First US-built MBTA Orange Line cars completed NEWSWIRE

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The first of 152 U.S.-built Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Orange Line cars were recently completed by China Railway Rolling Stock Corp. Ltd. (CRRC) in Springfield. MBTA officials, along with Gov. Charlie Baker, were on hand at CRRC’s North American manufacturing facility to celebrate the completion of the first two Orange Line cars.

CRRC expanded to North America in 2014 after winning a contract to build more than 400 subway cars for Boston; 152 for the Orange Line and 252 for the Red Line. CRRC employs about 200 people in the state.

“Our pride is strong as we deliver on-time to America’s first transit system CRRC’s first subway cars built in the United States by talented workers standing with us today,” CRRC MA Chairman and President Jia Bo says. “We have taken the importance of transportation in the region as a path to introduce local rail car manufacturing where hundreds of jobs have been created stimulating the local economy.”

The Orange Line cars are part of an $8 billion effort spearheaded by the Baker administration to improve service on the T.

“By completely replacing the fleets of the Orange and Red lines, and significantly upgrading signals, the T will improve reliability for riders, and we are proud to celebrate the delivery of the first new Orange Line cars today,” Baker says.