SEPTA cancels contract with CRRC for bilevel commuter cars

PHILADELPHIA — The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority has “terminated with cause” its contract with the U.S. affiliate of Chinese railcar manufacturer CRRC for 45 bilevel commuter railcars, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The contract was awarded in 2017, and the first cars were to have been completed in 2019 [see “SEPTA awards bid for Chinese bilevel cars,” Trains News Wire, March 24, 2017], but none have been delivered. The $185 million contract underbid Bombardier, the only other finalist, by $34 million; it came at a time when CRRC had yet to...