LOCAL

400 manufacturing jobs coming to Alstom in Hornell

Jeff Murray
jmurray@stargazette.com | @SGJeffMurray

A new deal between Amtrak and Alstom in Hornell to manufacture high-speed trains is expected to create 750 jobs in New York State, including 400 direct manufacturing jobs at the Hornell rail car maker, according to U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer.

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., greets employees Sept. 21 at the Alstom Transport factory in Hornell.

The Amtrak board of directors is expected to vote this week to support finalization of negotiations with Alstom to provide new Next Generation High-Speed trains for Amtrak's Acela Express service as part of a $2.5 billion program, Schumer announced Monday.

Schumer, D-N.Y., also helped secure federal funding that will help finance the project.

“Amtrak and Alstom signing on the dotted line is the final stop in this long journey to bring hundreds of good-paying jobs to the economically struggling Southern Tier,” Schumer said in a news release. “This contract is a win-win-win that will improve rail safety, bring jobs to upstate New York, and improve the Amtrak experience for passengers along the entire Northeast Corridor.”

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Alstom has manufactured and serviced trains across the United States for more than 150 years. The company employs more than 1,000 people in upstate New York.

Schumer lobbied for more than a year to gain the federal approvals needed, including a major federal loan for Amtrak, to make this project a reality.

Last September, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., was at the Alstom plant in Hornell to announce a $2.5 billion contract from Amtrak for Alstom to build the next generation of high-speed Acela trains.

The Acela Express service is at a critical stage because the leases on its current trains, which were acquired in 1994, are set to expire in the next six to eight years, Schumer said. As a result, he said, Amtrak must advance the production of its next generation of high-speed trains quickly, as they will not only replace the existing fleet but also greatly improve service, capacity, reliability, safety and trip times.

The Acela Express service has set revenue and ridership records over the past several years. In  2014, Acela Express saw 28 days where daily trips exceeded 14,000 passengers, compared with just five such days in 2013. As passenger ridership is projected to continue increasing in the coming years, and with Amtrak offering affordable fares, officials say there is a significant need to increase the capacity size for Amtrak trains as soon as possible.

Officials expect the massive contract to have a significant ripple effect across the upstate economy.

“We join with Sen. Schumer in celebrating the near completion of the contract. We care about creating the quality, family-sustaining jobs in our region," U.S. Rep. Tom Reed, R-Corning, said in a statement. "This funding recognizes that we have a workforce that is second to none and will have a long-lasting, positive impact on our community."

Follow Jeff Murray on Twitter @SGJeffMurray.

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