A New Airo Takes Flight: A Milestone for the Pacific Northwest

A tangible symbol of progress for American passenger rail took to the tracks in late July 2025 as the very first Amtrak Airo trainset departed the Siemens Mobility manufacturing facility in Sacramento, California. Destined for the Amtrak Cascades route, this sleek, modern train represents the leading edge of a nationwide fleet renewal, promising a new era of comfort, efficiency, and reliability for travelers. This initial unit is the first of eight new trainsets slated to revitalize service in the Pacific Northwest, and the first of a national procurement of 83 trainsets that will form the backbone of Amtrak’s regional network for decades to come.

The train’s journey, operating under the designation Amtrak 964, is not directly to its new home in Washington and Oregon. Its first stop is the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) Transportation Technology Center near Pueblo, Colorado. There, it will undergo a comprehensive testing and certification process, a critical step to ensure the highest standards of safety and performance before it enters commercial service. This rigorous regimen, similar to the one used for the next-generation Acela fleet, will validate everything from railway dynamics and braking systems to traction and train control management. Following these trials, the trainset will undergo further testing on the Northeast Corridor before its final delivery to the Pacific Northwest. Pending all regulatory approvals, the new Airo trains are scheduled to welcome their first passengers in 2026.

The arrival of the Airo fleet is not just an upgrade; it is a critical necessity for the Cascades corridor. The new trains are a welcome replacement for the route's aging equipment, particularly the legacy Horizons cars, a majority of which were recently pulled from service after the discovery of widespread corrosion. This operational challenge forced Amtrak to press older Amfleet I cars into service, resulting in constrained passenger capacity and highlighting the urgent need for modernization. The Airo will restore and significantly enhance both the quality and capacity of the service.

Visually, the new trains honor their regional identity. They are adorned in the iconic evergreen, cream, and mocha livery that has long defined the Amtrak Cascades brand, now enhanced with striking graphics of the Cascade Range, including depictions of Mount Rainier and Mount Hood. This visual continuity, paired with state-of-the-art technology, signals a renewal that is both respectful of its heritage and firmly focused on the future. The decision to deploy the first Airo trains on the Cascades route is a testament to the strong federal-state partnership model that underpins much of America’s passenger rail expansion. The active collaboration with and financial support from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), which sponsors the service, was a crucial factor. This, combined with the urgent need to replace the failing legacy fleet and WSDOT's investment in upgrading the Seattle maintenance yard specifically for the Airo trains, made the Pacific Northwest the ideal "launch customer" for this new fleet.

The Airo and the Venture Platform: America's New Intercity Standard

The Amtrak Airo is more than just a new train; it is the public-facing brand for a standardized, highly capable platform that will drive Amtrak’s state-supported services forward. The trainsets are built on the Siemens Venture platform, a proven single-level passenger car design, and are typically paired with modern, fuel-efficient Siemens SC-44 Charger locomotives. This strategic standardization across more than a dozen routes—including the Northeast Regional, Empire Service, and Virginia Services—is central to Amtrak’s long-term vision, promising significant efficiencies in maintenance, crew training, and parts inventory.

The design philosophy of the Airo is centered on transforming the passenger experience, elevating the journey with world-class amenities and a focus on comfort. Passengers will enjoy panoramic windows offering expansive views of the scenic landscapes along routes like the Cascades. Inside, the cabins feature ergonomic seating with cushioned headrests, large tray tables, and modern conveniences like individual power outlets and USB ports. A redesigned café car offers a contemporary food service environment with self-service options, and on the Cascades route, it will feature locally sourced food and beverages to enhance the regional travel experience. Accessibility is also a core design principle, with features like automated steps for easier boarding, touchless restroom controls, and dedicated spaces for passengers with mobility challenges.

From a performance standpoint, the Airo trainsets are engineered for the future of American intercity travel. They are capable of operating at speeds up to 125 mph and are significantly more fuel-efficient, producing 90% less particulate emissions than the diesel trains they are replacing. Built at Siemens Mobility’s sprawling facility in Sacramento, California, the fleet complies with federal "Buy America" standards, supporting a robust domestic manufacturing ecosystem.

