Acela Ride Question

The will open up for a longer stretches between Baltimore and Wilmington.  They do slow down for the bridge over the Susquehanna and a few other places.

It has seemed to me they do get up to top speed, believe it is 125 mph (except for a stretch at higher speed in Rhode Island) between Baltimore and Washington, it is just for shorter stretches. 

There is a short high speed run along the Delaware River just north of Wilmington, DE. But to be honest, there never is a real sense of speed between 60 mph vs 100 mph. I agree about the high speed stretch between Providence, RI and MA route 128. I've been in trains running late that made up 20 minutes on that run.

Jim M Sr posted:

My grandson has always wanted to ride an Acela. We would be boarding in Baltimore. I would think that the trip from Baltimore to Philly would have more open track, higher run speeds that the trip south Baltimore to DC. Does anyone know for certain?

Your best bet is between Baltimore and either Metropark or Newark, NJ. That's where they really open it up!

Jim - here's an article that describes the current speed limits along the Northeast Corridor  As you can see, the chances of going fast are better going between Balmer (as the Baltimorians would say) and Philly than from Balmer to DC.  Highest speeds are about the same but the stretch going toward Philly is longer.  These are, of course, limits and not necessarily average speeds at those various points.  I've done the DC to NY run several times on the Acela and my vague recollection is that it felt like we were going the fastest for that short distance between Baltimore and DC. 

FWIW, the DC train station is really quite spectacular - the product of an amazing restoration project in the 1970's or 1980's - well worth the visit.  While I've been through Philly on the train, I don't recall ever getting off there, so I can't speak to what that station looks like.  DC has a number of additional attractions (of course) - not to diminish various sights in Philly.  In DC, the US Capitol building is a short walk from the train station and the new visitor center there is certainly worth that walk.  From the Capitol walking west on the Mall there are many museums all within a short walk (National Gallery and its East wing are among my favorites - I'd always try to add a half-day to my DC schedule before climbing back on the transcon to fly back to the west coast).

Note added to this post:  I don't know how up-to-date the info is in the realtransit link I posted.  I just looked more carefully at that site and couldn't figure out just how up-to-date the site is or even if it is an 'active' effort (it seems to be advocating for improvements to the NEC).  So caveat lector

Thank you, guys, for the input!

Here's a thought: Take your grandson to Philadelphia on the 10:27 Acela to arrive at 11:30. Then board the Silver Star going to Florida at 12:35 to arrive Baltimore at 1:55. While on board, ask a conductor or room attendant if you could view a empty roomette in a sleeping car. Reservations are needed for BOTH trains, which can be done on-line.

Jim,

I've ridden Amtrak between Connecticut and DC many times. Baltimore to DC is about 40 miles, but highest speeds are reached just briefly only in the 20 mile stretch between BWI Airport and New Carrolton, Maryland and momentarily between New Carrolton and DC. Baltimore to Philadelphia is about 95 miles and highest speeds are reached for longer stretches between Baltimore and Wilmington, Delaware and between Wilmington and Philadelphia. The PRR used the tracks just north of Wilmington in Claymont, Delaware for high speed testing of the GG1s, and Amtrak runs at high speed through that area. According to my milepost/wristwatch timing on Regional trains, the top speeds are about 120 miles-per-hour both north and south of Baltimore, but there is more of it between Baltimore and Philadelphia. If you haven't done it before, it feels like you're really moving... Just my opinion.

MELGAR