Amtrak’s first Airo trainset enters final testing in the Pacific Northwest. Also, Amtrak’s Borealis train service carries more than 416,000 passengers on its second anniversary; the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History collaborate on an exhibit ahead of America’s 250th birthday; and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) achieves its highest quarterly passenger on-time performance since early 2014.
Now in the Pacific Northwest, Amtrak’s first Airo trainset is entering final testing, staff training, route testing and practice runs on the Amtrak Cascades route, before welcoming customers onboard.
The new trains enter service in the Pacific Northwest later this year.
“Designed with comfort, reliability, and accessibility at the center,” the new Airo trains, Amtrak says, “represent the next step in Amtrak’s largest fleet modernization effort ever.”
This trainset is the first of eight planned for the Amtrak Cascades and part of a nationwide rollout that will deliver 83 Airo trainsets across the country. “Together, they represent real progress, new trains, American manufacturing, and a better travel experience taking shape,” Amtrak noted.
In related news, Amtrak’s Borealis train service between the Twin Cities and Chicago continues to exceed expectations as it celebrates its second birthday, the company recently reported. The partnership between three states and Amtrak began in May of 2024 and more than 416,000 passengers have enjoyed the comfortable and reliable service, “demonstrating the need for safe and accessible transportation options in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois.”
Borealis trains originate from St. Paul at midday and Chicago in the late morning with café service featuring regional items and views of the Mississippi River between St. Paul and La Crosse, Wisc. These trains are operated by Amtrak under contracts with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), with support from Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) grants.
The Borealis and the Amtrak Empire Builder trains between St. Paul and Chicago together provide passengers with two daily departures eastbound and westbound. Adding the state-sponsored Hiawatha Service trains between Milwaukee and Chicago, the result is a total corridor ridership of nearly 1.8 million passengers, an increase of 27% in two years.
“The strong response to the Borealis service is indicative of what we see across our network,” said Amtrak Executive Vice President Jennifer Mitchell. “People want another choice besides driving and offering service multiple times daily supercharges the number of customers who choose Amtrak because our schedules fit their needs.
“We look forward to adding more seating capacity and more service in this corridor in the months and years to come.”
WMATA and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History on May 18 announced a new collaboration connecting visitors to destinations across the National Capital Region tied to the nation’s founding and the American story as the country prepares to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.
As part of the collaboration, a new mural installation inside the museum highlights destinations across the District, Maryland, and Virginia accessible by Metro Rail and Metro Bus.
Developed jointly by WMATA and the museum, the installation features a special Metro system map guiding visitors to museums, monuments, historic neighborhoods, parks, and cultural destinations connected to the history of the nation.
“For 50 years, Metro has been part of how people experience the nation’s capital, from daily life and civic events to the museums, landmarks, and moments that define our region,” said WMATA General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke. “We’re honored to collaborate with the Smithsonian to help visitors explore the region and experience the stories and destinations that define our nation’s history.”
Museum visitors are invited to explore the mural and discover how Metro Rail and Metro Bus provide convenient access to destinations connected to the nation’s founding story.
“For generations, the Smithsonian has helped people engage with the American story through curiosity, discovery, and conversation,” said Adam Rozan, Senior Audience Development Lead at the National Museum of American History. “This collaboration with Metro helps visitors understand not only the history of the Revolution, but also how transportation connects people to the places where history happened.”
BART’s latest quarterly performance analysis finds that the agency achieved its highest quarterly passenger on-time performance (94.4%) since early 2014, “a significant milestone reflecting broad-based improvements across the system for several key indicators, including reliability, safety, and cleanliness.” The report also shows March 2026 recorded the highest monthly Passenger On-Time Performance since August 2013. This metric measures the percentage of riders who reach their destination within a short time threshold of their expected arrival.
The Quarterly Performance Report (QPR) for the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2026 (January 1 to March 31, 2026) “underlines BART’s tremendous improvements in service reliability, with March 2026 a standout month for overall performance,” the agency noted. The month recorded BART’s lowest monthly delay count since late 2018 as well as the fewest train delays for any March since 2014, excluding the pandemic years when service was reduced (2020-2022).
These gains come as ridership grew 15% year-over-year to 14.6 million trips this past quarter, “demonstrating BART’s ongoing efforts are increasing rider confidence and strengthening the system financially.”
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