify rail lines.
“JetTrain high-speed is game-changing technology that breaks open the high-speed market throughout North America,” Pierre Lortie, president and chief operating officer of Bombardier, told a news conference.
But while the U.S. federal government underwrote half of JetTrain’s $25 million development and some consider it promising, its future in the United States is entwined in the tangled debate over city-to-city rail.
Most travelers fly or drive, and the nation’s only recent experience with high-speed rail has been with beleaguered Amtrak and its problematic Acela trains, which are also made by Bombardier.
Congress is considering legislation that would fund development of regional rail corridors and provide Amtrak with enough money to adequately maintain Acela and other flagship services in the Northeast.
Florida and California are considering high-speed rail initiatives as is a coalition of nine midwestern states.
U.S. proponents tout high-speed rail as an answer to ease increased air and highway congestion, especially for trips of 300 miles or less. They also see regional rail development as a cornerstone of local economic development.
Opponents favor promoting spending on greater air and road capacity.
Amtrak itself is unhappy with Bombardier because of mechanical problems it has had with Acela and a long-running legal battle over delivery of the trains, which have been popular with travelers.
The worst Acela problem occurred this summer when cracks were found in several suspension systems, prompting Amtrak to temporarily suspend all Acela service between Washington, New York and Boston. Full service has yet to be restored.
Amtrak says it will not buy any more Acela trains but Lortie said he is convinced his problems with Amtrak will not hurt Bombardier’s ability to sell JetTrain in North America.
“Amtrak is obviously an important player, but they are not the only customer,” said Lortie.
JetTrain is 38,000 pounds lighter than a conventional diesel-powered engine, limiting track damage that often occurs with many existing high-speed trains.
Before it could be used in the United States a number of multimillion dollar track upgrades would be needed, including railroad crossing improvements and making curves less steep.
“The key issue will be reliability and how this turbine-electric functions in the very harsh world of the railroad environment,” said James RePass, president of the National Corridors Initiative which advocates high speed rail travel.
Bombardier hopes to sell its first JetTrain sometime next year and deliver the first train with cars before 2005.