The Airo's design DNA—prioritizing spacious single-level comfort, modern amenities, and a high top speed—makes it an ideal solution for medium-to-long-distance intercity corridors. It is engineered to compete effectively with air travel and long-distance car journeys, where speed and onboard experience are the primary drivers of passenger choice. This makes it the perfect rolling stock for routes like the Amtrak Cascades. However, this same design philosophy, optimized for speed and comfort over a long journey, may not be the ideal fit for every type of corridor, particularly those with different operational goals and service patterns.

Ohio's Rail Renaissance: Profile of the 3C+D Corridor

As the Airo begins its journey in the Pacific Northwest, another monumental passenger rail project is gathering momentum in the Midwest. Ohio's proposed 3C+D corridor aims to reconnect the state's economic spine, linking Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Cincinnati with modern, reliable train service for the first time in decades. The project seeks to connect a "megaregion" of over seven million people and address the long-standing absence of Amtrak service in Columbus, the second-largest metropolitan area in the country without it.

The primary mission of the 250-260 mile corridor is to provide a safe and efficient alternative to travel on the perennially congested I-71 highway, which serves as the main artery between Ohio's largest cities. By linking major downtowns, airports like Cleveland Hopkins, universities, and intermediate cities such as Delaware, Springfield, and Crestline, the 3C+D project aims to enhance workforce mobility, expand access to education and commerce, and reduce the environmental impact of transportation in the state.

The service is envisioned as a conventional-speed corridor, with trains operating at a maximum speed of 79 mph, primarily on existing freight railroad rights-of-way that will require significant upgrades. The initial service development plan calls for three to four daily round trips, a frequency designed to offer a viable alternative to driving. The project has successfully entered the first stage of the FRA's Corridor Identification and Development Program, securing $500,000 in federal seed money to create a detailed service plan. This planning phase is expected to conclude in 2025, with several more years required for design, environmental reviews, and construction.

This ambitious plan unfolds against a backdrop of political sensitivity. A previous iteration of the project, the "3C Quick Start," was awarded $400 million in federal funds in 2010, only to be rejected by a new state administration, which led to the funds being reclaimed by the federal government. This history creates a high-stakes environment for the current effort. The project must demonstrate undeniable public value and operational efficiency to maintain the bipartisan political support it currently enjoys. Indeed, concerns about potential travel times have already been voiced, underscoring the need for the service to be a resounding success from its first day of operation.

The operational parameters of the 3C+D corridor—a 79 mph top speed, multiple intermediate stops, and a primary goal of alleviating highway congestion—define its mission as something closer to a high-capacity regional rail service than a high-speed intercity line. Success will not be measured by travel time alone, but by the sheer volume of passengers it can attract. This fundamental difference in mission suggests that the optimal rolling stock for Ohio may be very different from the Airo trains destined for the Cascades. For the 3C+D, the most critical performance metric is capacity.

A Different Tool for the Job? Making the Case for the Desiro HC

While the single-level Airo trainset is an excellent choice for its intended intercity routes, Ohio's 3C+D corridor, with its focus on maximizing ridership to relieve highway congestion, calls for a different kind of tool—one purpose-built for capacity. That tool is the Siemens Desiro HC.

The Desiro HC, where "HC" stands for High Capacity, is an Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) train specifically engineered for high-demand regional and commuter services across Europe. Its most innovative feature is a hybrid configuration that brilliantly combines two different car types. The train is anchored by single-deck end cars, which house the traction equipment and provide completely level, step-free boarding for passengers with wheelchairs, bicycles, or strollers. Between these are double-deck ("Doppeldecker") middle cars, which dramatically increase the train's seating capacity.

This design gives the Desiro HC a decisive advantage in the one metric that matters most for the 3C+D corridor: passenger volume.

As the table illustrates, a standard four-car (vierteilige) Desiro HC trainset, at approximately 105 meters in length, offers between 400 and 420 seats. A comparably sized Airo trainset, being single-level, would likely seat between 250 and 300 passengers. This represents a capacity increase of 35% or more for the Desiro HC, allowing each trip to take significantly more cars off I-71 and generate more revenue, thereby strengthening the project's economic and political foundation.

