O’Mara: New Alstom contract bodes well for Southern Tier's place in nation's transportation future

Hornell, N.Y., September 16—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C,I-Big Flats) applauded today’s celebration (see attached article above) at Alstom Transportation, Inc. in Hornell of the new contract for the next generation of modern, high-speed trains that Alstom workers will manufacture as part of Amtrak’s $2.5-billion program to upgrade its Northeast Corridor’s Acela service and expand capacity by 40 percent. 

The Alstom-Amtrak contract is expected to create over 750 manufacturing jobs, including 400 directly at Alstom’s Hornell facility.

O’Mara, a member of the State Senate  Transportation Committee, said, “The new contract represents a major development for the Southern Tier and Upstate New York in the future of the nation’s transportation infrastructure.  As a member of the State Senate Transportation Committee, I can tell you that it bodes well for the simple fact of the potential long-term foundation of manufacturing it promises for the region. The creation of 400 manufacturing jobs at Alstom simply can’t be overstated. It’s vitally important to the Southern Tier economy, for Alstom’s workers and their families, and to the entire Hornell area. It represents a timely foundation of manufacturing on which we can continue to build job growth in Steuben County, across the region and throughout Upstate. It’s a powerful testament to the quality of Alstom and its local workforce.

“Simply put, this job creation contract makes a major difference for the future of economic development, and to workers and families across the region. Enormous credit goes to the significant incentives offered by Governor Andrew Cuomo, Empire State Development and the Hornell Industrial Development Agency, which were critical to strengthening Alstom’s competitiveness in order to win this contract. Same goes for the team of local, state and federal leaders, including Congressman Tom Reed, whose commitment and perseverance made such a difference.”

In recently making the announcement of the finalized Amtrak-Alstom contract, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, a longtime proponent of passenger rail service, noted the seriousness of the Amtrak upgrade, stressed its importance to job growth throughout the Northeast Corridor (where one out of every three American jobs are located) and urged the nation to understand the “essential value of a rail system that’s modern throughout the whole country.”

The finalized contract will create approximately 400 jobs in Hornell as well as potentially an additional 350 or more across the upstate region.  Alstom employs over 1,000 people throughout upstate New York and is expanding.  Alstom facilities, particularly in Hornell, have delivered steam, diesel-electric, electric, and high-speed rail technology, including more than 7,000 transit vehicles, to customers throughout the nation.