Horseheads lands new Siemens Mobility high-speed rail manufacturing facility, 300 jobs

Posted by Admin September 9, 2024 Jobs

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America’s newest high-speed rail system will feature trainsets manufactured in the Southern Tier.

Siemens Mobility has elected to build a massive high-speed rail production center in Horseheads that will create roughly 300 jobs, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said Monday.

A press conference is scheduled for noon at 120 Wygant Rd. in Horseheads.

The new facility will manufacture the American Pioneer 220 trainsets for Brightline West. The AP 220 trains, the fastest in the U.S., will operate on a high-speed rail line currently under construction connecting Las Vegas and Southern California.

“Siemens’ investment in Upstate NY will lay the foundation for the next chapter of our nation’s transportation future, making high-speed rail, what only a few years ago seemed like a dream, but because of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law is becoming a reality,” said Schumer. “After months of relentless advocacy, I am proud to announce this massive 300-job first of its kind manufacturing facility for America is coming to Upstate NY.”

What to know about new facility, jobs impact in Chemung County

The manufacturing facility is planned near the former Holding Point site owned by Southern Tier Logistics since 2021. In March, the Chemung County IDA was awarded a $4 million FAST NY grant to make the site “shovel ready” for development, supporting a variety of infrastructure improvements.

The Siemens manufacturing plant will cover almost 300,000 square feet. The facility is expected to create jobs in electro-mechanical assembly, quality management, quality control, industrial production and test engineering, project management, supply chain management, and logistics.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) has already reached a memorandum of understanding with Siemens to represent the employees who will work at the site.

“This partnership is more than just a moment. It’s a new chapter for the future of rail transportation, with good union jobs creating lasting economic benefits for generations to come,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant, who thanked Schumer for “ensuring that skilled IAM members were at the forefront of this project.”

What to know about the AP 220 trainsets, Brightline project

The AP 220 trains are designed to operate at up to 220 miles per hour. The high-speed rail system is expected to cut the travel time from Las Vegas to Southern California down to two hours, compared to four via car. The seven-car trains will be able to carry up to 450 passengers.

The $12 billion Brightline project, a public-private partnership, was awarded $3 billion from the bipartisan infrastructure bill passed in 2021. The rail system broke ground earlier this year.

“Bringing high-speed rail to America is no longer a dream, but a reality. With Leader Schumer, the Biden Administration and Brightline’s leadership we will transform the way Americans travel,” 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.”

When will production start in Horseheads?

Siemens Mobility said production at the new Horseheads facility is expected to start in 2026. Brightline’s federal funding included “Buy America” requirements aimed at boosting U.S. industry. The company requested a waiver to construct the first two AP220 trains in Germany while building out the U.S. supply chain.

AP220 trainsets are expected to be delivered ahead of service beginning in 2028, in time for the Los Angeles Summer Olympics.

Why was Southern Tier a fit for new rail manufacturing facility?

Brightline West named Siemens Mobility its preferred bidder in May, edging out Alstom, which also would have produced the trains in the Southern Tier at the company’s Hornell manufacturing hub.

Schumer then pushed for Siemens build out a production facility in the Southern Tier, highlighting a local workforce with extensive experience in the transportation industry.

Hornell and Elmira have rich rail manufacturing traditions, anchored today by Alstom and CAF USA, respectively. A network of smaller suppliers has also sprung up over the years.

“Upstate New York is unmatched in rail car manufacturing capabilities, with a deep proud history pioneering the rail industry and a community that is excited to get to work building America’s future,” said Schumer. “Siemens Mobility is an excellent addition to the outstanding manufacturers already in this region, and I am thrilled they heeded my call to come to New York and will join the railcar manufacturing ecosystem right here in the Southern Tier.

“All eyes are on this major step in the modernization of America’s infrastructure and the Southern Tier will be at the forefront!”