Los Angeles places order for CRRC metro trains

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Image: Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority/ CRRC.
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The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), the operator of the city’s subway system, has ordered 64 new rail cars from CRRC.

The new cars will be used on the Metro Red and Purple lines.

CRRC will deliver a test vehicle by spring 2020, Metro has said. All 64 metro cars will be delivered by September 2021.

The total value of the order, which includes options for up to 218 extra cars, is $647 million.

More than half of the new subway cars will be used for an extension of the Metro Purple line from the Mid-Wilshire District to Beverly Hills, which is due to open in 2023.

Although the body shells will be manufactured in China, CRRC plans to open a site in LA to supply some of the other major components, including traction systems, HVAC equipment and lighting systems.

Final assembly will be carried out at CRRC’s new site in Springfield, Massachusetts. The same site is being used to produce subway vehicles for Boston’s MBTA.