Talgo decides to locate its U.S. high-speed passenger rail manufacturing and assembly facility in Milwaukee.
Governor Jim Doyle says that will create 125 direct jobs in Wisconsin and about 450 indirect jobs by way of vendors throughout the Midwest. Spain-based Talgo CEO and President Antonio Perez says careful consideration was put into choosing the former Tower Automotive plant, which is being refurbished for this purpose.
“It’s a large area to accommodate a full train set of 14 cars,” and he says, “The port of Milwaukee and the airport is nearby.”
Perez says the facility’s potential for expansion was also a factor. His analysis also considered economic conditions, cost of living, and availability of a skilled workforce.
Workers will build two new trains for the current Milwaukee-to-Chicago line, and two more for the new Milwaukee-to-Madison line. Governor Doyle points to the state of Oregon’s recent decision to buy new trains made at the new facility.
“As we develop the expertise and the capacity, this is where trains are gonna be built.”
Wisconsin recently got $823 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds for high-speed rail service.
Jackie Johnson report 1:52