Brightline West has selected Siemens Mobility as the preferred bidder to manufacture its high-speed trains.
The contract with Siemens Mobility will include the production of ten American Pioneer 220 (AP 220) train sets to be delivered to Nevada for testing. This will pave the way for the start of the Brightline West service between Las Vegas and Southern California from 2028.
The order includes a 30-year rolling stock maintenance contract that will be performed at Brightline West’s Vehicle Maintenance Facility in Sloan, Nevada.
This selection followed a multi-year competitive procurement process that considered price, manufacturing schedule, train performance, ADA compliance, passenger amenities and total passenger capacity.
The criteria also considered future interoperability with the California High-Speed Rail project.
The AP220 trains will be built specifically for the US market in accordance with Buy America compliance. They will represent an evolution of Siemens Mobility’s Velaro platform.
Siemens will establish a new facility to build the AP220, which will be America’s first true high-speed rail production centre.
Brightline has also previously partnered with Siemens Mobility to develop the Venture series train sets for the company’s Florida system.
“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. 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 AP 220 trains will travel at speeds of up to 220 miles per hour. Their propulsion system, lightweight design and aerodynamic shape will make the units more efficient than other high-speed trains.
In addition, the vehicles aim to be the most accessible train on the market, exceeding ADA requirements and allowing guests in wheelchairs to move seamlessly from car to car.
The seven-car trains will carry between 434 and 450 passengers, depending on final configuration and will be able to complete the route in less than two hours.
Interior design renderings of the trains can be viewed here.
“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. On behalf of our 4,500 rail employees across the United States, 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. When they enter service, it will be one of the most pivotal moments in the history of American rail.”
Last month, Brightline West broke ground on this 218-mile system, which will be constructed in the median of the I-15.
