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Northwest Rail Fans Eager for Sept. 30 Debut of Amtrak’s Airo Fleet
The 300-passenger Siemens-built trainsets will replace older cars on a mixed fleet schedule, but Washington and Oregon say travel times will not improve.
- On Sept. 30, Amtrak will introduce the first two Airo Fleet trains to the Amtrak Cascades route, marking the start of a nationwide modernization effort spanning 83 trainsets.
- Corrosion forced the removal of older Horizon cars from the Amtrak Cascades line in March 2025, reducing passenger capacity and prompting this fleet replacement to address long-standing service constraints.
- The new Airo trains feature 300 seats, panoramic windows, and free Wi-Fi, while a $300 million federally-funded maintenance facility under construction south of downtown Seattle will support the modern railcars.
- Two new trainsets will operate four daily trips initially between Seattle and Vancouver, and Seattle and Eugene, though current schedules will remain unchanged as Amtrak gradually replaces all existing Cascades trains through 2027.
- WSDOT Secretary Julie Meredith called the launch a significant development for the Pacific Northwest as Amtrak prepares to introduce 83 Airo sets nationwide, with the Northeast Regional route next to receive the upgraded trains.
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The Seattle TimesReposted by 
BizToc
BizTocAmtrak sets date for Seattle debut of its amenity-rich Airo Fleet
The two new train sets will operate four daily trips between Vancouver, B.C., Seattle, Portland and Eugene, Oregon, in the first phase of the fleet’s introduction.
·Seattle, United States
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Amtrak Cascades debuts new upgraded trains with panoramic views this fall
KOMO 4 TV provides news, sports, weather and local event coverage in the Seattle, Washington area including Bellevue, Redmond, Renton, Kent, Tacoma, Bremerton, SeaTac, Auburn, Mercer Island, Bothell, Shoreline, Lynnwood, Mill Creek and Everett.
·Seattle, United States
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NW rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet
A sleek new Amtrak Cascades train passed through the Willamette Valley in July on a test run. Regular service with this next-generation train model begins in Washington and Oregon on Sept. 30. (Photo courtesy of Oregon Department of Transportation)
Coverage Details
Total News Sources14
Leaning Left4Leaning Right0Center2Last UpdatedBias Distribution67% Left
Bias Distribution
- 67% of the sources lean Left
67% Left
L 67%
C 33%
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