Mon Sep 09 16:00:00 UTC 2024: ## Siemens to Build $60 Million Bullet Train Factory in New York for Brightline West
Siemens announced plans to build a $60 million rail manufacturing facility in Horseheads, New York, marking the first factory in the U.S. dedicated to producing high-speed trains. The facility will assemble American Pioneer 220 electric trains, capable of reaching speeds up to 220 mph, for Brightline West’s planned high-speed rail line connecting Las Vegas to Los Angeles.
The factory is expected to employ around 300 people upon its opening in 2026, with deliveries of the trains starting in 2027. Brightline West, a $12 billion project funded in part by a $3 billion federal grant, aims to begin operations between Las Vegas and suburban Los Angeles by 2028.
Siemens’s new facility will be its third rail production facility in the U.S. The company currently manufactures diesel trains for Brightline, Amtrak, and Via Rail at a plant in Sacramento, California. The new facility will allow Siemens to produce a wider range of rail vehicles, including high-speed trains, potentially expanding its reach to other projects such as California’s High-Speed Rail Authority.
The Brightline West trains will feature unique amenities, including a dedicated “party car” with a full lounge and bar area. Siemens will also provide the electric power system for the entire line.
The announcement comes as the Biden Administration pushes for high-speed rail development in the United States. This investment in domestic high-speed train production could pave the way for future infrastructure projects and revitalize the U.S. rail industry.
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