SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Amtrak plans to spend $7.3 billion to replace 83 passenger trains, some of which are nearly a half-century old.
The U.S. national passenger railroad says it is contracting with a unit of Siemens AG of Germany to build the trains at a U.S. factory in Sacramento. Much of the funding for the contract hasn’t been approved by Congress, however. But Amtrak says it can finance the purchases if needed. Amtrak says in a statement Wednesday that some of the trains will be hybrids, able to operate on diesel fuel and electricity where wires are available.
A representative for Siemens said the company plans to build the trains through 2030 and will hire personnel as needed.
"The new equipment will operate on the Northeast Corridor, long distance Palmetto and various state-supported routes that will replace Amtrak-owned Amfleet, Metroliner, and state-owned equipment on certain routes throughout the country," the press release announcing the plan says.
The new trains will start running in 2024 and will have more comfortable seating, better ventilation systems, individual power outlets and USB ports, and onboard WiFi.
"These new trains, some of which will be our first hybrid battery operations in the United States, will transform the way Americans travel," Michael Cahill, President of Siemens Mobility, Rolling Stock in North America, said in the press release. "Offering a more sustainable and comfortable travel experience, they will be built for excellence and built with pride in Sacramento. Over the past decade, we've worked closely with Amtrak and its state partners to develop and deliver trains that meet the needs of America's travelers, these next generation trainsets build on that experience and offer much more."
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