In June 2006, the board of New Jersey Transit accepted a plan for an express service between Atlantic City, New Jersey and New York Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan, for a three-year trial initially slated to begin in 2007 (Newark Penn was not initially intended as a stop, but it would be added during the planning stages).

The multi-level cars' interior was customized for the ACES service, adding reclining leather seating across all classes and upper decks were dedicated to first-class seating in a 2x1 arrangement with at-seat food and beverage service.

Trains also featured rentable private lounge space for groups of four and for coach passengers a small café offered food and beverages for sale.

[3] In January 2011, service was suspended until May, citing low ridership and a $6 million loss in the first year of operations.

At this junction in North Philadelphia, the diesel engine started, the train reversed direction and was pushed by the P40DC along the Atlantic City Line.