Siemens Mobility has shipped the first batch of new passenger cars for Caltrans which will enter services on the San Joaquin Corridor. They are manufactured at Siemens’ solar-powered facility in Sacramento.
In November 2019, California Department of Transport (Caltrans) announced that Sumitomo Corp. of Americas and Siemens will deliver 137 single-deck passenger cars under a USD 371 million contract.
49 cars will be delivered to Caltrans, while 88 to the Illinois Department of Transport to serve the intercity railway lines throughout California operated by Amtrak.
The new coaches are more spacious than the existing cars, with modern interiors focusing on passengers’ comfort and convenience, offering Wi-Fi, outlets. They provide bike racks, overhead luggage storage, restrooms with touchless controls and are adapted to the passengers with disabilities, being complaint with ADA.
All the cars’ components are coming from the U.S.-based suppliers to meet 100 percent “Buy America” requirements.
Under the original contract, the new cars should be manufactured by Nippon Sharyo at its Rochelle plant, but the company was replaced with Siemens as a subcontractor. Nippon Sharyo faced delayed order and had difficulty to meet “Buy America” requirements.
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