Talgo to return to Milwaukee location to refurbish LA Metro railcars

MILWAUKEE — Passenger rail manufacturer Talgo Inc. is returning to Milwaukee, where it will employ around 30 workers to refurbish Los Angeles Metro railcars, the Journal Sentinel reports.

Talgo, a Spanish company with its U.S. office in Seattle, has a history in Milwaukee. Under Gov. Jim Doyle, the state agreed in 2009 to a no-bid contract to buy two train sets from Talgo for Amtrak's Milwaukee-Chicago service for $47.5 million, as well as additional trains for a planned Madison-Milwaukee high-speed rail line. Although two trains were built, Gov. Scott Walker, who ran on a platform that he would kill the project, was elected in 2010 and the federal government subsequently cancelled the grant.

In 2015, Talgo settled a lawsuit against the state, resulting in the company receiving roughly $50 million and keeping the two trains that were manufactured. For the full story, click here.