Bombardier is set to open a rail car assembly site in Pittsburg, California, to support its ongoing rail projects in the US.
The official announcement was made by Bombardier Transportation Americas Division president Elliot G (Lee) Sander.
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The Pittsburg site is expected to become operational in the following months.
Initially, the Pittsburg assembly line will be utilised to deliver rail cars manufactured under Bombardier’s 775-car contract with San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART).
This rail car work, currently being carried out at Bombardier site in upstate New York, will be shifted to the new facility over the coming months.
In addition to creating and retaining local jobs in Pittsburg, the move will enable the New York site to prepare for the upcoming East Coast orders.
Sander said: “We are pleased that the new rail cars for Bay Area passengers will now be produced in the Bay Area by Bay Area citizens.
“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.”
The establishment of the Pittsburg site further bolsters Bombardier presence in the US, where it has been operational as a manufacturer for nearly 40 years.
Currently, the company has around 500 employees in California involved in multiple projects, including commissioning rail cars for BART and maintenance of the Metrolink commuter rail car fleet.
Recently, Bombardier unveiled a safety system for urban light-rail vehicles called Collision and Overspeed Monitoring and Prevention Assistance System (COMPAS).
The system is designed to prevent trams from derailing, as well as improve safety for tram drivers and passengers.
