Amtrak, SNCF, Bechtel to bid for Florida HSR

In a letter Monday to Amtrak employees, President and CEO Joseph Boardman said Amtrak was “announcing an agreement with French National Railways (SNCF) and Bechtel Infrastructure Corporation to bid for the contract to design, build, operate, maintain and finance Florida’s planned high speed rail line between Tampa and Orlando.”

”The consortium we have formed presents a powerful, full-service team to pursue the high speed rail contract in Florida,” said Boardman (pictured at left). “Partnership is central to our future, whether it be with states, freight railroads, or others in the industry. In this case, each partner brings its unique body of experience and knowledge.”  

Touting the consortium’s HSR credentials, Boardman noted, “Bechtel was the leader in a consortium which brought high-speed rail to the UK (HS1). The SNCF launched high speed rail service (TGV) in Europe on the Paris-to-Lyon line in 1981, bringing three decades of high speed rail implementation and operating expertise to the team. Bechtel offers demonstrated engineering, construction, and program management expertise; while SNCF has its proven ability to design, operate, and maintain high speed rail systems around the world.” 

Amtrak has its own role to play, Boardman asserted. “As America’s high speed rail provider, we offer a wealth of operational expertise and know-how to the group. Combining SNCF’s international high-speed rail experience with our own amplifies what we can offer the citizens of Florida. The Florida line is a turn-key project requiring a team that can provide all of the systems needed for a world-class high speed rail operation. We believe, along with our partners, that we can deliver that.”

Boardman said the consortium demonstrated Amtrak’s intent to be a player in U.S. HSR beyond just the Northeast Corridor. “ We recently announced a new High-Speed Rail department, led by Vice President of High Speed Rail Al Engel, to help us advance our ambitions in the high-speed rail arena. We need to aggressively compete to secure this leadership position, and by bringing all of our resources to bear, together with our partners in this consortium, we aim to win,” he said.