Amtrak offers first look at fancy new trains. Here’s when they’ll debut in the Northwest

Amtrak is rolling out a fleet of fancy new trains, and Oregon riders at the front of the line to try them out.

The rail company gave a first look at its new Airo class trains at a media event Tuesday in Washington, D.C., showing off a brand new fleet of Amtrak Cascades train cars. A spokesperson for Amtrak said the cars are expected to roll out in the Pacific Northwest this summer.

The new Airo trains feature panoramic windows, redesigned seats, a new café car and a host of new or upgraded amenities, including personal lighting, onboard Wi-Fi and digital displays. Amtrak said the Airo trains will operate at speeds of up to 79 mph on the Cascades route, though the new trains are capable of hitting top speeds of 125 mph. That’s a bit slower than the company’s Acela trains, which run up to 150 mph on some East Coast routes.

Airo trains will be added to routes across the country, starting with the Cascades line, which runs along the I-5 corridor between Eugene and Vancouver, B.C., stopping at Portland, Seattle and more than a dozen other cities.

The eight cars are still under construction, but are expected to be finished in time for their summer Pacific Northwest debut.