Furthermore, the Desiro HC's performance characteristics are perfectly tailored to the 3C+D's operational plan. Its top speed of 160 km/h (approximately 100 mph) is more than sufficient for the corridor's 79 mph limit, meaning Ohio would not be paying for an unusable high-speed capability. More importantly, the Desiro HC boasts a powerful starting acceleration of up to 1.1 m/s2. On a route with numerous intermediate stops, this ability to quickly get back up to track speed is far more valuable than a high top speed, as it minimizes dwell time at stations and improves overall schedule adherence. This is complemented by a design that prioritizes rapid passenger flow, with wide doors and large vestibule gathering areas to facilitate quick boarding and alighting.

Lessons from the Rhine-Ruhr: The Desiro HC in Action

The case for the Desiro HC in Ohio is not merely theoretical; it is supported by a powerful, real-world proof of concept. The Rhein-Ruhr-Express (RRX) project in Germany serves as a living blueprint for what the 3C+D corridor could become, and it is powered by the very same train.

The RRX is a transformative project connecting the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region, one of Europe’s largest and most economically vital urban areas with approximately 10 million residents. Its mission is a direct parallel to Ohio's: to relieve severe road congestion by shifting traffic to rail and providing frequent, reliable service between major cities like Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Dortmund, with a planned service interval of just 15 minutes.

To achieve this, the region's transport authorities awarded Siemens a landmark €1.7 billion contract to supply a fleet of 82 Desiro HC EMUs and, critically, to provide maintenance for the entire 32-year service life of the trains. The four-car RRX trains provide 400 seats and are often coupled into eight-car consists that can carry 800 seated passengers, demonstrating the platform's immense capacity.

Since entering service in late 2018, the RRX has been a resounding success. Operators Abellio Rail and National Express have reported stable operations and overwhelmingly positive passenger feedback. Thanks to a purpose-built, state-of-the-art maintenance depot in Dortmund that leverages predictive, data-driven digital service, Siemens has been able to guarantee a technical availability for the fleet of nearly 100%. This remarkable reliability is precisely what a new, high-profile service like the 3C+D will need to win public trust and secure its future.

The RRX case study effectively de-risks the choice of the Desiro HC for Ohio. It proves the platform's capability, reliability, and passenger acceptance in a high-stakes, high-demand environment that mirrors Ohio's ambitions. Ohio would not be a test case; it would be adopting a proven solution with a clear record of success. This provides a powerful, evidence-based argument that can be presented to stakeholders and the public, strengthening the business case for the 3C+D project and mitigating both technical and political risk.

Conclusion and Recommendations: Equipping Ohio for Maximum Success

The launch of the first Amtrak Airo trainset is a moment for celebration. It is a testament to the success of the federal-state partnership model, a victory for American manufacturing, and the dawn of a better travel experience for passengers in the Pacific Northwest and across the country. The Airo is a superb intercity train, and it is unequivocally the right choice for the Amtrak Cascades.

However, the very success of this specialized procurement highlights a crucial point: a "one-size-fits-all" approach to rolling stock may not be optimal for every corridor. The unique operational mission and political context of Ohio's 3C+D project demand a tailored solution. Its long-term success hinges on its ability to maximize ridership from day one, demonstrating overwhelming public value to secure its future in a state with a history of rail skepticism. The most direct path to achieving this is by deploying rolling stock that maximizes passenger capacity.

The Siemens Desiro HC, with its innovative hybrid double-deck design, offers approximately 35% more seating than a single-level train of the same length. Its performance characteristics—high acceleration and rapid passenger flow—are better suited to the 3C+D's multi-stop, 79 mph service profile than the Airo's high top speed. The argument for this platform is not a choice between a foreign and a domestic train. Siemens is a major U.S. manufacturer with a proven ability to adapt its global platforms for American production at its domestic facilities, fully complying with "Buy America" requirements for a sufficiently large order.

The choice of rolling stock is not a mere technical detail; it is a strategic decision that will define the identity and potential of the 3C+D corridor for the next 30 years. Opting for a higher-capacity train from the outset is a declaration of ambition—a commitment to building a true mass transit backbone for Ohio, not just a niche travel alternative.

Therefore, as the Ohio Rail Development Commission, Amtrak, and their partners proceed with the crucial Service Development Plan phase of the Corridor ID program, it is imperative that they conduct a thorough and transparent evaluation of multiple rolling stock options.