Massachusetts buys MBTA cars from Chinese firm
China.org.cn / chinagate.cn, October 23, 2014 Adjust font size:
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation board of directors approved the award of a $566.6 million contract for Red and Orange Line cars to CNR MA, which is a venture of China CNR Corporation Limited and CNR Changchun Railway Vehicles Co.
The contract for 284 subway cars will include the construction of an assembly plant in Springfield, according to a person with knowledge of the contract. The MBTA said last year it expected to begin delivering Orange Line cars in the winter of 2018, and the Red Line cars in the fall of 2019.
Though some spoke in opposition to the contract, including three of the other bidders for the contract who took aim at CNR MA’s inexperience, MassDOT board members praised the procurement process when they took the vote at their monthly meeting.
“This is a win for our riders. This is a win for our financial bottom line. And it’s a win for this authority,” said MassDOT board member Janice Loux.
Xiwei Lu, president of CNR MA, said he was excited to take on the project, and touted his vision of setting up a manufacturing facility in Springfield that will create more than 250 manufacturing and construction jobs for locals.
“We will keep our promise, and that’s a commitment for us,” he said.
