Siemens today announced that it has been awarded a $466 million contract to build 70 electric locomotives for Amtrak’s Northeast and Keystone Corridor lines as part of Amtrak’s landmark fleet rejuvenation initiative. The contract will require an additional 250 people to build the locomotives, with 200 in Sacramento, Calif. and 50 collectively in Norwood, Ohio and Alpharetta, Ga. The locomotives will be built at Siemens’ existing light rail manufacturing facility in Sacramento, Calif. The plant, which has been in operation for 26 years, is powered up to 80 percent by two megawatts of solar energy and employs 750 people. All main components of the new locomotive will be produced in Siemens plants in the United States – including the motors in Alpharetta and propulsion containers in Norcross, Ga. The first locomotives will be delivered in 2013.
“As the global leader in rail innovation, we are thrilled that Amtrak has selected our proven locomotive technology and that this project will create 250 new green manufacturing jobs in the United States,” said Daryl Dulaney, president and CEO, Siemens Industry, Inc. “These locomotives will be built in America using renewable energy and provide cleaner, more efficient movement of people on the most heavily traveled rail route in the country.”
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