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 the full press release here.

Read a fact sheet from the Midwestern states here.