APPLE VALLEY – Brightline West, a $10 billion high speed rail project connecting Southern California to Las Vegas, announced Tuesday, an agreement with the High-Speed Rail Labor Coalition to employ high skilled union workers. The coalition says these critical jobs are necessary to operate and maintain the project.

“As the nation’s largest transportation labor union federation, we are proud to support monumental projects like Brightline West, which will deliver a modern, efficient, and green transit system while putting skilled union members to work,” said AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department President Greg Regan.

The High-Speed Rail Labor Coalition says Brightline West will be the most elegant travel by rail experience. It will be the catalyst for America’s renaissance of travel by high-speed rail. 

“The High-Speed Rail Labor Coalition is ready to bring this transformative transportation project to Americans. Let’s get to work,” said a statement from the coalition.

High-Speed Rail Labor Coalition

The coalition represents 13 rail unions with more than 160,000 freight, regional, commuter, and passenger railroad workers. Members include the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division, the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, and the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Union.

Brightline West is a 218-mile system connecting Southern California and Las Vegas within the Interstate 15 right-of-way. Trains will travel at 200 miles per hour to stations in Rancho Cucamonga, Hesperia, Apple Valley and Las Vegas. The fully electric, emission free system will remove an estimated 3 million cars off the road annually. 

RELATED: Brightline to build wildlife overcrossings for high speed rail to Las Vegas

The coalition says the $10 billion investment will also create nearly 35,000 jobs during construction. The project will create over 1,000 permanent jobs once the rail line is operational. 

“Our nation’s first high-speed rail system will be operated and maintained by union labor, a statement of the strength of the American workforce,” said Brightline Holdings CEO Mike Reininger. “As the most shovel-ready high-speed rail project in the United States, we are one step closer to leveling the playing field against transit and infrastructure projects around the world, and we are proud to be using America’s most skilled workers to get there.”