Brightline West picks Siemens to build high-speed trains

Brightline yesterday announced that Siemens Mobility will be the preferred bidder to build trainsets for the Brightline West high-speed rail route that will connect Las Vegas and Southern California.

The contract will include a fleet of 10 American Pioneer 220 trainsets to be manufactured, delivered to Nevada and tested to support Brightline West’s timeline of initiating service in 2028, Brightline officials said in a press release.

The announcement follows a multiyear competitive procurement process conducted among multiple global competitors. Subject to the conclusion of definitive agreements, the selection is based on specific criteria that included price, manufacturing schedule, train performance, Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, passenger amenities and total passenger capacity.

Also considered was the ability of the new trains to be interoperable with California’s high-speed rail project, now under construction. The Brightline West trains will be built in accordance with federal Buy America requirements, company officials said.

The selection includes a 30-year rolling stock maintenance contract that will be performed at Brightline West’s vehicle maintenance facility in Sloan, Nevada.

The AP220 trainsets will feature a "revolutionary" propulsion system built for the U.S. market, Brightline officials said. The trains will be based on a version of Siemens’ Velaro platform that operates in Europe.

Last week, Brightline West held a ground-breaking ceremony for the 218-mile, high-speed rail line. The system will be built in the middle of Interstate 15 and feature zero-emission, fully electric trains capable of speeds of 200 mph.