Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has contracted with China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation to build 64 new rail cars for the Metro Red and Purple Lines. Under the contract, LA Metro may also choose to exercise up to 5 options to buy an additional 218 metro cars. Combined, the base order with options is valued at USD 647 million, and is funded by a combination of local and federal sources, including a percentage of Measure R sales tax proceeds.
Metro’s Notice To Proceed kickstarts production of HR4000 heavy rail vehicles that will be used to replace existing trains now traveling between downtown Los Angeles, Mid-Wilshire District and North Hollywood. 34 of the new cars will also be used for the Metro Purple Line’s first 6.5 km extension from the Mid-Wilshire District to Beverly Hills when the line officially opens in 2023.
China Railway has committed to delivering the first pilot vehicle by the spring of 2020, and the entire base order of 64 metro cars by September 2021.
A new facility will be purchased in the L.A. area to manufacture major components for propulsion, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and lighting systems. Manufacturing the metro cars’ exterior shell will take place in the company’s facility in Changchun, China, and final assembly will be done in Springfield, Massachusetts. The contract exceeds the federal government’s “Buy America” provisions, which require 60 percent of component parts be American-made.
In selecting China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation for the contract, Metro determined that the firm offered the overall best value proposal. The company had the highest rated technical offer and lowest price while offering the most robust Local Employment Program and highest U.S. component content.
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