Latest rumor on CTA's 7000 series cars

[Buslist]

Perhaps this guy should learn in Chi Town it's the "L" not the "EL".

 

It just went past my one day free access but the bottom line is that the Chinese are promising to build a plant in SE Chicago if they get the contract for about 700 cars in this order.

If you have access to Crain's here's the link. 

 

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20160220/ISSUE05/302209995/cta-rail-car-contract-pits-bombardier-against-chinas-csr?X-IgnoreUserAgent=1

[SD70M-2Dude]

Facinating story, sounds like corruption and graft are alive and well in the Windy City.  Also what would the proposed new plant do after the initial (albeit very large) order is completed?  Are there any other orders the the Chinese have their eyes on?

[daveklepper]

I am sure that they have their eyes on the some hundreds of New York cars now in design that will be ordered in the next few years to phase out the R-46s and the A-division cars of the same era (forget the R number, but it is less than 100.)

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

It's not so much corruption as hard-nosed politics, especially where unemployment and lack of jobs is an issue.  The hint that building a local plant would be considered favorably is not all that different than "Made In America" provisions in other such contracts.

[Dakguy201]

I'm no admirer of Chicago politicans; in fact I think it might save time and trouble to jail them immediately upon election.  

That said, I see no harm in requiring some portion of a large contract be fullfilled locally so long as we are discussing actual positive contributions to the overall effort and not make work jobs doled out by the mayor/aldermen. 

 

[schlimm]

Whether Bombardier or CSR gets the contract, kickbacks are a given.  But if CSR can deliver good cars at a lower price plus provide jobs, it's a no-brainer.

[Wizlish]

Buslist

... the bottom line is that the Chinese are promising to build a plant in SE Chicago if they get the contract for about 700 cars in this order.

Sure hope the Chicagoans are smart enough to demand a 'reverse PILOT' sort of clause stating that the Chinese will maintain that plant, and all its jobs, after they get done building the 700 cars.  And that they also require some percentage of the materials be 'locally sourced' or at least given some preferential treatment.  For some reasonably good long time -- I propose 30 years.  It's not as if the Chinese lack either the funding or the culture to subsidize the long run.

If they don't, or the usual sort of tax-abatement-that-persists-long-after-the-employment-boost-disappears sort of RE deal that was so familiar in past Memphis administrations winds up happening ... well, then, yes, we can start the anti-Chicago-corruption i've-got-mine/self-serving-alderman jeremiad...

[Buslist]

It's now official

 

http://www.progressiverailroading.com/mechanical/news/CTA-selects-CSR-Sifang-America-for-13-billion-railcar-contract--47571?email=[e-mail]&utm_medium=email&utm_source=prdailynews&utm_campaign=prdailynews03/10/2016I'm It's now official 

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

If what I've read is correct, the plant will be a rehab of an existing facility in my old neighborhood.  The plant was originally the Pressed Steel Car Company, Dad and his father each worked there for a while.  It later became a United States Steel Supply steel service center, and I worked there for one summer.  The site was served in the past by the EJ&E and rail access would not be an issue.  It's also inside the Chicago city limits.