Brightline West selects train builder for its high-speed rail project
Brightline West recently announced that Siemens Mobility is the “preferred bidder” to build train sets for its high-speed rail project that will connect Las Vegas and Southern California.
The contract will include a fleet of 10 American Pioneer 220 (AP 220) train sets to be manufactured, delivered to Nevada and tested to support Brightline West’s timeline of initiating service in 2028, the company announced Wednesday.
Brightline West officials gathered in Las Vegas on April 22 and broke ground on the nation's first high-speed rail system.
The company’s 218-mile high-speed rail system will be constructed in the middle of Interstate-15, with a flagship passenger station in Las Vegas and stops in Apple Valley, Hesperia and its final destination, Rancho Cucamonga.
AP 220 train sets
The AP 220 is 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, according to Brightline officials.
The AP 220 features an ultrawide car body designed for passenger comfort and to be the most accessible train on the market. The design also exceeds ADA requirements and allows guests in wheelchairs to move with ease from car to car, according to its manufacturer.
The seven-car trains will carry between 434 to 450 passengers, depending on final configuration and can make the trip in less than two hours.
Brightline partnered with Siemens Mobility to develop the Venture series train sets, which debuted in 2018 on the company’s Florida system.
Global competitors
Brightline West’s announcement on Wednesday came after a multi-year competitive procurement process conducted among multiple global competitors, the company said.
The selection of Siemens Mobility, which is subject to the conclusion of definitive agreements, is based on specific criteria that included price, manufacturing schedule, train performance (speed and travel time), ADA compliance, passenger amenities and total passenger capacity, according to Brightline.
“We are excited to work with Brightline to transform rail in America. The high-speed chapter of America’s rail story will build on Siemens’ 40 years of designing, building, testing, delivering and maintaining trains in the United States,” Siemens Mobility North America CEO Marc Buncher stated. “When they enter service, it will be one of the most pivotal moments in the history of American rail.”
The trains will be built in accordance with all applicable “Buy America” requirements.
This selection includes a 30-year rolling stock maintenance contract that will be performed at Brightline West’s Vehicle Maintenance Facility in Sloan, Nevada.
At the Sloan site, crews will perform routine daily maintenance, as well as long-term overhauls and repairs. This will generate high-paying jobs performing train maintenance activities on a permanent basis, Brightline West said.
High-speed technology
The AP 220 will introduce "state-of-the-art technology" through an American supply chain spurring the U.S. to establish a new industry rivaling countries that have had high-speed rail for decades, Brightline West officials said.
Siemens is expected to establish a new facility to build the train sets and will announce the location of the production center when the contract is finalized, the company stated.
“Just as we redefined train travel with our train sets 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.”
The $12 billion project was recently awarded $3 billion in funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. The rest of the project will be privately funded.
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Brightline West selects train builder for its high-speed rail project
