Alstom Transportation Inc. plans to invest $3-million to expand it's rail signaling manufacturing facility in West Henrietta and recruit 200 new engineers and qualified workers.

The announcement came one day after the U.S. Transportation secretary announced $2 billion in federal high speed rail awards.

Alstom believes its leading edge power electronics technologies and positive train control system are the future of the rail sector.

Transportation leaders say there is demand for safe, convenient, and affordable rail service, especially from academia.

"Students and young people love to travel by rail. It's a romantic way, and it's a fast way, and they're very environmentally focused and recognize that the price of gasoline and the impact it’s having on our society," said Joan McDonald, the NYS Transportation commissioner.

"It's going to take innovation and hard work, but we can and we will breathe new life and new jobs into this region,” said Deputy U.S. Transportation Secretary John Porcari. “Given a chance, we can out-build, and out-compete anybody in the world."

Porcari said high speed rail is key to America's long-term competitiveness. He said the government has tied strict made-in-America rules to the federal awards.

ALSTOM

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