Due to rising demand for passenger rail travel, Amtrak has opted for ten more Airo units to be added to its fleet. With the first Amtrak Airo trainset scheduled for operation in 2026, the operator hopes for passenger rail demand to keep rising and for US people to shift more from cars to trains.
The Airo trainsets will be operated mostly on services on the east coast, with New York being the most frequently occurring name in the list of services. In addition to that, Pacific Northwest will get some trainsets for the cascade services too. Here is the list of services where 83 Airo trainsets will be put into operation:
Northeast Regional (Boston – New York – Washington DC – Virginia Beach), Empire Service (New York – Niagara Falls), Virginia Services, Keystone Service (New York – Philadelphia – Harrisburg), Downeaster (Brunswick – Portland - Boston), Cascades (Vancouver BC – Seattle – Portland – Eugene), Maple Leaf (Toronto – Niagara Falls – Albany - New York), New Haven/Springfield Service, Palmetto (New York – Washington DC – Savannah – Jacksonville – Orlando – Tampa/Miami), Carolinian (New York – Richmond – Charlotte), Pennsylvanian (New York – Philadelphia – Pittsburgh), Vermonter (St. Albans – Springfield – New York – Washington DC), Ethan Allen Express (Burlington – Albany – New York) and Adirondack (Montreal – Albany – New York).
Airos are push-pull, single-deck intercity trainsets consisting of the Siemens Charger locomotive, six or eight cars ending with a driving trailer. They are manufactured in the Californian facility of Siemens Mobility.