Training program brings Chinese railcar expertise to Chicago

CRRC Sifang America Inc. (CRRC) employees in Chicago have been and are currently receiving comprehensive training from the leading experts in passenger railcar production. This ongoing and unique program is designed to provide the necessary manufacturing skills and techniques to production workers who will assemble new passenger railcars.

This spring, nineteen electrical and sheet metal workers traveled to CRRC’s parent company in China for classroom and hands-on, high-tech training for approximately one month. This group of employees will help lead the remaining workers in assembling the first ten railcars for the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA).

Railcar experts from CRRC’s parent company are currently in Chicago continuing to educate the team on best practices as production begins on CTA’s 7000 series passenger railcars.

“The opportunity for our team in Chicago to learn from the leading experts in passenger railcar manufacturing allows us to bring passenger railcar manufacturing back to Chicago after more than a fifty-year absence,” said Marina Popovic, Human Resources Director & Chief Legal Counsel for CRRC Sifang America. “We are providing our team with the resources to build and deliver safe, reliable and efficient passenger railcars for the Chicago Transit Authority.”

CRRC is committed to workforce development including hiring from the local community on Chicago’s southeast side where CRRC’s new production facility is located, according to the company. The first group of highly skilled workers will train future production employees hired by CRRC.