WASHINGTON — 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, with the first trains off the assembly line to serve the Cascades route in the Pacific Northwest. This line typically runs from Vancouver, British Columbia to Eugene, Oregon.
Amtrak said in a release 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.
“We look forward to the delivery of the new trains for Amtrak Cascades service. They will enhance the passenger experience on one of the most beautiful train routes in the country,” said Ron Pate, Washington State Department of Transportation Director of Rail, Freight and Ports in a release. “Since our trains will be the first off the assembly line, it’s exciting they’ll be unveiled in the Pacific Northwest.”
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."
The trains will also provide improved structural safety. With the expanded capacity and the ability to shorten trip time, Amtrak expects the new equipment to add over 1.5 million riders, annually.
Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn said in the release, “These new trains will reshape the future of rail travel by replacing our aging 40-to-50-year old fleet with state-of-the-art, American-made equipment.”