Brightline West recently announced that Siemens Mobility is the “preferred bidder” for the train fleet for a high-speed rail project connecting Las Vegas and Southern California.
The contract includes 10 American Pioneer 220 (AP 220) trains to be manufactured, delivered to Nevada, and tested to support Brightline West’s 2028 start-up schedule, the company said Wednesday. It was announced on .
Brightline West officials gathered in Las Vegas on April 22 for a groundbreaking ceremony for the nation’s first high-speed rail system.
The company’s 218-mile high-speed rail system will be built in the middle of Interstate 15, with a main passenger station in Las Vegas and stops in Apple Valley, Hesperia, and its final destination in Rancho Cucamonga.
AP 220 train set
The AP 220 is designed for operating speeds up to 320 mph. Brightline officials say its propulsion system, reduced weight and aerodynamic shape make it more efficient than other high-speed trains.
The AP 220 features an extra-wide body designed for passenger comfort and making it the most accessible train on the market. The manufacturer says the design also meets ADA requirements and allows passengers in wheelchairs to easily move from car to car.
The seven-car trains carry between 434 and 450 passengers, depending on their final configuration, and can travel within two hours.
Brightline partnered with Siemens Mobility to develop the Venture Series train set, which debuted on the company’s Florida system in 2018.
global competitors
Brightline West’s announcement Wednesday follows a multi-year competitive procurement process among multiple global competitors, the company said.
According to Brightline, the selection of Siemens Mobility will be subject to the signing of a definitive contract and will include specific considerations such as price, production schedule, train performance (speed and travel time), ADA compliance, passenger amenities, and total passenger capacity. This will be done based on the standards. .
“We are excited to work with Brightline to transform America’s railroads. The high-speed chapter of America’s railroad story is a journey that spans Siemens’ 40 years of designing, building, testing, delivering and maintaining trains in the United States. ,” said Mark Buncher, CEO of Siemens Mobility North America. “Once they start operating, it will be one of the most important moments in American railroad history.”
Trains will be manufactured in accordance with all applicable “Buy America” requirements.
This selection includes a 30-year vehicle maintenance contract performed at Brightline West’s vehicle maintenance facility in Sloan, Nevada.
At the Sloan site, workers perform routine routine maintenance as well as long-term overhauls and repairs. This will create permanent, high-paying train maintenance jobs, Brightline West said.
High speed technology
Brightline West officials say the AP 220 will bring “cutting-edge technology” through the U.S. supply chain and help establish a new industry that rivals countries where the U.S. has had high-speed rail for decades. It is said that it will become.
Siemens plans to establish a new facility to manufacture train sets and will announce the location of the production center once the contract is finalized, the company said.
“Just as we redefined rail travel with train sets for Brightline Florida, we are excited to explore new frontiers of manufacturing and development for Brightline West,” said Brightline CEO Michael Leininger. states. “The momentum we are building will create new jobs and new supply chains and establish the foundation for a coast-to-coast high-speed rail industry.”
The $12 billion project was recently awarded $3 billion in funding from President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill. The remainder of the project will be privately funded.
Contact Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. X Follow him at @DP_ReneDeLaCruz
