St Helens Borough and the Liverpool City Region have joined a national competition to become the home of the Great British Railway's new headquarters.
The authorities have put forward Parkside in Newton-le-Willows as its nominated location.
The move comes after Crewe submitted a "strong and ambitious" bid earlier this week.
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The government officially launched a competition to find the location of the new headquarters in February.
A shortlist is expected to be announced in May, with a non-binding public vote and a decision made in the summer.
"We’re bidding to bring a hugely important new rail headquarters to St Helens Borough," said council leader Cllr David Baines.
"If we’re successful the Great British Railway HQ would bring significant numbers of jobs, investment and economic growth as staff relocate and other businesses look to locate nearby, bring potential wider opportunities that will not just benefit St Helens but the wider Liverpool City Region and the North West as a whole.
"While many places claim to be the home of the railway, there can be no denying our borough really does hold that title. It was the birthplace of Stephenson’s Rocket, saw the very first modern passenger railway with the opening of the Liverpool Manchester Railway in 1830 and the first railway viaduct in the world at Sankey Valley.
"But it's not just our history that makes St Helens a first-class choice. Parkside is poised to become one of the most strategically important employment sites in the North West and lies at the heart of the city region’s freeport plans, with the site forming the largest freeport tax site.
"Parkside has also got great connectivity - located directly on the M6 Growth Corridor, on the West Coast Mainline and Trans-Pennine railway, connected to major cities across the country, and with a nationally significant Strategic Rail Freight Interchange planned for Parkside East, as well as an available and highly skilled workforce, the site has to be a really strong contender for the location.
"I think it's also a show of strength that the city region is working together to support this site as our preferred location, and I want to thank Mayor Steve Rotheram for his support."
Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, added: "The Liverpool City Region is proud to be the birthplace of countless national and global firsts, including the development of Britain’s modern railways.
"St Helens has been at the vanguard of rail innovation for almost two centuries, which has not only been a massive driver for investment into our region but has helped to create thousands of highly-skilled jobs and opportunities for our local workforce.
"Such a rich heritage, married with an engaged, highly skilled talent pool on its doorstep, and excellent connectivity only strengthens St Helens' rightful claim as the engine that fuelled the UK’s modern railway.
"Having contributed so much to the city region - and the country’s - economic fortunes, and with so much potential still to unlock, I can think of nowhere better to become the new home of the Great British Railway HQ."
