Mobility solution provider Bombardier Transportation announced today that it is opening a rail car assembly site in Pittsburg, California. Elliot G. (Lee) Sander, President, Americas Division, Bombardier Transportation was joined by federal, state and local California officials and San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) General Manager Grace Crunican at the site for the official announcement.
The first rail equipment off the Pittsburg assembly line will be the “Fleet of the Future” rail cars from Bombardier’s 775-car contract with BART. This work, which is currently taking place at the Bombardier site in upstate New York, will be transferred to its new “sister site” in California over the coming months. The move will serve several purposes including retaining and creating local jobs in Pittsburg and freeing up space at the New York site for new and upcoming East Coast orders.
“We are pleased that the new rail cars for Bay Area passengers will now be produced in the Bay Area by Bay Area citizens,” said Sander. “The Pittsburg site will also enable Bombardier to pursue additional business opportunities in the growing rail transit equipment market on the West Coast and to serve this market with increased effectiveness. We’d like to thank the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development for its support, which includes the award of a California Competes Tax Credit,” he added.
“The Fleet of the Future cars have received rave reviews from our riders and we are thrilled to welcome Bombardier to the Bay Area,” said BART General Manager Grace Crunican.
Other speakers at the event included U.S. Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, California Assemblymember Jim Frazier, California Assemblymember Tim Grayson, Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal Glover, Pittsburg Mayor Juan Banales and BART Director Mark Foley.
Bombardier has been a U.S. manufacturer for nearly 40 years. The new site further strengthens its U.S. presence and commitment to the U.S. market, and will help Bombardier continue to meet Buy America requirements.
Bombardier currently has nearly 500 employees in California who are receiving and commissioning new rail cars for BART; operating and maintaining the AirTrain system at San Francisco International Airport; maintaining the commuter rail car fleet for the Metrolink service at the Southern California Regional Rail Authority; and operating and maintaining the Coaster and Sprinter rail services for the North County Transit District. Bombardier is also in the early stages of bringing a new automated people mover system to Los Angeles International Airport.
