Progress Rail reportedly acquiring EMD

[mxdata]

I wonder if they can fit another plant into what is left of the front lawn along 55th street.
Too bad they sold off the real estate of the old section of Plant One.

MX

[charlie6017]

Something like this suits you better? Geez!!!

Electro-Motive Diesel Inc. is scouting http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/ ... (Edited by moderator: Please don't copy/paste entire news articles, please just include a "fair use quote" and then a link to article---Thanks! CGR)

If you have a problem with the forum rules, take it up with me off board. If you have a problem with rules of the site as a whole, please refer to Mr. Roque or Mr. Vondrak.

Perhaps you didn't see it before.....here... How to post and quote news stories from the web

Charlie

[Nelson Bay]

Regarding the $14.50- $18.50 hourly pay rate, the wage scale was reduced after Berkshire Partners and the Greenbriar Equity Group purchased EMD from General Motors. The previous higher rates put EMD at a competitive disadvantage.
Currently hourly jobs classified as skilled labor are paid $30/hour.

[Super Seis]

CAT, as well as the current incarnations of GM & Chrysler, all have two tier wage scales-with new hires starting below the level of experienced folks. Have to figure that the now-chastened UAW is having a hard time maintaining the membership rolls-even at reduced hourly rates.

I am told, but can't confirm, that GE's wage package is highly 'incentivized', where EMDs' (under GM ownership) was not.

SS

[GWoodle]

The deal was made final today. Details to follow. Paint your diesels Cat Yellow.

[v8interceptor]

By: John Pletz June 21, 2010
Caterpillar's Electro-Motive train-building division eyes McCook for new plant

Electro-Motive Diesel Inc. is scouting for a new facility to assemble locomotives, and the company's McCook headquarters is a contender, people familiar with the matter tell Crain's.The company, which announced June 1 its acquisition by Caterpillar Inc. of Peoria, would need a U.S. facility to assemble locomotives to qualify under the "buy America" provision of the federal stimulus program, which is pouring more than $8 billion into rail projects.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/ ... leId=33571

(Edited by moderator: Please don't copy/paste entire news articles, please just include a "fair use quote" and then a link to article---Thanks! CGR)

How to post and quote news stories from the web

Fascinating. I take this to mean that Cat intends to get EMD back into the passenger locomotive market. I would hazard to guess they might be partnering with Vossloh on that (Vossloh has been trying to market their EMD powered designs stateside and had a winning bid for MBTA locomotives voided over the Buy american provision)..

[GWoodle]

Progress Rail/Cat has the contract to rebuild the Metra & 2 ex Amtrak F40 units. There may be other candidates for rebuilding.
There are Cat motors in SD40-3 units. The main difference is a flared radiator section.
I'd be careful of any news report not from CAT. Don't get caught with rumors or wishful thinking.

[mxdata]

I suspect that for enough $$$$$ (lots of them) the trucking company might be pursuaded to sell them back the original La Grange Plant One real estate so they could built a new version of the assembly plant. The old high bay plot is part of the parking lot now.

MX