USA: The California High-Speed Rail Authority has shortlisted two qualified bidders for a planned contract to supply high speed trainsets for the project.
They are Alstom Transportation Inc and Siemens Mobility Inc.
The authority expects to release the request for proposals in the coming months, followed by the award of a contract later this year.
This would cover the design, supply and commissioning of the trainsets and the provision of 30 years of maintenance, along with the supply of a driving simulator. The contract will require compliance with the Buy America Act.
The announcement of the shortlist follows the confirmation in December of nearly $3·1bn of federal funding for the high speed rail project, including for six electric trainsets.
‘These world-class vendors ensure that we are procuring the latest generation of high-speed trains’, said Authority CEO Brian Kelly on January 5. ‘With this recent federal grant, we are able to move forward with this major step on the project, purchasing trains capable of speeds of more than 220 mile/h [355 km/h] to move passengers here in California in a way that transforms the passenger rail experience.’
