First two rail cars for MBTA’s Orange Line completed. Credit: © Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.

CRRC has completed the first two rail cars for the Orange Line of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) in the US.

The first pair of Orange Line vehicles were delivered as a part of MBTA’s $1bn New Vehicle Procurement Program.

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MBTA Interim general manager Jeffrey Gonneville said: “The production of new rail cars based on state-of-the-art designs gives the authority the opportunity to bring the MBTA into a new era of service reliability that our customers deserve.

“While we acknowledge we still have a way to go before our fleets are completely replaced, today marks the start of that process that will lead to major improvements for our customers.”

As a part of the programme, the transport agency awarded a contract to CRRC in 2014 to manufacture 152 Orange Line and 252 Red Line vehicles.

“The production of new rail cars based on state-of-the-art designs gives the authority the opportunity to bring the MBTA into a new era of service reliability.”

With a team of 200 employees, CRRC is manufacturing the vehicles at its Massachusetts facility (CRRC MA) located in Springfield.

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MBTA aims to replace its full Orange Line fleet between 2018-22, and its Red Line vehicles between 2019-23.

The vehicles incorporate various safety and customer amenities to ensure passenger security and comfort.

The features include stainless steel car shells that incorporate laser-welding technology, crash energy management to enhance safety and LCD monitors to offer the latest information.

Additionally, the trains will be connected to wayside communications through a wireless network to assess vehicle performance and identify potential maintenance needs.

All the production vehicles will be manufactured, assembled and tested in the CRRC MA Rail Car Assembly Facility.

In August, MBTA unveiled a mock-up of the Red Line cars, exhibiting all the aesthetics to be incorporated within the new vehicles.

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