Bombardier Transportation will open, in the coming months, a rail car assembly site in Pittsburg, California.
The first rail equipment off the Pittsburg assembly line will be the “Fleet of the Future” rail cars from Bombardier’s 775-car contract with Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART). This work, which is currently taking place at the Bombardier site in upstate New York, will be transferred to its new site in California over the coming months. The move will serve several purposes including retaining and creating local jobs in Pittsburg and freeing up space at the New York site for new and upcoming East Coast orders.
“We are pleased that the new rail cars for Bay Area passengers will now be produced in the Bay Area by Bay Area citizens. The Pittsburg site will also enable Bombardier to pursue additional business opportunities in the growing rail transit equipment market on the West Coast and to serve this market with increased effectiveness,” said Elliot G. (Lee) Sander, the President of Bombarider’s Americas Division.
The rail cars have a reconfigured interior layout designed to maximize seating, openness, and comfort with more priority seating for seniors and people with limited mobility. Other new features designed to enhance the passenger experience include comfortable, easy-to-clean seats with lumbar support, interior and exterior digital displays showing passenger information, an automated public address system, more doors to make boarding faster and easier, energy-saving lighting, onboard security cameras, and bicycle racks.
At the beginning of 2018, Bombardier has delivered 20 rail cars and under the contract, the remaining cars are scheduled to be delivered by fall 2021.
The new cars will replace BART’s entire existing fleet and better serve its record ridership and expected growth. The cars incorporate state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly technologies and include input from Bay Area citizens who had the opportunity to provide feedback on the car’s design through an extensive public outreach programme.
Share on:
