Amtrak to spend $3.4 billion for dozens of new hybrid trains

July 7 (UPI) -- Amtrak will spend $3.4 billion for Siemens Mobility to create and technically support 73 hybrid-powered trains, with the possibility for up to 140 more, the companies announced Wednesday.

The dual-powered trains are intended to help Amtrak reduce its carbon footprint and replace some of its aging fleet that has been running for decades.

Amtrak said the new trains should allow an additional 1.5 million riders per year.

The company intends to run the trains on its busy Northeast Corridor and several state-supported routes in Maine, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.

"These new trains will reshape the future of rail travel," Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn said in a joint statement.

"This investment is essential to preserving Northeast Regional and state-supported services for the future and will allow our customers to travel comfortably and safely while reducing carbon emissions."

Amtrak can buy another 10 trains as part of the first phase of the agreement. It said it'll spend $7.3 billion as part of a larger effort to overhaul U.S. passenger rail service.

Siemens Mobility President Michael Peter said the new trains will allow Amtrak to apply intelligent rail technology and advance the electric locomotive industry.

Last month, General Motors and rail transit company Wabtec announced a project to use GM's Ultium battery and hydrogen fuel cell technology in Wabtec locomotives.