More cars being built at Super Steel!!!

[fuzzybroken]

I read in the Trains.com News Wire that Super Steel in conjunction with its Japanese partners are going to be building bilevel commuter cars for VRE. Hopefully I'll be able to get some pictures of these, as I usually find the Metra cars coming through UP's Mitchell Yard in Milwaukee.

Check 'em out:
http://www.geocities.com/fuzzybroken/Metra-1a.html
http://www.fuzzyworld3.com/up02.html

-Mark

[kenneo]

Fuzzy -- Not to put too fine a point on it, but the frame and car body are being made in Japan and shipped to Super Steel. Super Steel adds trucks, couplers, brakes and potties. Some assembly required. Batteries not included.

[fuzzybroken]

Yeah, I understand what you're saying. Although I'd say that since Super Steel receives the "parts" and does the final assembly, that they would be considered the builder, but I also mentioned their Japanese partners. And besides, Super Steel is a lot closer to me than the Japanese companies!

On the other hand, maybe we should ask the MR forum about this... [swg]

-Mark
www.geocities.com/fuzzybroken
www.fuzzyworld3.com

[dldance]

QUOTE: Originally posted by kenneo

Fuzzy -- Not to put too fine a point on it, but the frame and car body are being made in Japan and shipped to Super Steel. Super Steel adds trucks, couplers, brakes and potties. Some assembly required. Batteries not included.

how (what route) are the frame and car body shipped to SS?

dd

[Gluefinger]

Well, from Illinois it's UP's Milwaukee Sub via Proviso, usually on trains MPRIT or MPRSS, but I'm not sure about how they get to Proviso in the first place.

[mikeyuhas]

QUOTE: Originally posted by fuzzybroken

Yeah, I understand what you're saying. Although I'd say that since Super Steel receives the "parts" and does the final assembly, that they would be considered the builder, but I also mentioned their Japanese partners. And besides, Super Steel is a lot closer to me than the Japanese companies!

On the other hand, maybe we should ask the MR forum about this... [swg]

Super Steel acts as a vendor to Sumitomo (and Nippon Sharyo) on assembly of these cars. There's a (very) small amount of info on the Sumitomo website: http://www.sumitomocorp.com/industry/ts_prodserv.html.

[Anonymous]

Why do we have to go to Japan to get new cars. The unions in this country has made more jobs to go to Japan because they want more money. I can remember in the 1980's when SEPTA here in Philly wanted new cars for its Broad St. Line. The Budd Co. right here in Philly wanted to build them but the price was too high. So they were build in Japan. ABB builded the new cars for the Market-Frankford line and they are falling apart. It because of poor workmenship

[Dutchrailnut]

The poor workmanship is result of non-union enviroment.
you pay below standard you get work below standard.
The unions are there to get craftman the best pay possible for their skills.
American politicians however rather screw the unions and order in a foreign country, and letting unskilled labor assemble the product.in USA.
Sure they save a buck but by doing so they hurt the local economy, cause the profit stays in foreign country and the unskilled workers don't have enough money to spend on significant items.
Globalisation it its best outsource the work and get a foreigner rich.