The Venture dates back to 2014 when All Aboard Florida (now Brightline) purchased five trainsets for its new Brightline service along with ten Siemens Charger SCB-40 diesel-electric locomotives. The passenger cars, named the Venture, were derived from the Siemens Viaggio Comfort cars used in Europe, with adaptations for North American operations. They were built at the Siemens factory in Florin, California, starting in July 2015. The first trainset was completed in December 2016.[6] Public operations began on January 13, 2018.[7][8]
A test train in California in July 2020
In November 2017, a coalition of states with state-supported Amtrak routes ordered 137 Venture railcars through its contractor Sumitomo Corporation.[9] The order included seven trainsets for California and 88 cars for Illinois, Michigan, and Missouri (Amtrak Midwest) as married pairs and single coaches.[5] The Ventures were the coalition's second passenger railcar order; the first order of Next Generation Bi-Level Passenger Rail Cars was canceled after the prototype, built by Sumitomo's subcontractor, Nippon Sharyo, failed a buff strength test in August 2015. The first three Venture cars entered testing in February 2020. They were originally planned to enter revenue service in July 2020[10] but were delayed, not making their first run until February 1, 2022, on a Lincoln Service train.[11]
On December 12, 2018, Canada's national passenger rail service operator, Via Rail, announced that it was purchasing 32 Venture trainsets to replace the entire fleet used on its Québec City–Windsor Corridor.[12] The first trainset was delivered for testing in 2021.[13] They are expected to enter service in 2022–2024.[14]
In August 2019, the state of Wisconsin used a Federal Railroad Administration grant to purchase six Venture coaches and three cab cars.[15][16] The six coaches will be added to the Amtrak Midwest pool while the three cab cars will be used exclusively for Hiawatha trains.
In April 2021, Amtrak announced that they would order 83 trainsets to replace the aging Amfleet I fleet and Metroliner cab cars.[17][18] The contract was signed in July 2021 and includes 20 years of after-delivery service and support.[19][18][20] On October 13, 2023, Siemens unveiled their Venture car prototype for the new Amtrak Airo equipment.[21]
Operators
Most Siemens Venture cars (except those for Amtrak Midwest) are configured as trainsets, semi-permanently coupled together with wide open gangways between cars and standard couplers on the ends for connecting the trainset other railway equipment.[4]
Each trainset will include one business class car, three coach class cars, one café car for food service, and one combined coach/baggage/cab car. They will operate with both the existing eight SC-44 Chargers already owned by the Washington State Department of Transportation and two new ALC-42E Chargers.[26]
The first trainset was delivered in July 2025 for testing and commissioning before entry into revenue service, scheduled for 2026.[27]
Amtrak Midwest
A line of Amtrak Midwest Siemens Venture cars in Chicago's 14th Street Coach Yard.
Of the 97 cars, 68 are built as married pairs (two cars semi-permanently coupled with open gangways), while the remaining 29 are single (unmarried) cars with traditional gangways. Half of the married pairs (17) have a café car and an economy coach, while the remaining 17 have a combination business class/economy class coach and an economy-only coach. The business class and café cars have two vestibules each, while the economy coaches have one.[5] This arrangement—unique among Venture operators—allows trains to be sized to meet the travel demands of individual routes and allows business class seating and cafe cars to be added or removed. Among the 29 single cars are three cab cars with economy seating for exclusive use on Hiawatha trains.
Amtrak Northeast Corridor
Amtrak has placed a firm order for 75 trainsets, to be branded as the Amtrak Airo, for use on intercity routes operating over its Northeast Corridor.[28] The initial order for 65 trainsets was increased to 75 in August 2023, with options for additional units.[29]
The trainsets will be built in three configurations tailored to route capacity and propulsion requirements. All will include an ALC-42E Charger locomotive at one end and a cab control car at the other, with a consist featuring a food service car and a mix of Coach and Business Class seating.[30]
Of the order, 26 six-car catenary-diesel dual-power trainsets will include an Auxiliary Power Vehicle (APV) positioned adjacent to the locomotive. In electrified territory, the APV will draw power from overhead lines via a pantograph and transformer compatible with the Northeast Corridor's 25 kV, 12.5 kV and 12 kV AC systems, supplying traction motors in both the APV and the locomotive through a DC link.[31] These trainsets are planned for use on the Carolinian, Downeaster, Hartford Line, Keystone Service, Palmetto, Pennsylvanian, Valley Flyer and Vermonter.[28][30]
A further 32 eight-car catenary-diesel dual-power trainsets will operate primarily on Northeast Regional trains, including through service to Virginia and Springfield, Massachusetts.[30]
As of March2025[update], 83 coach cars and 9 locomotives have been completed, with 23 coaches in final assembly stages.[32]:6
Amtrak Gold Runner
Low-platform boarding door on Siemens Venture coach built for state corridor service
For use on the Gold Runner service, the California Department of Transportation has ordered seven Venture trainsets with seven cars each: five coaches, one café car, and one cab-control car. The Gold Runner does not provide business class seating. Per each trainset, the cab-control car and two other cars will each only have one vestibule, while the remaining four cars will each have two. Two coaches per set will have built-in wheelchair lifts for compatibility with the low-platform boarding used at stations on the Gold Runner routes.[5]
The Venture cars began early service on the Gold Runner (then known as the San Joaquins) in December 2023,[33]:12 without café cars and utilizing separate Amtrak NPCU cab-control cars. The San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority (SJJPA) is investigating the use of unstaffed vending machines to provide food service on their Venture sets; presently, the only food service available on Venture sets are "Snack Stations" — grab-and-go selections of complimentary snacks and beverages.[34] The cab-control cars, once delivered, will provide additional space for passenger seating and checked baggage. The SJJPA has not yet disclosed a date for the café or cab-control equipment to enter service.
