USA: Amtrak has selected Nomad Digital technology for the expansion of its AmtrakConnect passenger wi-fi service. Nomad supported the initial launch on Acela Express last year, and on Cascades trains in the Pacific Northwest during January.Amtrak’s Ivy City and Penn Coach Yard workshops will install wi-fi equipment in more than 450 Amfleet coaches with the aim of offering AmtrakConnect on Northeast Corridor services and additional West Coast trains by the end of the year. Access is free of charge. Nomad Digital’s technology aggregates multiple wide-area networks including 3G cellular and 4G technologies into a single train-to-shore link to maximise bandwidth. Amtrak plans to utilise emerging 4G technologies such as LTE and WiMAX to increase performance, with future plans including entertainment services and real-time train position information. ‘In this digital age, it is more vital than ever that our customers have internet connectivity while travelling’, said Emmett Fremaux, Amtrak’s Vice-President of Marketing & Product Development. OCLMedia has installed Firetide wi-fi equipment to eliminate blindspots in tunnels under the East and Hudson rivers in New York and within Penn Station.