First Airo trainset arrives in Seattle for final testing in Pacific Northwest

The first of the eight new Amtrak trainsets for the Cascades route have arrived and entered testing in the Pacific Northwest—a move the organization calls one of the most comprehensive fleet overhauls in company history.. This comes after rounds of initial testing, first at the Transportation Technology Center in Pueblo, Colo., and after testing conducted on active Amtrak-owned and managed tracks in the Northeast Corridor.

Amtrak says that the first trainset represents a new generation of rail travel, designed to elevate the experience and strengthen service.

The new trainsets are coming from Siemens Mobility Inc., who was awarded a contract valued at $3.4 billion to manufacture Amtrak’s new intercity trainsets in 2021. The contract also includes a long-term service agreement for technical support, spare parts and material supply.

The contract, which includes an initial fleet of up to 83 modern trains—up an extra 10 since 2023 when Amtrak exercised, in part, its options for up to 130 additional trains. Amtrak’s broader investment of $7.3 billion also includes facility modifications, upgrades and other program expenditures.

The trainset is expected to enter service later this year. The trains will serve the Cascades Line—covering Seattle, Portland, Ore., Vancouver, B.C., and Eugene, Ore.