Riding The Bullet That Is Yet To Be Fired

By Rebecca Winters

If you've ever had the pleasure of gliding along in a sleek European high-speed train, you've probably wondered why American travelers enjoy no such luxury. Better late than never, Amtrak is on the case.

I rode one of the two daily Acela Regional trains Amtrak launched Jan. 31 as a rescue plan for beleaguered travelers along the busy Northeastern corridor. The concept--fast, comfortable rail service on this heavily trafficked route--is long overdue. But it's not quite there yet.

What's certainly missing is the service's piece de resistance, the bullet train modeled on France's futuristic TGV (train a grande vitesse). Now scheduled to launch in July, the Amtrak bullet has been delayed as builders attempt to adapt European tilting technology to America's rough freight tracks. Meanwhile, Amtrak is introducing other improvements to its Northeastern service under the Acela logo--primarily a reduction of the Boston-New York trip from five hours to just under four, using newly electrified tracks. The bullet train, a.k.a. the Acela Express, will reach speeds of up to 150 m.p.h., cutting the trip further, down to three hours.

Since the bullet train is still being tested on safety runs, I took one of the less glamorous trains that feature refurbished cars pulled by the electric Acela engine. With a coach seat running $112 round trip off-peak and $142 peak, the Acela Regional is cheaper than the cheapest coach seat on the Delta Air Lines shuttle between these two cities, $170.

The train has other advantages. Even with the seat in front of me reclined, I was able to cross my legs and reach for the bag below me easily. Cell phones are allowed (either a plus or a minus, depending on whether you own one). And we weren't slaves to our seats. The train I took was hopping, with folks hustling to and from the dining car.

The ride did have its share of bumps, literally. During rough spells, I was unable to type without the cursor bouncing across my laptop screen. Back in the dining car, where a line snaked into the next coach compartment, riders grabbed whatever they could to keep beverage and person upright.

Still, we arrived right on time heading both up and back. And instead of facing a $30 cab ride from the airport, I was right in the heart of the city. That may be the best thing about Acela or any train travel: the getting there is getting good, but the being there is better.

--By Rebecca Winters