The Chicago Transit Board awarded a contract for the newest generation of CTA rail cars, the 7000-series, the largest rail car order in CTA history.
The new 7000-series rail cars will be built by CSR Sifang America JV, which as part of its winning bid has pledged to build a brand-new rail car assembly facility in Chicago. The facility represents an investment of USD 40 million.
CSR submitted the lowest bid of USD 1.309 billion for 846 railcars. CTA will purchase a base order of 400 cars first, with options to purchase the remainder in coming years.
Prototype models are expected to be complete in 2019 and following testing, the cars will go into service in 2020. The cars will be assembled in a new facility CSR plans to build in Chicago.
“This rail car purchase—the largest in CTA history—will give CTA one of the newest fleets in the United States and provide our customers with state-of-the-art trains providing comfortable, reliable rides,” CTA President Dorval Carter, Jr. said.
Once delivery of the new rail cars is complete, the CTA will have its youngest rail fleet in decades, reducing the average age of CTA rail cars from 26 years in 2011 to 13 years when the 7000-series are delivered. The new rail cars are projected to save the CTA about USD 7 million annually in reduced maintenance costs and reduced use of power.
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