Jen DeSalvo, WLS-AM 890 Traffic & Transit
@trafficjamjen

(CHICAGO) The CTA has chosen a manufacturer for the new 7000-series rail cars for the rail transit line.

CSR Sifang America JV has been awarded the contract, and will be building a new assembly facility in Chicago bringing 170 jobs to Chicago, the CTA reports.

This will be the first time in over 30 years that CTA rail cars will be manufactured in Chicago.

Based on feedback from CTA riders, the new design will feature the popular forward-facing seats in addition to aisle facing seats. The seating arrangement is similar to the 3200-series cars that riders currently see on the Brown Line.

According to a CTA news release, “the cars’ design will resemble the 5000-series, the CTA’s newest rail cars, with stainless steel bodies, LED lighting and signage, and AC power propulsion for a smoother, quieter ride.”

The new cars are planned to go into service in 2020 after a prototype that is scheduled to be revealed in 2019.

“With this agreement, CTA riders will get state-of-the-art rail cars and Chicago returns to our roots as the place where the next generation of rail cars are built, providing good jobs for our residents. That is a classic win-win for Chicago. This historic agreement was the result of strong collaboration between the City, our federal partners, the Chicago Federation of Labor, and Jobs to Move America, and I cannot thank them enough for their partnership in making it possible. Working together we will continue to bring more 21st century manufacturing jobs to Chicago while also building a modern CTA to help power our 21st century economy.” – Rahm Emanuel