Amtrak takes big step towards new long-distance trains

Amtrak has started the procurement process for Amtrak's largest-ever long-distance train order.

They have issued a formal request for suppliers to bid on the new Long Distance fleet replacement contract. Interested carbuilders are now preparing their proposals for submission. Following an extensive evaluation, Amtrak plans to announce the selected supplier by the end of 2027.

This once-in-a-generation fleet replacement program was developed in close coordination with the Federal Railroad Administration, with the goal of modernizing overnight and cross-country travel for a fleet that includes many cars today approaching nearly 50 years of operations.

The program calls for more than 800 new railcars across 14 routes.

Long Distance routes are a critical part of America’s national transportation system, linking major cities, smaller towns, and rural communities while supporting economic growth across regions.

Amtrak’s new and improved Long Distance fleet replacement strategy prioritizes fleet standardization, broadens competition among potential carbuilders, reduces program risk, and accelerates the replacement of aging passenger cars that today approach nearly half-a-century of service. Under this plan, all long-distance routes will transition to a universal single-level fleet, replacing today’s mix of bi-level and single-level equipment.

Procurement of new long-distance passenger cars represents one piece of Amtrak’s broader systemwide fleet modernization program. Amtrak continues to receive new high-powered ALC-42 locomotives for long-distance service, with 79 of 125 units delivered to date. New NextGen Acela trains launched last fall on America’s only high-speed rail corridor, and the new Airo fleet will begin service on Amtrak Cascades in 2026, followed by the Northeast Regional and other short- and mid-distance routes in the coming years.