[pt17]

I believe Boston's infamous MBTA also contracted with CRRC for rail cars that haven't been delivered. The deal goes back to the 2014-2016 time frame when the MBTA contracted with CRRC for about $1 Billion in rail cars to be built by a CRRC plant in MA (the old Westinghouse plant in Springfield). As you might expect, things haven't turned out well for former Gov. Deval Patrick's plan to create a rail car industry in the state while getting new rail cars for the MBTA.

I read that the CRRC has deteriorating relationships with its suppliers. The voters appear to be too busy being 'woke' to notice what's going on around them.

[meatloaf]

That’s typical for transit car construction. After the project is over future projects are assembled in locations where the cars are to be used.

The doors, HVAC system and the software are always the gotchas.

I’m not sure if the DC Metro ever got the software code for their cars from the Italians.

[dennisw]

https://www.americanmanufacturing.org/blog/remember-the-crrc-boston-rail-car-project-its-shaping-up-to-be-quite-the-boondoggle/ (from 2023)

Chinese made in Massachusetts — The MBTA railcar debacle
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While CRRC does operate an assembly plant in Massachusetts, it’s pretty obvious that a lot of the work making these rail cars is being done in China. Entire rail car shells have been imported by CRRC into the United States for final assembly. With so much work happening on the other side of the world, it is nearly impossible to effectively monitor project progress, or lack thereof.