A quarter of a century after the Acela began whisking passengers between Washington, New York, and Boston, the Acela’s slightly faster replacement finally began service at the end of August.

But the most obvious upgrade NextGen Acela offers over its predecessor is not speed, but shininess.

On the train’s second day of revenue service, I boarded a train in Washington, D.C., for a day trip to New York. Standing alongside a previous-gen Acela at Union Station, my train was positively gleaming, and looked just as sharp on the inside.

Then came the ride, which took just as long as previous trips and went no faster. NextGen Acela can hit 160 mph on upgraded track, but my train maxed out at 144 mph on a straightaway north of Princeton, N.J., cleared for 160 mph operation.

My return trip Frida

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