As high-speed rail projects are finally getting off the ground in the United States, one German company is stepping in to lend its expertise, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
Railway manufacturer PCM Railone AG is building a $20 million facility in North Las Vegas to help supply material for Brightline West, a privately owned high-speed rail project that will connect Vegas to Southern California at speeds of nearly 200 mph.
PCM Railone AG will produce and ship concrete ties, which weigh about 600 pounds each, for the project.
The company chose its location specifically to cater to Brightline West. "Logistically, transporting 600 pounds of concrete blocks … from one corner to another corner of the U.S. makes no sense. We are setting up in North Las Vegas since we will be right where the construction of [Brightline West] is going to start," said Saurav Mittal, CEO of North America operations.
The company hopes to continue supplying other West Coast high-speed rail projects into the future. "We want to be in this region for as long as possible," Mittal added.
Studies have shown that high-speed rail is the most planet-friendly form of long distance travel, creating far fewer planet-overheating emissions per passenger than cars or planes. However, as the U.S. government has lagged far behind other countries — most notably, China — in terms of beginning construction on a high-speed network, the privately owned Brightline has stepped into the void.
Brightline's first line debuted in Florida six years ago, to rave reviews from customers.
The other most notable high-speed rail project in the U.S. is the California High-Speed Rail system, also still under construction. Officials have also proposed high-speed rail networks in Texas and the Pacific Northwest, though those have yet to gain approval.
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