New Amtrak Cascades Airo train arriving in Seattle

A new Amtrak Cascades train set will arrive in Seattle Saturday for testing as part of the railroad company's nationwide rollout of its revamped passenger rail service.

Amtrak is conducting a test run and staff training for its first Airo fleet in the Pacific Northwest before welcoming riders later this year, aiming to begin the new service in Seattle as early as this fall, according to an Amtrak spokesperson.

This train set - a train with a group of passenger cars - is scheduled to arrive at King Street Station at 11:29 a.m. Saturday, and is the first of eight planned for the Amtrak Cascades. It's part of a larger effort to deliver 83 Airo train sets across the U.S. The eight Amtrak Cascades Airo train sets will replace all existing trains operating on the route. Once fully deployed, the trains will operate across the Amtrak Cascades network - including Seattle, Portland and Vancouver, B.C.

The Airo fleet offers several upgrades to address passenger comfort and modernize existing equipment, including train cars with panoramic windows that are up to 40% larger than Amtrak's most commonly used window configurations, as well as "ergonomically designed" seats with individual arm rests and larger tray tables and legroom, according to the company.

Each Airo train seats 300 passengers and includes more accessibility features with onboard passenger lifts and enhanced audible and visual messaging. Redesigned cafe cars will offer local Northwest foods including beer, wine and spirits and will shift toward self-service food and drink options, according to Amtrak.

The Airo fleet is more fuel-efficient and produces 90% less emissions in diesel operations. The trains can run up to 125 mph on some East Coast routes, but may operate at lower speeds in the Pacific Northwest "due to track and signaling constraints," according to Amtrak.

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