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

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.

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.

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