Kawasaki Rebuild Program at Alstom

[R36 Combine Coach]

One curiosity: Would it made some sense to send the Kawasakis to Yonkers for rebuild by their original manufacturer, rather than Alstom? In the automotive world, original manufacturer service and parts are recommended.

[ns3010]

When the rebuilt cars come back from Alstom will they need to be reaccepted and run through acceptance testing like they were brand new

Yes, to at least some degree.

One curiosity: Would it made some sense to send the Kawasakis to Yonkers for rebuild by their original manufacturer, rather than Alstom? In the automotive world, original manufacturer service and parts are recommended.

Depends on if they even bid on the contract, and where it fell with consideration to prices. Since the warranties on these are well past expired, the can have them fixed/rebuilt as they see fit.

Also, that's not to mention that these will be coming back as completely different cars updated to specifications similar to the Rotems, so the "Kawasaki knows these cars best" card doesn't really apply. Not much more than the shells and trucks will be retained.

[GP40MC1118]

Alstom won the bid, so that's that.

The first batch has been out there over a year now. Nothing showing out as yet.

D

[ACeInTheHole]

Alstom won the bid, so that's that.

The first batch has been out there over a year now. Nothing showing out as yet.

D

From here forth we shall now refer to Alstom as "the black hole".

[ck4049]

Alstom won the bid, so that's that.

The first batch has been out there over a year now. Nothing showing out as yet.

D

From here forth we shall now refer to Alstom as "the black hole".

I'm sorry, are you capable of rebuilding railcars all by yourself faster than Alstom can?

[Dick H]

Either there was no time requirement with penalty in the contract,
or Alstom figures the MBTA will never force payment of same.
Either way, the public takes it on the chin.

[sery2831]

The T sent out several cars at first. Not one or two. We do not know what they discovered in the tear down process. We are not in the loop for contract changes. For all we know they may have been given more time for issues that were discovered in the rebuild process. Remember they gave them extra time for they first batch. Maybe the extra time was just not enough. Let's not be so quick to bash Alstom here. They do put a quality product out.

[MetroBostonRailways]

If you look at the Alstom plant on Google Maps, you can see some of the K-cars sitting around there, some without paint and look like a plain shell. Also, besides MBTA what other railways sends cars to Alstom? Because that place is huge

[WatertownCarBarn]

Curious, I Google mapped it and it said "PERMANENTLY CLOSED"; but obviously cars are in the lot and rail cars are on some tracks.

[MetroBostonRailways]

Curious, I Google mapped it and it said "PERMANENTLY CLOSED"; but obviously cars are in the lot and rail cars are on some tracks.

yea I saw that too

[Finch]

If you look at the Alstom plant on Google Maps, you can see some of the K-cars sitting around there, some without paint and look like a plain shell. Also, besides MBTA what other railways sends cars to Alstom? Because that place is huge

Various other ones. There are probably some other threads kicking around on here about non-MBTA rebuild programs. PATCO and Baltimore (MTA?) come to mind.

[sery2831]

In the current Google shots I can pick out Green Line Type 7s, PATCO cars, and the K cars.

[ns3010]

They are working on the Kawasakis, the Type 7s, the PATCO cars, and the Maryland MTA cars. The PATCO cars has been a very long process (first cars to Alstom March 2011, first cars returned to PATCO November 2013, 0 cars in service to date). Hopefully we'll see the first Kawasakis roll east not too long from now.

[GP40MC1118]

703, 714 & 1705 on the way home on PAS 22K. Cars moving under MBTA
reporting marks instead of MBTX, which is why nothing continued to show
out of Hornell.

D

[GP40MC1118]

Add the 746 to the returnees....

D