Amtrak designates quiet cars, expands Acela

Amtrak increased the number of “quiet cars” on its Northeast Corridor Metroliners for those wishing to seek escape from cell phones. Passengers on the Metroliner have unlimited use of cell phones and other electronic devices. A new market demand came for a space away from the noise of cell phones, pagers and computers, according to Amtrak. If the cars are well received, more might be added during off-peak travel times. Amtrak also expanded its Acela Express high-speed rail service with a second and third train, including a non-stop that will connect Washington, D.C. and New York in less than two and a half hours. During its first month of operation, the Acela achieved 94% on-time performance based on the 15-minute tolerance used by the airline industry.