Siemens Mobility is building a new plant in Horseheads, N.Y. to manufacture the American Pioneer 220 high-speed trainsets for Brightline West. Described as “North America’s first true high-speed rail production facility,” the new, 300,000-square-foot plant represents an approximately $60 million investment and is expected to employ 300 workers, many of whom will be represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM).
Horseheads, located near Norfolk Southern’s Southern Tier line (former Erie/Erie-Lackawanna/Penn Central/Conrail), was selected “for its skilled workforce, industrial history and ability to best meet the needs of Brightline West.” Horseheads is located in New York State’s Southern Tier region, just north of Elmira. The facility, which will be located in the Horseheads Industrial Center in the Holding Point area of town*, will feature full-scale high-speed rail production, from components to final assembly and functional testing. Production is expected to begin in 2026.
The 300 jobs include 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 said. The company has a memorandum of understanding in place with the IAM for union representation at the new site.
The American Pioneer (AP) 220 will operate on Brightline West’s 218-mile, $12 billion Las Vegas-Southern California electrified high-speed rail line, now under construction and expected to open in 2028. Based on the Siemens Velaro trainset and configured as an electric multiple-unit, it will be equipped with “gearless” distributed traction and will feature a maximum operating speed of 220 mph, and digital technologies including Railigent X, from the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio. Siemens is building 10 trainsets; the contract includes 30 years of rolling stock maintenance to be performed at Brightline West’s Vehicle Maintenance Facility in Sloan, Nev., where crews will perform routine daily maintenance as well as long-term overhauls and repairs.
“With an unmatched passenger experience, it is an ultrawide body train, designed to meet the needs of passengers today and into the future,” said Siemens. “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 [ blow the doors off] 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 and enjoy a beverage and views of the desert along the commute.”
“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. That jobs are being created thousands of miles 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 more than 200 mph, these trains will be marked by the latest innovations designed for the modern traveler and establishing a new benchmark in transportation.”
“Bringing high-speed rail to America is no longer a dream, but a reality,” said Marc Buncher, CEO Siemens Mobility North America. “Continuing our more than four-decade legacy of building trains in America, the American Pioneer 220s will be American-made in New York by a team of more than 300 skilled team members.”
“This is an exciting time not only for us at Siemens Mobility, but for the rail industry as a whole,” said Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility. “This new facility in Horseheads marks the beginning of a brand-new industry in the U.S., 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.”
“This partnership is more than just a moment,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “It’s a new chapter for the future of rail transportation, with good union jobs creating lasting economic benefits for generations to come. The IAM looks forward to continuing its strong partnership with Siemens, ensuring that this project sets the standard for excellence in manufacturing while also supporting the community and enhancing the livelihoods of union members.”
*EDITOR’S COMMENTARY: According to Wikipedia, the area has quite an interesting history: “The Holding Point is an area in the Town of Horseheads that is the site of the Horseheads Industrial Center. The name dates back to World War II, when the federal government used eminent domain to obtain 700 acres of farmland north of the Village of Horseheads to hold German prisoners of war and to store ammunition, jeeps and other war supplies. The land reverted to civilian control after the war and since has been converted to an industrial center and recreational sports complex. Schlumberger Technology Corp. owns a significant portion of the Holding Point as they prepare the lot for gas drilling in New York.” More interesting is that a team of German rocket scientists led by Werhner Von Braun who emigrated to the United States after World War II developed the Redstone, Atlas and Saturn boosters that put NASA astronauts in space and got us to the the moon in 1969. Decades later, Siemens’ German-based engineering will give the U.S. its first true high-speed trains. I think that’s really something! – William C. Vantuono
