Passenger Trains > NY Times Article On Siemens Trains

Gift Article

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/travel/amtrak-new-train-airo.html?unlocked_article_code=1.SFA.mBW2._KztieBEQq6T&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

This is an excellent article giving readers great expectations for the future.  Does anyone know the status of the Siemens factorry in Lexington NC which will also build these cars?  The article says Siemens can build 1 car a day when it's at full capacity.  Wonder if this includes Lexington being up and running?

This is a great read - thanks for sharing



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/10/26 09:57 by amtrakbill.

From the pictures, it looks like those seats are different from the god awful seats in the Venture series coaches.  But I'm going to take a wait and see attitude.  I have a trip to the PNW for later this year, so I can, among other things, check out the new train sets.  



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/11/26 05:59 by agent1522.

agent1522 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> From the pictures, it looks like those seats are
> v\different from the god awful seats in the
> Venture series coaches.  But I'm going to take a
> wait and see attitude.  I have a trip to the PNW
> for later this year, so I can, among other things,
> check out the new train sets.  

The bottom of the seat back slides forward as well preserving some lumbar support. But it still means slouching forward rather than reclining back. 

"Still, the seats might take some adjustment for Amtrak riders used to the old trains’ cushiony loungers. Passengers who criticized the stiff chairs on Amtrak’s new Acela may be disappointed that, when I sat in an Airo seat, it felt similarly firm."

Thank you - filmteknik !   Very enjoyable article  ,  good to see the wheel chair in operation with the fold down vestibule steps adjacent  . 

The Siemens plant in Lexington, NC is on 200 acres adjacent to the ex-Southern main line a few miles south of the town center. Many satellite images don't show it yet. I believe it's still in ramp-up. 

Now if their locomotives are reliable!

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/10/26 11:56 by ProAmtrak.

amtrakbill Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Does anyone know
> the status of the Siemens factorry in Lexington NC
> which will also build these cars?  

ctillnc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Siemens plant in Lexington, NC is on 200 acres
> adjacent to the ex-Southern main line a few miles
> south of the town center. Many satellite images
> don't show it yet. I believe it's still in
> ramp-up. 

The buildings (all of them?) have been erected, dried in, lights on.  There are usually a lot of vehicles in the parking lot.  Construction may be taking place on the inside, but most of the main buildings on site appear to be complete.  There is a track that goes in to the site, but it hasn't oficially been placed in to service yet as far as I know.