Siemens has won a $466m contract to build 70 electric locomotives for US rail operator Amtrak for its Northeast and Keystone corridor lines in Pennsylvania.
The new locomotives will meet the latest Federal Railroad Administration requirements and be customised to operate on the Northeast corridor at a sustained speed of 125mph, according to Siemens.
The company also said it would use renewable energy to build the locomotives and that they will include energy efficient features such as regenerative braking.
The locomotives will be manufactured in Siemens' existing unit in Sacramento, California, while all main components of the new locomotive including motors and propulsion containers will be produced in Siemens plants in Alpharetta and Norcross in Georgia.
The first locomotives will be delivered in 2013.
The purchase is part of Amtrak's 30-year fleet expansion plan.
