Today is a landmark day for the future of American passenger rail. Siemens Mobility has officially opened the doors to its brand-new, $220 million manufacturing facility in Lexington, North Carolina.

For rail advocates across the U.S. and here at All Aboard Ohio, the opening of this massive new East Coast hub is about unlocking a dramatic increase in the speed at which new passenger trains are delivered across the country.

Doubling Down on Delivery Speed

For years, the U.S. rail industry has faced a bottleneck. With a nationwide renaissance in passenger rail, demand for modern, reliable rolling stock has skyrocketed. Until now, Siemens relied heavily on its bustling Sacramento facility to churn out the nation's passenger trains. With the Lexington plant now online, Siemens has vastly expanded its U.S. production footprint.

What does this mean for riders? Speed. This facility will dramatically accelerate the production timeline for new passenger rail orders. By adding hundreds of thousands of square feet of manufacturing space and bringing the supply chain closer to East Coast and Midwest customers, Siemens is well-positioned to slash the backlog and deliver modern trainsets faster than ever before.

As Tobias Bauer, CEO of Siemens Mobility North America, noted at the opening today:

Accelerating the Amtrak Airo

One of the most exciting aspects of this newly expanded capacity is what it means for the Amtrak Airo.

Amtrak’s new Airo trainsets are slated to replace the aging Amfleet equipment on state-supported and regional routes across the country. Packed with panoramic windows, improved accessibility, and spacious seating, the Airo represents a massive leap forward for the passenger experience.

With the Lexington facility now fully operational, the production rate for these highly anticipated Airo trainsets can be supercharged. Instead of waiting years for new equipment to slowly trickle out of a single plant, Amtrak and its state partners was able to plan a much swifter deployment of the Airo fleet.

Why This Matters for Ohio

Here in the Buckeye State, the state will start planning rail equipment orders within the year for proposed routes, including the vital 3C+D (Cleveland-Columbus-Cincinnati-Dayton) corridor and the Cleveland, Toledo Detroit corridor. One of the biggest logistical hurdles has always been equipment procurement.

You can't launch new service without trains.

The opening of the Lexington plant guarantees that when Ohio is ready to lay down new routes and expand frequencies, the rolling stock will be not far away. A faster turnaround time for new trains means fewer delays in launching new corridors, upgrading existing Midwest lines, and getting Ohioans moving.

The tracks are being laid, the factories are humming, and the trains are being built faster than ever.