Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority HR4000
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) is purchasing 64 heavy rail vehicle (HRV) subway cars from CRRC MA. Out of the 64 cars, 34 will facilitate the Purple Line extension. The remaining cars will replace the original A650 cars built by Breda in 1991 and 1992. There are five options for up to 218 more cars for future expansion.[1]
History
A request for proposals (RFP) was issued in 2015. By January 2016, two proposals were received and reviewed through to July. The proposals were evaluated based on past experience and performance, price, tecnical compliance, project management experience, and voluntary local employment program. One proposal was received from CRRC MA, and one was received from Hyundai Rotem USA. Best and final offers (BAFOs) were submitted in September 2016.[2] CRRC MA's proposal was ranked higher then Hyundai Rotem's. The board approved the awarding of the contract to CRRC MA in December 2016.[3]
In November 2019 Metro staff viewed a full-scale mockup of one-third of a car. Construction of the first car shells was also underway.[4]
The car shells are constructed in Changchun, China and delivered to the Port of Philadelphia. From there they will go to the new CRRC MA facility in Massachusetts where final assembly will take place. This includes the wheels, motors, electronics and interiors. Major component manufacturing for the propulsion, HVAC, and lighting will be done at a facility in Los Angeles as part of a Local Employment Program. The pilot cars were scheduled to be delivered in December 2020 (initially planned for the second quarter of 2020). The base order was expected to be completed by September 2021.[5]
The first set of two cars was unveiled at a ceremony at the CRRC’s Springfield, Massachusetts facility on June 8, 2021. The two pilot cars were built in China and sent to the United States for testing and evaluation.[6] Delivery of all HR4000 cars was expected to be completed by the end of 2022. However Metro discovered issues with the pilot cars, delaying delivery. By 2023, the first cars were to be delivered in May 2023. Finally on July 29, 2023, the first two cars were delivered[7]
In 2022, Metro decided not to pursue the options in the HR4000 contract. Instead, it initiated a new procurement for 182 cars, HR5000. This was awarded to Hyundai-Rotem in February 2024.
Design
Early renderings showed a stainless steel car with a similar shape to the Breda A650 cars. It also had a similar aesthetic with raised and recessed areas above the front windows. Some renders had the car with a red front, black around the front windows, and red along the sides. Another showed a car with a yellow front and yellow graphics along the side. A later rendering showed the car with a smother roofline at the front, and a deeper angled front window line.
More recent renders show a car with a rounded front roofline and gloss black upper front face with yellow for the lower portion. Round headlights are below the front windows in a curved, tapered enclosure. Inside, the cars feature open gangways. Longitudinal seating is used to allow for more standing passengers and a wider walkway. Most of the transverse seating is at the front and rear of the train. Seats are stainless steel and trimmed in the same fabric as that used on the P3010 LRVs from Kinkisharyo. Other interior features include illuminated line maps, USB ports, and a redesigned bike area with a strap to secure bikes.[4]
References
- ↑ HR4000 Presentation.
- ↑ HR4000 Procurement Summary.
- ↑ LA Metro HR4000 Rail Vehicles Project. CRRC MA.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Chen, Anna. "First look at new HR4000 subway rail cars". The Source, 25 November 2019.
- ↑ Barrow, Keith. "Los Angeles orders CRRC metro cars." International Railway Journal, 24 March 2017.
- ↑ [1]