SIEMENS Mobility officially opened its new manufacturing facility in Lexington, North Carolina, on April 3. Built at a cost of $US 220m, the new plant comprises 10 buildings across an 80ha site and will initially produce Venture coaches for the fleet of 83 push-pull Airo trains that Siemens is supplying to Amtrak. Delivery of the first vehicles is scheduled for this summer.
The facility is also described as Siemens’ first plant in North America to offer coach and locomotive overhaul. Once fully operational, it will serve as the company’s East Coast rail services hub, supporting maintenance and overhaul work for bogies, locomotives and coaches, with the potential to undertake LRV maintenance in the future.
Siemens says the Lexington site will deploy the latest digital technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, real-time analytics, and augmented reality.
“By creating more than 500 skilled jobs and expanding our US production and service footprint, we are bringing advanced rail manufacturing closer to our East Coast customers, while strengthening support for partners across the country,” says Tobias Bauer, CEO of Siemens Mobility North America.
The plant features a bridge connecting to the Norfolk Southern (NS) Danville District main line.
