Some rail passengers in Wilmington were part of history Thursday morning.

About 14 riders at the Joseph R. Biden Jr. Railroad Station boarded the first Amtrak NextGen Acela train to head northbound through Wilmington on the Northeast Corridor. The new trains will eventually replace the quarter-century-old fleet of Acela trains.

A couple of riders ended up on the faster, sleeker NextGen because they were late for their scheduled train.

"It's exciting to be one of the first people to try it."

The new trains increase capacity by 27%. They are also less bumpy. Although they are capable of reaching 160 m.p.h., actually achieving that speed will be a challenge due to the corridor's crowded, curving tracks.

Also available are free, high-speed 5G-enabled Wi-Fi, and power outlets. An on-boar

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