Nation’s first 220 mph trains are on their way to the Central Valley
MERCED, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – The nation’s first 220 mph trains are a step closer to running up and down the Central Valley.
The California High-Speed Rail Authority is now asking both Alstom Transportation and Siemens Mobility for their proposals to manufacture high-speed trainsets.
Hydrogen trains are coming to the Central Valley
Once approved, the contract will fund six trainsets capable of operating at 220 mph – and tested up to 242 mph. The contract will include two prototype trainsets to support testing and trial running, as well as four trains for passenger operations on the 171-mile Merced to Bakersfield section.
The High-Speed Rail Authority says their work has so far created more than 13,000 construction jobs, mostly in the Central Valley. They have begun work to extend the 119 miles currently under constriction to 171 miles of future electrified high-speed rail from Merced to Bakersfield.
There are currently over 25 active construction sites in the Central Valley, with the Authority having also fully environmentally cleared 422 miles of the high-speed rail program from the Bay Area to Los Angeles County.
The authority hopes to award a contract by the end of the year, with the proposals themselves due in the fall.
