The move follows Metra’s board approval in January 2021 to award Alstom a vehicle procurement contract for up to 500 railcars.
The agency will deploy 205 new SkyTrain cars for its Expo and Millennium Lines.
Following positive progress on antitrust regulation process, the closing of the transaction is now expected for Q1 2021, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions, with an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting to be held in October.
The new dual-power locomotives will meet current EPA Tier IV requirements, reducing emissions when operating in diesel mode and running emission-free when operating in electric mode.
The regulatory reform allows rail testing vehicles to move without stopping along the track, potentially decreasing passenger and freight train delays associated with routine inspections.
The Bombardier ALP-45A locomotives will replace some of the older PL-42AC series diesel locomotives in the agency’s fleet.
With the purchase of these railcars, NCTD will be able to significantly increase service frequencies to 30-minute headways and begin state of good repair replacement of current legacy COASTER coaches and cab cars over the coming years.
The two contracts represent a combination of eight cab cars and 20 coaches and include options for 33 additional railcars.
The MTA is also launching the Essential Plan Night Service marking a robust increase in overnight bus service — substantially increasing the number of bus trips by 1,168 or more than 76%,
The agreement would create the world's No. 2 train manufacturer and better take on China's CCRC Corp.