METRO Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

4 SMART railcars costing $11M damaged before arriving at agency

Nippon Sharyo flew out a team of engineers to inspect the damage and order new parts to replace those that can’t be fixed.

November 28, 2018
4 SMART railcars costing $11M damaged before arriving at agency

The new cars cost $11 million and were part of an original $57 million order SMART placed with Nippon Sharyo in 2010.

1 min to read


The new cars cost $11 million and were part of an original $57 million order SMART placed with Nippon Sharyo in 2010.

SONOMA, Calif. — Four new diesel railcars that were set to go into service to close a hole in Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit’s nightly weekday schedule arrived from Japan damaged, delaying schedule changes on the commuter rail line until at least the middle of next year, The Press Democrat reports.

The new cars cost $11 million and were part of an original $57 million order SMART placed with Nippon Sharyo in 2010. The company makes the train components at its factory in Toyokawa, Japan, before assembling them in Illinois and shipping the railcars aboard Union Pacific’s freight line, where they were damaged in transit.

Ad Loading...

Nippon Sharyo flew out a team of engineers to inspect the damage and order new parts to replace those that can’t be fixed. The Japanese manufacturer will cover the cost of new parts and repairs, and SMART officials were told one set of railcars will now be ready in the spring, while the other set won’t be available until the summer. For the full story, click here.


More Rail

A picture of a San Diego MTS railcar and bus at a transit station.
Managementby StaffApril 17, 2026

San Diego Transit Agencies Propose Fare Hike to Close Budget Gaps

The agencies, San Diego MTS and NCTD - San Diego Railroad, which share a fare system (PRONTO), proposed the changes to help address their respective financial sustainability strategies.

Read More →
An overhead rendering of the Austin Transit Partnership rail system.
Railby StaffApril 16, 2026

Austin Transit Partnership Names Contractor for Light Rail Operations Facility

The ATP board’s approval of the KAP team enables ATP to begin pre-construction activities, including advancing design, initiating permitting, and preparing the site for future construction.

Read More →
A Coach USA Van Hool CX 45 delivered by ABC Companies.
Busby StaffApril 15, 2026

ABC Delivers Van Hools to Coach USA and More in Biz Briefs

In METRO's latest installment, we take a look at the latest news from suppliers including Moovit, CAF, and more.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A photo of an Amtrak train with a logo
Technologyby StaffApril 15, 2026

Amtrak Advances Plan for New Long-Distance Fleet

The railroad has issued a formal request for proposals to manufacturers for more than 800 new passenger railcars that will serve 14 long-distance routes nationwide.

Read More →
A headshot of Inez Evans Benson
Busby Alex RomanApril 15, 2026

Inez Evans Benson on Rethinking Transit Through Customer Experience

The WSP leader discusses why agencies must look beyond satisfaction metrics and take a more holistic, community-driven approach to service.

Read More →
NJ TRANSIT's new Multilevel III commuter railcar manufactured by Alstom
Technologyby StaffApril 14, 2026

Alstom Delivers First Multilevel III NJ TRANSIT Commuter Railcar

The delivery marks the first car in a 374‑vehicle order and begins the arrival of a new generation of higher‑capacity, more reliable, and more comfortable trains for one of the country’s busiest commuter rail systems.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A BART train on the tracks.
Railby StaffApril 13, 2026

San Francisco's BART Breaks Multiple Records for Post-Pandemic Ridership in March

BART recorded 5,403,140 exits in March, making it the highest monthly ridership since the pandemic and surpassing the previous high set in October 2025 (5,346,890 exits).

Read More →
Ribbon cutting photo celebrating SEPTA's new Ardmore Station
Railby StaffApril 13, 2026

Philadelphia's SEPTA Celebrates New Ardmore Station

The station was rebuilt as part of SEPTA’s Station Accessibility Program, making it fully ADA accessible with new elevators, ramps, and high-level platforms.

Read More →
Two Metra locomotives on rail tracks.
Railby StaffApril 10, 2026

Metra Reaches New 10-Year Agreement with BNSF

The announcement highlights the long-standing partnership between the Class I railroad and the commuter rail system, dating back to Metra's creation in 1983.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Ribbon cutting at Siemens' new North Carolina facility.
Railby StaffApril 9, 2026

Siemens Opens North Carolina Railcar Manufacturing Facility

Site construction is complete, production is underway, and the first locally built passenger coaches are on track for delivery in Summer 2026.

Read More →