Siemens' New Factory: Fresh Trains for NC & Beyond

0:00It's April 3rd. This is Durham News today, your AI-powered local news. Siemens Mobility just fired up a massive factory in Lexington, North Carolina, cranking out brand-new passenger coaches for Amtrak's Carolinian and Piedmont trains. These rides will hit the tracks in the state in a few years, replacing old cars with fresh arrow models. The plant kicked off Assembly a year ago, and the first batch rolls out this month for the Northeast Corridor. They are celebrating with a big grand opening on Friday, where Governor Josh Stein, Amtrak's president Roger Harris, and the head of the federal, Railroad Administration will speak. This ties into Amtrak's $7.3 billion deal with Siemens, the biggest fleet upgrade since 1971 for up to 83. Trains worth of coaches and locomotives. North Carolina lured the factory here with a $5.64 million jobs grant over 12 years, picking the spot for its 200. Acres right on the rail line, and solid local workforce.

1:00Siemens is also building for Brightline and Florida, and commuter lines in New York and Wisconsin, easing the load from their bigger California plan. Hiring's been smooth, but training folks to build these high-tech trains from wiring 32.5 miles per car to installing seats is the real hustle. The set of flows like a classic assembly line, pulling from thousands of parts stored nearby, with over 2,000 suppliers feeding in components. Soon, North Carolina Department of Transportation subsidized Carolinian from Charlotte to New York gets these upgrades by 2028, and the Piedmont from Raleigh to Charlotte follows by 2032, making those trips smoother and more reliable for riders up and down the east.