7000-series - Delivery & Updates

[Busjack]

3 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

Ask yourself this, why then would it matter what the mayor wishes, if he is not running things, yet the article says the mayor wants a manufacturing facility here.

A manufacturing facility is jobs. A 2600 on the Blue Line is irrelevant in the Mayor's big picture, given such things as a forthcoming teachers' strike.

The manufacturing facility is no different than Gov. Quinn telling Sumitomo to open the facility in Rochelle for the Metra contract. Don't want state money going to Milwaukee.

[BusHunter]

1 minute ago, Busjack said:

A manufacturing facility is jobs. A 2600 on the Blue Line is irrelevant in the big picture, given such things as a forthcoming teachers' strike.

The manufacturing facility is no different than Gov. Quinn telling Sumitomo to open the facility in Rochelle for the Metra contract. Don't want state money going to Milwaukee.

So if anyone wishes to submit a bid and can build here they get the nod? I can't wait to see the next bus contract. Optima are you listening? 

Really this all political again, why am I not surprised. But it's all smoke and mirrors, you think that every employee is not living in NW Indiana and taking their money across state lines? Also where does it say construction sites have to hire from the neighborhood? I've only ever seen one place actually say that. (a construction site at Clybourn/Division currently looking for people from the neighborhood) That in a way is going against the fair employment standards that every employment application is built on the best candidate applying. You cannot segregate who works for you, if you are found out you can be sued. 

[Busjack]

12 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

So if anyone wishes to submit a bid and can build here they get the nod?

If you had read the Railway Gazette, it is the lowest responsible bidder. Note the conditions C-R is under.

On you facetious bus statement, Optima is out of business, and if you remember NABI said it was the lowest bidder on the contract for 1050 CTA buses. I'm sure the FTA would have the final word on whether a bus manufacturer has to have 50 plants in 50 states, but somehow NYC and LA have succeeded in imposing those type of conditions.Why do you think Orion and Nova had plants in New York  State?

[BusHunter]

8 minutes ago, Busjack said:

If you had read the Railway Gazette, it is the lowest responsible bidder. Note the conditions C-R is under.

On you facetious bus statement, Optima is out of business, and if you remember NABI said it was the lowest bidder on the contract for 1050 CTA buses. I'm sure the FTA would have the final word on whether a bus manufacturer has to have 50 plants in 50 states, but somehow NYC and LA have succeeded in imposing those type of conditions.Why do you think Orion and Nova had plants in New York  State?

That doesn't always work out as planned. Eldorado national may be from Riverside, California, but it's primary customer seems to be from Pace.

Contrary to what you think, the companies just build there because there is a high amount of business there. You wouldn't want to build a bus manufacturing plant in Billings, Montana or Salt Lake City, Utah would you? 

Now as far as the Railway Gazette, wasn't it you that told us that bombardier was the lowest bidder. Somehow that has changed now?

[Busjack]

47 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

Contrary to what you think, the companies just build there because there is a high amount of business there. You wouldn't want to build a bus manufacturing plant in Billings, Montana or Salt Lake City, Utah would you? 

Obviously, the large amount of business in New York has some effect. Being near Canada has some too. However, being near Canada seems the only justification for NF's plants in Minnesota, because TC Metro buys Gilligs (although also some NFs).

47 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

Now as far as the Railway Gazette, wasn't it you that told us that bombardier was the lowest bidder. Somehow that has changed now?

As Juniorz has repeatedly pointed out, the bids for this round have not been revealed yet. The only thing that was revealed in the Tribune was that Bombardier underbid Sumitomo on the spec. that was withdrawn.

[BusHunter]

Don't really know why there is no real bus manufacturer here in Chicago, but the east coast has many chances for orders. Philly, DC, Baltimore, NY, Boston, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, New Jersey. That's probably a prime place to be. Nova bus seems to base itself up north, cause it does some things with Montreal. It presently has an electric bus trial going there. Being that it's a french company it fits in with that part of Canada as Canada has a french side of the country. Western Canada seems to be NF country but NF seems to be stationed nearby. NABi was kind of weird with an Anniston, Alabama location when LA basically was there primary orderer. You notice NF moved in out in Cali because they are trying to take over that region. Don't know why they don't try an east coast factory, they are the biggest company so what do they have to lose.

[Busjack]

2 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

Being that it's a french company it fits in with that part of Canada as Canada has a french side of the country.

No it isn't. The company was formed in Quebec, out of assets of the former GMC Canada bus operation, which is why it is in Quebec, but is owned by Volvo Group, which is Swedish.

[Tcmetro]

I think it's fair to note that the Québécois are very protectionist when it comes to these matters, and anything that isn't Nova is a rarity in the province. The province will only give transit agencies money if they'll buy Quebec made buses.

As for CSR, the company is trying to make inroads to the American market, otherwise they wouldn't be offering political candy like a new manufacturing plant. This is the strategy that they used in Boston, where both the low bids and the offering of jobs won over the politicians and the bidding process. Chicago offers another opportunity for the company to make roots here, and bid on the booming streetcar, light rail, and high speed rail industries here. 

