Calif. High Speed Rail Authority seeks Buy America exemption for train parts

SACRAMENTO —  The Federal Railroad Administration disclosed last week that California High-Speed Rail Authority was seeking exemptions from the Buy American Act on more than a dozen critical train parts, including motors, gearboxes, axles, wheels, brakes, derailment mitigation devices, undercarriages, and even the entire aluminum car body shells, reported GovTech.com.

The rail authority’s 2016 business plan estimated the trains would cost about $3.4 billion, making them one of the most expensive parts of the system, the report said.

While advanced bullet trains currently cannot be made in the U.S., the exemption could make it less likely that the country ever develops such an industry, according to academic experts and trade groups, reported GovTech.com. For the full story, click here.