Amtrak issues RFI for NEC HSR trainsets

[DJ MC]

WASHINGTON – Amtrak and the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) are 

joining forces in the search for proven high-speed rail (HSR) train sets currently being 

manufactured and in commercial service that are capable of operating safely at speeds up to 220 

mph on both Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor (NEC) and on California’s developing HSR corridor. 

 

Amtrak, in conjunction with California, is today formally issuing a Request for 

Information (RFI) to start the process.

 

The partnership advances each of their respective HSR 

programs, and could create efficiencies by ordering trains of similar specifications and develop a 

U.S. standard for HSR train equipment that can be manufactured and supplied domestically and 

produced for the rest of the world. A Request for Proposal could be issued by September 2013 

with an order placed during 2014. 

 

 

News release is here. 

 

Source

 

The RFI is on here.

 

Source

[Turbo19]

This is great news! Awesome to see Amtrak and the California High-Speed Rail Authority working together on this RFI.

 

It's also great to see the preliminary stages prior to the implementation of HSR in the State of California.

[DJ MC]

This is great news! Awesome to see Amtrak and the California High-Speed Rail Authority working together on this RFI.

 

It's also great to see the preliminary stages prior to the implementation of HSR in the State of California.

 

Yep. The ordering being placed in 2014 is pretty ambitious. 

[QM1to6Ave]

finally! I can't wait to fly down the NEC on Amtrak

[ML111]

finally! I can't wait to fly down the NEC on Amtrak

 

It's still going to be quite a while before that happens.  Not only does a huge amount of dedicated funding need to be allocated for infrastructure improvements and new projects, but there has to be an overwhelmingly positive response from both sides of the aisle.