RFP issued for new passenger rail cars on 8 Midwestern corridors

Secretary LaHood has announced a $551 million RFP for the U.S. manufacturing of approximately 130 new bi-level passenger rail cars, including 88 passenger cars that will run on 8 corridors in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, and potentially Iowa. Illinois is the lead Midwestern state on the joint passenger rail equipment purchase that was awarded $268 million through the High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail program last May (2011). In addition, two other HSIPR awards that Illinois received (for the Chicago-St. Louis and Chicago-Omaha corridors) have additional funding for equipment included.

The Buy America provision of the RFP requires that all components of the new bi-level cars are built by American workers with American-produced steel, iron and manufactured goods.

According to the press release, selection of the manufacturer will occur this fall, and the cars will be delivered starting in 2015.

Read a fact sheet from the Midwestern states here.