Personally, it doesn't matter who wins the contract. Both firms are foreign (who cares if the money is going to the Chinese or the Canadians/Germans) and I'd imagine that CSR must have decent builds if Hong Kong was willing to purchase their cars. 

[BusHunter]

6 hours ago, Busjack said:

No it isn't. The company was formed in Quebec, out of assets of the former GMC Canada bus operation, which is why it is in Quebec, but is owned by Volvo Group, which is Swedish.

But that sounds like the canadian side of the business to comply with the buy america plant in Ny.

[Busjack]

4 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

But that sounds like the canadian side of the business to comply with the buy america plant in Ny.

Yes. That's the only reason Nova and NF have plants in the U.S. But to get to this topic, as far as I can tell, none of the rail car builders are based in the U.S. There is no other reason (other than NYC as a consumer) why Plattsburgh NY is a hub of transit manufacturing (Bombaridier, Nova, and Prevost).

[Busjack]

Juniorz was correct. On the agenda for COMMITTEE ON FINANCE, AUDIT AND BUDGET, Wednesday, March 9, 2016 is:

"C14FI101554098 Manufacture and deliver up to 846 rapid transit cars."

So, you'll know by noon Wednesday.

[sw4400]

2 hours ago, Busjack said:

Juniorz was correct. On the agenda for COMMITTEE ON FINANCE, AUDIT AND BUDGET, Wednesday, March 9, 2016 is:

"C14FI101554098 Manufacture and deliver up to 846 rapid transit cars."

So, you'll know by noon Wednesday.

That's a interesting company.... where is C1FI101554098 located? I know, Trumpville.... gotta make America Great Again.... . ***OT Alert(slightly, but it ties into transit)*** If Candidate "X" gets in, we may not have Nova Bus, New Flyer or Bombardier(maybe not even CSR), because there will be a wall across the country "protecting" our borders(at the expense of the Canadians and Mexicans, no doubt).  

[Busjack]

10 minutes ago, sw4400 said:

That's a interesting company.... where is C1FI101554098 located? I know, Trumpville.... gotta make America Great Again.... . ***OT Alert(slightly, but it ties into transit)*** If Candidate "X" gets in, we may not have Nova Bus, New Flyer or Bombardier(maybe not even CSR), because there will be a wall across the country "protecting" our borders(at the expense of the Canadians and Mexicans, no doubt).  

And nobody other than Gillig and El Dorado National producing transit equipment.

[Juniorz]

Tomorrow's the BIG! day, expect many surprises!

[Busjack]

9 minutes ago, Juniorz said:

Tomorrow's the BIG! day, expect many surprises!

Depends if Crain's is correct.

Channel 7 had a story last night about the cars and that it means jobs in Chicago, but didn't say anything about the successful bidder.

[BusHunter]

In the linked Crain's article, they state Bombardier has offered to build a manufacturing facility as well as CSR. But they state CSR may have an advantage because they could possibly be a sponsor for the O'Hare express.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20160307/BLOGS02/160309867/cta-to-disclose-winner-of-huge-el-car-contract

(Can't read the article on a pc due to paywall, the full article can be read on a smartphone.)

[joechicago]

Crains is reporting that CSR has in fact won with a bid that was $200 million lower than Bombardier

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20160309/BLOGS02/160309813/-1b-cta-contract-calls-for-train-cars-built-in-pullman-by-chinese-firm

[Juniorz]

New rail facility at 135th and Torrence! CSR America is confirmed as the new manufacturer 

[Kevin]

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

11 minutes ago, Kevin said:

I'm getting a 2200 Series vibe from the front ends. Am I the only one?

[garmon757]

There are 4 options is this order pending: 

1. 156 rail cars = $237,120,000

2. and 3. 100 rail cars each = $152,000,000 each

4. 90 rail cars = $136,800,000

Total of 446 rail cars = $677,920,000

[Busjack]

1 hour ago, MTRSP1900-CTA3200 said:

I'm getting a 2200 Series vibe from the front ends. Am I the only one?

Not really. Maybe a 2000 one in that there is some sculpting. 2200s were plain. Update: Maybe because the classification lights are within the window mask.

1 hour ago, garmon757 said:

Total of 446 rail cars = $677,920,000

Didn't mention the base order of 400.

 

Re: Kevin's: there was a request for 3 design proposals, and apparently that was the same when Huberman presented 3 for the 5000s on a Powerpoint. Are these final? The seating arrangement does not appear to conform to the specs (update, maybe they do since behind the doors isn't that clear).

[briman94]

I want to see Bombardier's design proposal. It probably looks better than CSR's. They look better than the 5000s, but they still don't quite look with the times. At least the blue front panel will make them stand out.

[garmon757]

Just now, Busjack said:

Didn't mention the base order of 400.

In which you're right. 

[Busjack]

2 minutes ago, briman94 said:

I want to see Bombardier's design proposal. It probably looks better than CSR's. They look better than the 5000s, but they still don't quite look with the times. At least the blue front panel will make them stand out.

Will have to FOIA it after the CSR contract is signed. Worth the effort?

Remember, I said above that 2 of the design proposals for 5000s apparently were rejected.