Alstom was selected by Caltrans to renovate all 66 bi-level intercity passenger vehicles from its California car fleet. The Caltrans fleet was manufactured by Morrison Knudsen in Hornell, N.Y. - an Alstom facility since 1998. The fleet of vehicles is comprised of four distinctive car types - cab, trailer, coach and food service cars.

The Caltrans fleet of vehicles are operated and maintained by Amtrak, on the "San Joaquin Corridor" from Oakland to Bakersfield, and the "Capitol Corridor" from Sacramento to San Jose. The fleet operates at speeds of up to 79 miles per hour on 350 miles of track, serving over 30 stations, with a yearly ridership in excess of two million passengers.

The contract, worth $13.1 million, includes the complete replacement of the door systems and upgrade of the wheelchair lifts, as well as the wreck repair of one car. The work will be performed over a two-year period without disrupting the daily service, at the Alstom's new Train Life Services facility located in Mare Island, Calif.