[June 15, 2013]SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. Pat Quinn
announced Thursday that significant progress has been made in
preparing the "Request for Proposals," or RFP, for approximately 35
high-performance diesel-electric locomotives for Illinois, Michigan,
Missouri and Iowa in the Midwest, and for Washington and California
on the West Coast. The Illinois Department of Transportation is
leading the multistate locomotive procurement as work continues on
an aggressive schedule aimed at issuing the Request for Proposal in
July.
"I have directed IDOT to complete the procurement as expeditiously
as possible," Quinn said. "I am pleased to be moving closer to a
target date and that the release date for the RFP for high-speed
locomotives is anticipated to occur sometime in July. We are
thrilled to be leading this multistate procurement and securing
Illinois' role as a national leader in high-speed rail."
"This is an exciting time for the state of Illinois," said
Illinois Transportation Secretary Ann L. Schneider. "This locomotive
procurement has the support and confidence of the Federal Railroad
Administration and Gov. Quinn, and we couldn't be more proud to lead
this crucial procurement effort. Our goal is to offer 110 mph
service on as much of the Chicago-St. Louis corridor as we can by
late 2015, using existing locomotives. Another portion will be ready
for 110 in 2017, and these locomotives will play a key role in
making that happen. That's why we are moving quickly to get this
procurement underway as soon as possible."
In March the governor announced the Federal Railroad
Administration's recommendation that Illinois lead the multistate
procurement of next-generation locomotives for high-speed rail. With
the consent of the partnering states, IDOT is leading the effort to
procure approximately 35 next-generation diesel locomotives for
high-speed passenger trains for the six-state coalition. The Federal
Railroad Administration has allocated $808 million to manufacture
the next generation of passenger rail equipment, including
approximately 35 new locomotives and 130 bi-level rail cars. The
locomotives are to meet standards developed by the Next Generation
Equipment Committee, a team of government and rail industry experts.
IDOT was involved last year in a multistate procurement of the
130 next-generation bi-level rail cars for high-speed service, an
effort led by California. That procurement resulted in the selection
of Sumitomo/Nippon-Sharyo, which is building the rail cars from its
plant in Rochelle, including the 88 cars to be used on Midwest
high-speed corridors. The Rochelle plant opened in 2012 and has
created more than 250 jobs in Illinois.
Illinois debuted 110 mph service on a 15-mile segment of the
Chicago-St. Louis corridor from Dwight to Pontiac in November 2012,
and IDOT is working with the private railroads and the Federal
Railroad Administration to ensure that positive train control
requirements and all needed track and crossing improvements are
completed in order to expand 110 mph service as much as possible in
the years ahead.
In December the Federal Railroad Administration provided a
"Record of Decision" on the entire Chicago-St. Louis corridor,
allowing Illinois to begin in-depth corridor segment studies and
specific project studies to move toward high-speed service on the
other 25 percent of the corridor as soon as possible, including
segments from Joliet to Chicago and from Alton to St. Louis. The
segment from Dwight to Joliet is under development and is expected
to offer 110 mph service in 2017.
Illinois also is working in close partnership with the state of
Michigan to establish 110 mph service from Chicago to Detroit as the
next Midwest segment targeted to run at higher speeds.
In order to encourage the broadest
response and the highest quality responses to the Request for
Proposal, the following accelerated schedule is effective (dates subject to change):
Release of the RFP:
mid-July
Proposals due:
early September
Contract award and
"Notice to Proceed": early 2014
This procurement will use the locomotive specifications of the
Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act, Section 305, Next
Generation Equipment Committee. Parties intending to participate
should be aware that Federal Railroad Administration "Buy America"
requirements will apply to this procurement, supporting a domestic
manufacturing and supply industry in the rail sector.
The Federal Railroad Administration's High-Speed Intercity
Passenger Rail program and its Buy America plan implement America's
"Vision for High-Speed Rail in America," which includes a goal to
bolster American passenger rail expertise and resources.
