Dive Brief:
- Brightline West announced Wednesday that it selected Siemens Mobility to manufacture 10 train sets for the railroad’s high-speed rail line connecting Las Vegas and Southern California, expected to open in 2028.
- Siemens is adapting a European high-speed train for the U.S. market, and said it will create a new production facility in an as-yet undisclosed location. These vehicles will be the first 220-mph train sets built in the U.S., the company said in a press release.
- The Brightline West contract, which is subject to final agreements, includes a 30-year rolling stock maintenance contract to keep the trains in running order.
Dive Insight:
Two high-speed rail lines are now under construction in the U.S., creating a market for speedy trains to run on them. Brightline West began construction April 22 on its 218-mile, $12 billion high-speed passenger rail line. It is only the second new line capable of speeds over 160 mph that is under construction in the U.S., the other being a California project aiming to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Siemens Mobility builds rolling stock at its North American rail manufacturing hub in Sacramento, California, where it manufactures light-rail vehicles, 125-mph locomotives and the train sets for Brightline Florida, Amtrak and other passenger railroads.
Marc Buncher, Siemens Mobility North America CEO, said in a statement that when the Brightline West trains enter service, “it will be one of the most pivotal moments in the history of American rail.”
The zero-emission electric-powered train sets, named American Pioneer 220, will be built specifically for the U.S. market. The seven-car trains can carry up to 450 passengers, depending on configuration. According to Siemens, they will feature level boarding and allow wheelchair passengers to move easily from car to car throughout the train.
Brightline CEO Michael Reininger said in a statement that the momentum building for high-speed rail “will culminate in new jobs and a new supply chain that will establish the foundation for a high-speed rail industry from coast to coast.”
The California High-Speed Rail Authority is also close to choosing its bullet-train provider. The Authority said in April that it will solicit proposals from Siemens Mobility and Alstom Transportation for its 220-mph LA to San Francisco route, and that it hopes to award a contract by the end of 2024. The Siemens AP 220 train sets will be interoperable with the California high-speed rail project, the press release states.
