Siemens Mobility to establish America’s first high-speed rail production facility

On 9 September 2024, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Brightline West and Siemens Mobility announced that Horseheads will become home to North America’s first high-speed rail production facility. The first-of-its-kind facility in the United States will produce America’s first high-speed trains, the American Pioneer 220, which will operate on Brightline West’s Las Vegas to Southern California line. 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. Production at the facility is expected to begin in 2026.

“This is an exciting time not only for us at Siemens Mobility, but for the rail industry as a whole,” said Michael Peter, CEO Siemens Mobility. “This new facility in Horseheads, New York, marks the beginning of a brand-new industry in the USA – bringing both high-speed rail production and some of the world’s most modern trains to the continent for the first time. Designed with the latest digital twin technology and leveraging world-class digital rail solutions, the New York-built American Pioneer 220s feature cutting-edge advancements, including a revolutionary gearless propulsion system that reduces energy consumption by 30% and allows it to climb effortlessly at steep grades.”

“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 kilometers 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 300 km/h, these trains will be marked by the latest innovations designed for the modern traveler and establishing a new benchmark in transportation.”

When fully operational, the new manufacturing facility will span nearly 300,000 square feet and create around 300 jobs – including electro-mechanical assemblers, quality management, quality control, industrial production and test engineers, project management, supply chain management and logistics employees. Just as New York’s rich rail history once helped shape the state, these skilled jobs will help shape high-speed rail production in our country for the very first time.

Siemens Mobility also has a MoU in place with the International Association of Machinist for union representation at the new site. Siemens brings more than two billion miles of experience across its more than 1,000 high-speed trains. Putting the needs of 21st century American travelers top-of-mind, Siemens engineers designed the next generation of trains, the Siemens American Pioneer 220, featuring the latest digital technologies, including Railigent X, from the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio, unparalleled passenger experience, and safety features to meet FRA requirements.

Brightline selected Siemens Mobility to build ten seven-car units for the Brightline West highspeed rail project that will connect Las Vegas and Southern California in under two hours. The American Pioneer 220 will be the first true high-speed trainsets to be built in America. Production in Horseheads will begin in 2026.

With an unmatched passenger experience, it is an ultrawide body train, designed to meet the needs of passengers today and into the future. The new empty tube body concept, results in the most accessible high-speed rail vehicle on the market, ensuring passengers in wheelchairs can seamlessly move from car to car throughout the entire trainset, exceeding ADA requirements.

With large, comfortable seats and high-speed internet connectivity, business commuters and leisure passengers alike will enjoy a comfortable ride as they drive by those sitting in automobile traffic on the freeway. Furthermore, the “party-car” creates an exciting passenger experience, emblematic of its name. The first-of-its-kind lounge car will allow passengers to relax, enjoy a beverage and views of the desert along the commute.

Siemens has deep roots in New York state and a nearly 150-year history, beginning in 1875 with the first transatlantic telegraph cable between the U.S. and Europe. Today, the company has more than 2,500 employees in New York, including the Siemens Mobility North American Headquarters, and encompassing 15 facilities in the company’s infrastructure, financial services, mobility, and healthcare businesses.

More than 1,100 New York businesses are also part of Siemens U.S. supply chain. The new facility also joins Siemens Mobility’s growing U.S. manufacturing footprint, with eight manufacturing facilities currently in operation around the country – providing more than 3,000 rail vehicles, 30,000 rail crossings, and more than 4,500 jobs to North America. Siemens Mobility contributes to the power of connection, jobs and investment in America, with more than 2,000 suppliers across the United States.

Siemens has been a national asset moving America forward for more than 160 years, investing 3 billion USD in the United States over the past four years while serving the industries and infrastructure forming the backbone of the American economy. The company’s 45,000 employees across the U.S. and 25 manufacturing sites are developing and deploying technologies for more than 100 cities and 90 percent of Fortune 500 industrial companies.