LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Meeting a major milestone, Kinkisharyo International, LLC today formally delivered to Los Angeles Metro its first light rail vehicle under the P3010 contract the company was awarded in April of 2012. Today’s delivery marks the only time in Metro’s rail car procurement history that a contractor has delivered the first car on time or ahead of schedule.
“Today’s delivery of the first light rail vehicle under the P3010 program demonstrates Kinkisharyo’s continuing commitment to LA Metro by delivering cars that are high quality, reliable, on weight, and on time and will serve LA County transit riders for decades to come,” said Teiji Tani, president of Kinkisharyo International, LLC. “We have forged a strong partnership with Metro, and we expect that this contract will further our reputation as the leading light rail vehicle manufacturer in America.”
“To deliver the first car of a brand new design in less than 26 months from the official Notice-to-Proceed is an extraordinary achievement, and is a testament to our company’s unique approach to rail car design and production,” said Donald Boss, General Manager, Program Management, for Kinkisharyo. “However, this is truly a team effort between Metro, Kinkisharyo employees in the U.S. and in Japan, and our many U.S.-based suppliers.”
Metro awarded a contract for 78 cars on April 30, 2012, with options for additional cars. The official Notice-to-Proceed was issued to Kinkisharyo on August 20, 2012. In 2013, Metro awarded option contracts for an additional 97 cars. All 175 cars are being assembled at a plant established in Palmdale, California. As part of its commitment to U.S. taxpayers, Kinkisharyo is in the process of establishing a facility to undertake car shell manufacturing at a to-be-determined location in the United States.
Note: photos of the new car being delivered are available.
About Kinkisharyo International, LLC
Kinkisharyo International, LLC is the U.S. subsidiary of Kinki Sharyo Corporation of Osaka, Japan. The parent company has a nearly 100-year history of producing top quality rail cars ranging from street cars to the famed Shinkansen bullet trains. In the U.S., Kinkisharyo International has established an unparalleled reputation for quality and on-time delivery and has produced hundreds of light rail vehicles for communities throughout the United States, including Boston, Jersey City, Santa Clara, Dallas, Phoenix and Seattle,. The company is headquartered in El Segundo, California.
