Passenger Trains > Amtrak Cascades

Currently, Amtrak Cascades trains 517 and 518 are being covered by the Mt. Jefferson and Mt. Bachelor Talgo sets.  Here, the Mt. Bachelor set (AMTK 7911) running as train 517 approaches her station stop at Vancouver WA on 4/3/2026.  Cascades trains 516 and 519 are covered by a three-car Amfleet consist.  Here is train 516 crossing the Skagit River near Burlington WA on 4/8/2026.

mike woodruff
anacortes wa

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Love your photography!! But I’m wondering when and if Amtrak is going to be done testing the two new Amtrak Airo Cascades trainsets on the northeast corridor and bringing them out west where they belong so that they can replace the pathetic cascades trainsets currently in use. The first trainset was taken east in early fall of last year and I can understand testing but you don’t have to wear them out first!

Posted from iPhone

highballer1 Wrote:
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> Love your photography!! But I’m wondering when
> and if Amtrak is going to be done testing the two
> new Amtrak Airo Cascades trainsets on the
> northeast corridor and bringing them out west
> where they belong so that they can replace the
> pathetic cascades trainsets currently in use. The
> first trainset was taken east in early fall of
> last year and I can understand testing but you
> don’t have to wear them out first!
>
> Posted from iPhone

As far as I know there is only 1 Cascade set in the northeast at this time and is scheduled to start up service in the PNW in June.

At that time I assume the (Anfleet) trains it replaces could allow for another car to be added to the current trainsets which would greatly help in reducing the number of sold out trains. Hopefully the 2nd and 3rd cascade trainsets can be delivered this year.

Two of the new Cascades Airo sets are back east.  The first one went with one of the two new locomotives that are coming with the new trains and I've heard that the second new engine will come with the third trainset. The odd thing about the third trainset is that its cab car was recently sent to Albany, I believe, with a couple of new Metro North Chargers. There's been nothing on the rest of the third trainset and nothing more on that stray cab car. Also, I'd like to think Amtrak would spread any coaches displaced from Amfleet Cascades sets to the remaining Amfleet sets, but as NEC-oriented as Amtrak still is, I'm afraid they're going to send those cars east as fast as they can. I hate to think of the number of Cascades passengers they've turned away by holding those Amfleet trains to just three cars. No other corridor has been treated that badly since the Horizon debacle happened. Admittedly, most Mardi Gras trains have only three cars.

Thanks for the info, I really appreciate it. I was around when the Cascades train idea was started and I have seen quite a lot with both the Talgo Series 6 and Series 8 sets. I’m glad to see the inception of these new trainsets and just hope that they’ll work out well for all concerned.

Posted from iPhone

Great pair of shots!
I was thinking of riding one of these trains last week, they were all sold out:(

For those who actually know, on the Talgo Cab Car, what is in the "forehead" over the cab? Is it something that could be relocated or eliminated? Because that would improve the look of the car by about 1000%.