Amtrak
Amtrak on LinkedIn recently shared a first look (see images below) of its new Siemens Mobility-built Airo trainsets as they prepare for shipment. According to the company, testing is scheduled to begin soon.
The Airo trainsets, which will replace aging Amtrak-owned Amfleet I equipment, are expected to debut in 2026 on the railroad’s Cascade service before operating on routes throughout the country.
Amtrak awarded Siemens Mobility $3.4 billion in contracts in July 2021 to design, manufacture and provide technical support services and maintenance for 83 trainsets of three power configurations, with options for up to 130 additional trainsets.
Amtrak Airo trainsets, of which there are three configurations, “are built for the future,” Amtrak says, and will “elevate the journey with a focus on comfort and efficiency.” The new equipment, which is being built in Siemens Mobility’s California plant, features “a modern design with world-class amenities.” The Airo name, one of several considered, blends the word, “aerodynamics,” with Amtrak’s original 1971 arrow logo, with inspiration (mainly the letter “A”) from Amtrak’s higher-speed Acela Northeast Corridor service. All configurations have a cab car and a Siemens Charger AC-traction diesel-electric locomotive equipped with a Cummins QSK95 4,400-hp Tier IV-compliant prime-mover.
Additionally, Chicago Governor JB Pritzker on July 22 joined state and national transit leaders to celebrate 100 years of Chicago’s Union Station.
Alongside Amtrak leadership, Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi and Regional Transit Authority Chairman Kirk Dillard, Governor Pritzker “touted Chicago’s status as a critical transit hub for the Midwest and entire nation.” With more than 100,000 passengers passing through each day, Chicago’s Union Station is the third busiest rail terminal in the U.S.. Located in the heart of the nation’s busiest freight rail hub, Union Station “serves as a critical nexus for economic development and connectivity,” the Office of the Governor stated in a release.
As a large part of Chicago’s architectural legacy, Union Station has seen many renovations and upgrades in recent years, with nearly $70 million in station improvements. Through federal, state, and local partnerships like the Chicago Hub Improvement Program (CHIP), Amtrak is collaborating with Metra to transform intercity passenger rail service and improve train infrastructure across the Chicagoland Region, reducing carbon emissions in the process. With 2.7+ million Amtrak and 30+ million Metra riders every year, the CHIP initiative, the Office of the Governor says, “builds on the Pritzker administration’s efforts to prioritize safety and affordability for commuters across Illinois.”
Collectively, Amtrak and Illinois have been awarded $583.7 million in federal funding for projects supporting the CHIP program and Chicago’s Union Station. This includes:
- $93.6 million from the Federal Railroad Administration’s Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail.
- $291 million from the Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant.
- $40 million in other federal grants for Union Station secured through Illinois delegation member Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05).
Other efforts to modernize the State’s transportation and infrastructure include the bipartisan Rebuild Illinois infrastructure bill, which invests $45 billion over six years to improve roads, bridges, and railways across Illinois. As part of Rebuild Illinois, the State says it has committed $2.6 billion towards passenger and freight rail investments. The State has also applied for and earned crucial federal funding to address service upgrades, station facilities, and rail infrastructure to support Illinois as a transit hub, according to the release.
LA Metro
LA Metro on July 21 announced its expanded partnership with retailer WSS, which is now sponsoring the agency’s GoPass Program for nearly 17,000 students enrolled in the Lynwood Unified and Inglewood Unified School Districts. Students in the GoPass program benefit from free, unlimited rides on Metro trains and buses as well as 18 additional participating municipal transit operators for the 2025-2026 school year.
Last school year, WSS sponsored GoPass for the approximately 11,000 students at Lynwood Unified. Lynwood students took more than 42,000 rides between July 2024 and May 2025, according to the agency.
The program is available to students at more than 1,600 K-12 schools and community colleges in 133 participating school districts, including Los Angeles Unified School District, Long Beach Unified School District, Los Angeles Community College District, Long Beach Community College District and more.
Participating schools distribute TAP cards and activation codes so students can ride transit to school, extracurricular activities or work without the worry of paying fares. Students can activate their cards on the online GoPass portal or by calling 866.TAPTOGO. They also have the option of using a virtual TAP card on the TAP LA App.
GoPass participants can take unlimited free rides on Metro bus and rail, Antelope Valley Transit Authority, Burbank Bus, City of Commerce Transit, Culver CityBus, Foothill Transit, Glendale Beeline, Glendora Transit, GTrans, LADOT DASH, LA County Shuttles, Lawndale Beat, Long Beach Transit, Lynwood Trolley, Montebello Bus, Norwalk Transit, Pasadena Transit, Santa Monica Big Blue Bus and Torrance Transit.
More information is available here.
