The race is on to see which company will supply high-speed electric trains for California's federally funded bullet train network. And interested parties will have to be fast: 220 mph fast, to be exact.
The California High-Speed Rail Authority board of directors just approved a request for proposals for the United States' first 220 mph trains, the group announced.
The list of pre-approved companies is already down to two: Alstom Transportation, Inc., and Siemens Mobility, Inc. The two firms were announced on the shortlist in January.
"Today's board action continues our urgent march to put federal dollars to work, creating new industries and economic opportunity around high-speed rail. By the end of this year, we will know who will build California's first high-speed trains, setting the course for better, more accessible rail travel in California," California High-Speed Rail Authority board chair Tom Richards said.
Even though the make and model of train has yet to be selected, work on the project is well underway. There are more than 25 active construction sites, according to the authority, which have created more than 13,000 labor jobs in the state.
When the trains are finally usable, they will be a major convenience for people traveling around California. They will also be a major win for our planet. According to a study published in the journal Transport Policy, train travel produces only one-seventh as much planet-overheating pollution as commercial air travel.
Studies have also shown train travel — in particular, electric train travel — to be far more planet-friendly than traveling by car.
According to one calculation, every mile you travel by existing public transit options instead of by car can save 0.75 pounds of planet-overheating emissions.
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And while other countries — such as, notably, China — have much more robust rail systems than the United States, the California high-speed rail system could be the first step toward the U.S. catching up.
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