ROCHESTER, N.Y.--()--One day after the U.S. Department of Transportation announced more than $2 billion in funding for high-speed intercity rail projects, officials of Alstom Transport today detailed their company’s effort to support new jobs created by upgrades to America’s transportation network. In the last year, Alstom has invested more than $3 million USD to enhance its 150,000 square foot rail signaling manufacturing facility in West Henrietta, enabling the site to accommodate approximately 200 new jobs.
“As gas prices rise and families look for environmentally-friendly transportation alternatives, President Obama is committed to making sure our freight and passenger rail networks move people and goods more quickly and efficiently than ever before”
The announcement was made during an event at Alstom’s Rochester facility that included remarks from U.S. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary John Porcari, New York State Transportation Commissioner Joan McDonald, regional labor leaders, and a representative of the Apollo Alliance. The Apollo Alliance is a national coalition of labor, business, and community leaders that support investments in mass transit and other infrastructure projects that create jobs and keep America competitive in the global transit marketplace.
“As gas prices rise and families look for environmentally-friendly transportation alternatives, President Obama is committed to making sure our freight and passenger rail networks move people and goods more quickly and efficiently than ever before,” said Deputy Secretary Porcari. “Thanks to companies like Alstom, American workers are building the rail lines and equipment that will allow us to compete and win in the global economy.”
In addition to benefits realized through job creation linked to projects throughout the U.S., New York received several direct investments through the recent round of federal rail funding. These included $295 million to alleviate delays for trains traveling the Northeast Corridor in and out of Manhattan, $58 million to upgrade tracks, stations and signals along the state’s Empire Corridor, and $1.4 million for a new intermodal station in Rochester.
"With Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s vision and support, the New York State Department of Transportation is committed to helping to reinvigorate our economy through an environmentally responsible, multimodal transportation system,” added Joan McDonald, Commissioner of the New York State Department of Transportation. “I salute Alstom Transport and the Apollo Alliance for working to create jobs in the Empire State and promoting sustainable transportation."
Over the past six months, Alstom has secured several large-scale transportation projects valued at well over $300 million USD. Among these are an upgraded signaling and train control system for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, as well as a complete overhaul and modernization of 120 rail cars for the Delaware River Port Authority’s PATCO system. Alstom also marked several recent milestones in its North American signaling activities, including receipt of the first Federal Railroad Administration type approval for U.S. deployment of a fully-functional positive train control (PTC) system. The investments announced today will enhance the company’s ability to deliver these projects, and others for which it is currently bidding.
Guillaume Mehlman, Alstom Transport’s Managing Director in North America, said, “Alstom has seen first-hand how federal and state investments in rail transportation projects help companies like ours create good jobs. We are expanding our facility in Rochester and hiring several hundred people in order to meet additional demand created by such investments. We applaud federal, state, and local policy makers who see the linkage between investing in the nation’s rail transportation system and creating good jobs.”
Brian Lombardozzi of the Apollo Alliance, said, “Alstom’s success provides proof that this global industry is booming and creating jobs at a faster pace than most other sectors of the economy. Apollo and our affiliates on the ground in New York strongly support increased federal investments in transit to create jobs, grow the economy and clean our air…meeting what our Board Member Leo Gerard, President of the United Steel Workers, calls “the triple bottom line.”
Since 1904, Alstom Signaling and its predecessors have delivered technological advancements to meet the evolving needs of America’s freight and passenger lines. Alstom Transport is expanding its Rochester facility to meet the market for PTC equipment and the broader market for rail transport signaling equipment. Alstom also operates the largest rail passenger rolling stock manufacturing facility in the United States, located in Hornell, New York. That facility is capable of producing 50 transit cars, 280 traction motors and 110 production trucks in a single month.
About Alstom - www.alstom.com/us
About Apollo Alliance - apolloalliance.org/
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