I rode Amtrak's new Acela train, the fastest in the US. The 6 most surprising parts had nothing to do with speed.

• Amtrak launched its new Acela fleet in August. At 160 miles per hour, it's the fastest US train. • Known as the NextGen Acela, the train has two classes — business and first. • I recently traveled in both classes, and my journey was full of surprises.

I had no business in Washington, DC, when I traveled there on a rainy day in September. I was just in it for the ride.

I took Amtrak's NextGen Acela train — a brand-new fleet for the express service between Boston and Washington, DC, that launched in late August. It has a max speed of 160 miles per hour, making it the fastest train in the US.

The Acela has two classes: business and first. I wanted to try both, so I took the new train from my home in NYC to Washington, DC, in business class for $180. Less than an hour after I arrived