Amtrak wraps up Acela interior 'refresh'

Amtrak has completed a project to refresh the interiors of its 20-trainset Acela fleet, the passenger railroad announced last week.

The project, which took 15 months to complete, is one of Amtrak's initiatives to improve Acela service along the Northeast Corridor, Amtrak officials said in a press release.

Cushions and covers for all business- and first-class seats were replaced, new carpet runners were installed along the aisles and each of the 100 cars underwent a deep cleaning, they said.

"Customers expect a premium experience when they board an Acela, and these updated interiors provide a more comfortable, refreshed look and feel,” said Amtrak Chief Executive Officer Richard Anderson.

The project occurred in advance of the debut of the next generation of Acela trainsets, which are being built by Alstom at its manufacturing facility in Hornell, New York.