OIG: Amtrak's new Acela trains further delayed due in part to defects

Amtrak was supposed to launch service of its high-speed Acela trains years ago, but the program remains more than three years behind schedule and additional delays are likely, according to the Amtrak Office of Inspector General.

In a performance audit that spanned November 2022 through August 2023, the OIG found the delays have resulted in "significant cost increases, operational impacts and delayed revenue, and further schedule slippage would exacerbate these impacts."

Released yesterday, the report states that Amtrak has spent about about $1.6 billion on the new Acela program as of July 2023.

The OIG cites two main reasons for the problems. One is that, of the 12 trainsets and 22 cafe cars that vendor Alstom has produced, all have defects. Although some defects are expected when producing a new trainset, Alstom's schedule for addressing them is incomplete, and without more complete information, the company cannot verify whether remediating the defects will impact the overall program schedule and the revenue service launch, the OIG report states.

The second reason cited for the program's delay: Alstom hasn't yet developed a computer model for tracking trainset performance as required by federal regulators. Developing the model is the first in the Federal Railroad Administration's multistep process for approving trains ready for revenue service.

Additionally, the issues that the OIG identified in the new Acela program are similar to challenges that have occurred on other rolling stock acquisitions, the report states. Since Amtrak is planning a multibillion-dollar program to replace its fleet of long distance trains while also replacing its intercity trains, the OIG recommends that Amtrak:
• enhance its process to formally capture and incorporate lessons learned from new Acela and other rolling stock purchases;
• direct the vendor to provide complete and accurate schedules to address defects; and
• work with the vendor to identify the risk of future defects.

In reviewing a draft of the OIG's report, Amtrak Executive Vice President of Capital Delivery Laura Mason agreed with the recommendations and described Amtrak's plan to address them.

To read Amtrak's response, its plan and the full OIG report, click here.