Brightline has received 10 Venture trainsets consisting of four cars: three with economy seating (branded "Smart Service") and one with business class seating (branded "Premium Service", formerly "Select"). Each trainset has two Siemens Charger SCB-40 diesel-electric locomotives, one on each end.[35][36][37] Each trainset currently has a capacity of 248 passengers.[38] Premium Service coaches have fifty 21-inch-wide (530mm) seats in a 2×1 layout, while Smart Service coaches have sixty-six 19-inch-wide (480mm) seats in a 2×2 layout.[39][40]
Brightline purchased five trainsets for its initial service between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Five more trainsets were purchased ahead of the extension of the line to Orlando and additional stations opening in Aventura and Boca Raton. An additional 20 cars were purchased to expand the trainsets. They will be extended to five-car sets in 2024 and six-car sets in 2025.[41] Brightline has said that it plans to eventually expand the trainsets to ten cars.
Ontario Northland
In December 2022, the Government of Ontario and Ontario Northland announced a CA$139.5 million investment to reinstate the Northlander passenger service between Timmins and Toronto. The government announced that it had ordered three, three-car trainsets (two coaches and a cab car) with a food service area, which would be paired with a Charger locomotive.[42][43]
Via Rail
A Venture cab car of Via Rail
Via Rail purchased 32 five-car trainsets for its Quebec City–Windsor Corridor under a C$989 million contract awarded in 2018 to Siemens Mobility.[44][45] The fleet entered service beginning in 2022, progressively replacing the previous equipment used in the Corridor.
Each set consists of two business class coaches, two economy class coaches, and one cab control car with economy seating.[44] According to Via Rail, the configuration is flexible and train length may be adjusted based on demand.[45]
Each trainset operates with a Siemens Charger SCV-42 diesel-electric locomotive.[44] Seating is arranged 2×1 in business class and 2×2 in economy class, with seats measuring 19 inches in width. The cars are semi-permanently coupled with open gangways that are wider and better protected from weather exposure than those in the previous fleet. Several cars include a galley area to support at-seat food and beverage service in both classes.[45]
During the winter of 2025–26, the Venture fleet experienced operational issues that reduced availability and led to multiple Corridor cancellations.[46] Some incidents were reported to be associated with winter conditions, including possible snow ingress affecting onboard systems and requiring system restarts. On December 10–11, 2025, a mechanical failure near Brockville, Ontario, delayed approximately 300 passengers for more than 12 hours on a Toronto–Ottawa service. Via Rail stated that it was conducting technical investigations in cooperation with Siemens Mobility, which stated that the trains were designed for reliable year-round operation and supported under a 15-year maintenance agreement valued at approximately CA$23.7million annually.[47]
1234Siemens Mobility (February 22, 2019). "Caltrans/ IDOT New Single-Level Passenger Railcars: 'CALIDOT'"(PDF). Next Generation Equipment Committee – 2019 Annual Meeting. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Archived from the original(PDF) on November 24, 2019. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
↑Gradinger, Kyle; Tamaoki, Momoko (February 21, 2020). "Multi-state Single Level Rail Cars Procurement Updates"(PDF). California Department of Transportation Division of Rail and Mass Transportation. Archived from the original(PDF) on September 22, 2020. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
↑"News photo: First revenue run for new Amtrak cars". Trains News Wire. February 1, 2022.
↑Paul, Joe Sr.; Welsh, Michael; Kraft, Michael (February 2024). "Amtrak New Fleet Acquisition Updates"(PDF). Next Generation Corridor Equipment Pool Committee. Archived from the original(PDF) on April 2, 2024.
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