WASHINGTON --
Amtrak patched together a North-east Corridor service plan using
older rolling stock to replace its new Acela Express trains, which
will be sidelined for months due to brake problems.
Hourly service from
Washington to New York using older Metroliner equipment was to
begin April 25 with 12 trips a day. That trip will take about 15 to
20 minutes longer on the older trains.
Beginning May 2,
Amtrak said it will operate Metroliner trains for 13 hourly
departures between New York and Washington, and four between New
York and Boston. Both routes will be supplemented by 20 regional
trains, which make extra stops.
Amtrak officials,
speaking at a press conference here, said the new Metroliner and
Acela Regional schedule essentially replaces the schedule operated
by the faster Acela Express trains.
Amtrak suspended
operation of all 20 Acela Express trains on April 15 after 300
cracks, or stress fractures, were found during routine maintenance
inspections on the 1,440 brake discs or rotors used on
trains.
We do not know yet
the precise cause of the cracks, said Bill Crosbie, Amtraks
operations vice president. Right now, there are fewer than 70 spare
discs available. Each trainset requires 72. This part is unique to
the Acela. The manufacturer has told me that this will take some
time.
Crosbie said he
expects the Acela Express trains to gradually return to service
this summer, assuming the cause of the cracks can be determined and
there are no further delays in replacing the brake
discs.
To contact
reporter Michael Milligan, send e-mail to [email protected].