Amtrak will introduce nine new railcars to the Hiawatha service operating between Milwaukee and Chicago beginning this fall. The addition includes six Siemens Venture coach cars and three cab-coach cars that will expand seating capacity to 388 passengers per trainset.
Capacity Reduction After Horizon Cars Removal
Since March 2025, the Hiawatha line has operated at reduced capacity between 260 and 280 passengers following Amtrak’s removal of all Horizon passenger cars. Those Bombardier Transportation-built cars from the late 1980s were withdrawn due to underframe corrosion, reducing available seats by about 100 per trainset.
Deployment Timeline and Testing
The first two new coach cars are slated for service by September 2026, with
the remaining seven rolling out through October and November. These new vehicles will undergo a commissioning and testing process in Chicago lasting three to four months prior to entering full service.
Historical Efforts and Contract Changes
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation ordered the nine railcars from Siemens in 2021. Earlier equipment renewal plans date back to 2009, when a no-bid contract for two Talgo trains was signed under Governor Jim Doyle but later canceled in 2010 by Governor Scott Walker. The cancellation followed the termination of the Milwaukee-Madison high-speed rail project due to anticipated operating expenses. Talgo subsequently sued the state, reaching a settlement in
2015, which brought total payments to $51 million.
Passenger Benefits of New Railcars
The new Siemens Venture cab-coach cars provide 56 passenger seats plus onboard equipment enabling conductors to operate the trains, replacing the aging F-40 cab cars that have no passenger seating. Upon full deployment, each Hiawatha trainset will feature five coach cars and one cab-coach with seating for up to 388 riders and accommodate nine checked bicycles.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation confirmed that the new equipment will restore and expand rider capacity, addressing the seating shortage caused by the Horizon car removal.
