AMERICAN MADE: SIEMENS MOBILITY & SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER ANNOUNCE FIRST HIGH SPEED RAIL FACILITY IN NEW YORK TO BUILD BRIGHTLINE WEST TRAINS
New Renderings offer fresh look at Brightline West train set and lounge car
HORSEHEADS, NY (Sept. 9, 2024) – Today, Brightline West officials joined U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and leadership from Siemens Mobility to announce that America’s first high-speed rail production facility will be built in New York. The Horseheads site will be dedicated to producing the nation’s first high-speed train sets, specifically, the American Pioneer 220 (AP220), which will serve Brightline West, connecting Las Vegas to Southern California. Production at the Horseheads facility is expected to begin in 2026.
The site represents an approximately $60 million investment by Siemens Mobility and will span nearly 300,000 square feet, creating around 300 jobs in the local community. This includes roles for electro-mechanical assemblers, quality management, quality control, industrial production and test engineers, project management, supply chain management and logistics employees. In partnership with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), Siemens Mobility is committed to building a skilled workforce to drive the future of high-speed rail in the U.S. Selected for its skilled workforce, industrial history, and ability to best meet the needs of Brightline West, Horseheads is located in the southern tier of New York state.
“America’s high-speed rail future will be built in Upstate New York. Siemens’ investment in Upstate New York will lay the foundation for the next chapter of our nation’s transportation future, making high-speed rail, what only a few years ago seemed like a dream, but because of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law is becoming a reality. After months of relentless advocacy, I am proud to announce this massive 300 job first-of-its-kind manufacturing facility for America is coming to Upstate NY,” said Senator Schumer. “Upstate New York is unmatched in rail car manufacturing capabilities, with a deep proud history pioneering the rail industry and a community that is excited to get to work building America’s future. Siemens Mobility is an excellent addition to the outstanding manufacturers already in this region, and I am thrilled they heeded my call to come to New York and will join the rail car manufacturing ecosystem right here in the Southern Tier All eyes are on this major step in the modernization of America’s infrastructure and the Southern Tier will be at the forefront! Thanks to the trainsets that will be made right here in Chemung County It’s full steam ahead for America’s high-speed rail future, with every stop powered by union workers here in Upstate NY.”
"Through a $4 million grant from our FAST NY program, the Chemung County IDA is able to help prepare this site for Siemens Mobility so that they can create good paying, Union jobs in the Southern Tier and get up and operating quickly," said Governor Hochul. "Today's announcement is testament to the partnership between state, local and federal support to grow manufacturing and unlock real opportunities in New York State."
“We’ve said from the start that Brightline West will plant the flag for high-speed rail in America and will lay the foundation for a new industry with unimaginable economic benefits. Today’s announcement that jobs are being created thousands of miles away from the rail line is just the starting point,” said Michael Reininger CEO of Brightline. “For the first time ever in the U.S., we will be manufacturing trains that will compete with the best in the world. Reaching speeds of over 200 mph, these trains will be marked by the latest innovations designed for the modern traveler and establishing a new benchmark in transportation.”
“Thanks to President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Leader Schumer’s strong support of it in the Senate, this is a transformative time for American rail, and today’s announcement is yet another example of how investments in transportation bring economic opportunity and growth around the country,” said Federal Rail Administration Administrator Amit Bose. “FRA is proud of our investments in the Brightline West project and high-speed rail. Millions of annual riders between Las Vegas and Southern California stand to benefit from the train sets to be built in Upstate New York, and I know the local community will benefit as well.”
“Bringing high-speed rail to America is no longer a dream, but a reality. With Leader Schumer, the Biden Administration and Brightline’s leadership we will transform the way Americans travel,” said Marc Buncher, CEO Siemens Mobility North America. “Continuing our more than four-decade legacy of building trains in America, the American Pioneer 220s will be American-Made in New York by a team of more than 300 skilled team members.”
Brightline West selected Siemens Mobility as its preferred bidder in May after a multi-year competitive procurement process conducted among multiple global competitors. The selection was based on specific criteria that included price, manufacturing schedule, train performance (e.g. speed and travel time), ADA compliance, passenger amenities and total passenger capacity. The trains will be built in accordance with all applicable “Buy America” requirements.
The sleek new train design was on full display at Monday’s event with a 30 foot long model and fresh renderings, including the lounge car which can be viewed here.
The AP 220 will be the first true high-speed train sets to be built in America and are designed for operational speeds of up to 220 miles per hour. The propulsion system, lighter weight and aerodynamic shape makes it more efficient than other high-speed trains. The AP220 features an ultrawide carbody designed for unparalleled passenger comfort and designed to be the most accessible train on the market, exceeding ADA requirements and allowing for guests in wheelchairs to move with ease from car to car.
ABOUT BRIGHTLINE WEST
Brightline is the only private provider of modern, eco-friendly, intercity passenger rail service in America – offering a guest-first experience designed to reinvent train travel and take cars off the road by connecting city pairs and congested corridors that are too short to fly and too long to drive. Brightline West will connect Las Vegas and Southern California with the first true high-speed passenger rail system in the nation. The 218-mile, all-electric rail service will include a flagship station in Las Vegas, with additional stations in Victor Valley and Rancho Cucamonga. At speeds up to 200 miles per hour, trains will take passengers from Las Vegas to Rancho Cucamonga in about two hours, twice as fast as the normal drive time.
Brightline is currently operating its first passenger rail system connecting Central and South Florida with stations in Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, and Orlando, with future stations coming to Stuart and Cocoa. For more information, visit www.brightlinewest.com and follow on LinkedIn, X, Instagram and Facebook.
Media Contact
Antonio Castelan
BLW Director of Public Affairs
acastelan@brightlinewest.com