Velaro Novo for Brightline

On 1 May 2024, Brightline announced that Siemens Mobility has been designated the “preferred bidder” to build trainsets for the Brightline West high-speed rail project that will connect Las Vegas and Southern California. The contract will include a fleet of ten seven-car “American Pioneer 220” (AP 220) units to be manufactured, delivered to Nevada and tested to support Brightline West’s timeline of initiating service in 2028.

The announcement came after a multi-year competitive procurement process conducted among multiple global competitors. The selection, which is subject to the conclusion of definitive agreements, is based on specific criteria that included price, manufacturing schedule, train performance (e. g. speed and travel time), ADA compliance, passenger amenities and total passenger capacity. In addition, the criteria considered future interoperability with the California High-Speed Rail project. 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, NV.  At this 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.

With the selection, Siemens will introduce the AP220 trainsets which represent a new generation of innovative high-speed technology, featuring the latest in passenger experience, cutting-edge digital technology, and a revolutionary propulsion system, built specifically for the U.S. market. These trains are an evolution of the proven Velaro platform and represent the very first contract for the Velaro Novo platform. Siemens will establish a new facility to build the AP220s and will announce the location of America’s first true high-speed rail production center when the contract is finalized.

The AP 220 will be the first true high-speed train sets to be built in America and are designed for operational speeds of up to 220 miles per hour (354 km/h). The AP220 features an ultrawide carbody designed for unparalleled passenger comfort and designed to be the most accessible train on the market, exceeding ADA requirements and allowing for guests in wheelchairs to move with ease from car to car.

The seven-car trains will carry between 434 - 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.

On 22 April 2024, Brightline West celebrated its groundbreaking. The 350 km/h system will be constructed in the median of the I-15 and is based on Brightline’s vision to connect city pairs that are too short to fly and too far to drive. The system will have stops in Las Vegas, Nev., as well as Victor Valley, Hesperia and Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. The 12 billion USD project was recently awarded 3 billion USD in funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. The rest of the project will be privately funded.