Brightline picks manufacturer for high-speed trains to connect SoCal to Las Vegas
Brightline West has chosen the company to build and deliver new high-speed trainsets to be deployed on its bullet train system between Southern California and Las Vegas.
The trains will be built by Siemens Mobility, a German manufacturing company that has been building trains in Northern California since the 1980s and has a U.S. headquarters in Sacramento.
Siemens has already partnered with Brightline in the past, having built the diesel-electric trains used for the company’s East Coast operation that connects Miami to Orlando, Florida.
Brightline will be acquiring ten “American Pioneer 220” trains that it says will be delivered to Nevada in time for the service to begin operating in 2028. The AP220 is a zero-emission, fully electric train that is capable of reaching speeds of 220 mph, although those speeds won’t be reached when service begins.
The trains are expected to be set up in a 7-car configuration with a capacity of more than 430 passengers, depending on final design, Brightline says.
As part of the agreement, Siemens will also provide regular maintenance and large-scale repairs on the trains for at least 30 years, which will be conducted at a maintenance facility in Sloan, Nevada.
Both companies said the agreement represents more than just a simple exchange for goods and services. Siemens says the AP220 will introduce state-of-the-art passenger rail technology that, alongside the American supply chain, will create a new industry that rivals other nation’s with a decadeslong head start on high-speed rail.
As part of those ambitious American expansion plans, Siemens will also be building an entirely new manufacturing facility dedicated to producing the AP220 in a location that will be announced once contract details have been finalized.
“Just as we redefined train travel with our trainsets for Brightline Florida, we are excited to pioneer this new frontier of manufacturing and development for Brightline West,” said Brightline CEO Michael Reininger. “The momentum we are building, 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.”
Siemens has also built trains for Amtrak and is one of two companies, alongside Alstom Transportation, competing to win a bid by the State of California to manufacture the trainsets to be used in the California High-Speed Rail system.
Brightline said “interoperability” with the California High-Speed Rail was one of the factors considered when choosing a train manufacturer. Other factors included price, amenities, capacity and train performance.
What’s the difference between California’s 2 high-speed rail projects?
Construction on the $12 billion high-speed passenger rail line began in April and the company has predicted service to begin in 2028. In the meantime, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the project will bring thousands of union jobs to the region, reduce air pollution and kickstart a new American industry.
When completed, the a 218-mile rail line connecting the Inland Empire and Las Vegas, cutting an over-4-hour drive time into a 2-hour train ride. About 80% of the system will reside in California, following along Interstate 15 between Vegas and Rancho Cucamonga. Brightline will also be building a new transit center in Rancho Cucamonga which will offer riders the ability to transfer onto Metrolink.
Although a mostly private endeavor, the federal government has still provided significant capital to help get the Brightline system off the ground.
The Biden Administration has backed the project with $6.5 billion in funding, including a $3 billion grant awarded last December, as well as giving the approval to sell about $3.5 billion in bonds. Brightline previously agreed to finance $10 billion for the project.
The federal government, Brightline and Siemens hold the same belief that high-speed rail is a revolutionary technology waiting to be unleashed in the United States.
Marc Buncher, CEO of Siemens Mobility North America, said the partnership between his company and Brightline will help usher in a new future for passenger rail service in the U.S.
“We are excited to be selected to build and maintain America’s first true high-speed trains, which will feature some of the world’s most innovative high-speed rail technology,” Buncher said. “When they enter service, it will be one of the most pivotal moments in the history of American rail.”
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