MBTA recommends subway car contract with Chinese firm

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) will recommend to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's board that CNR MA Corp. manufacture 284 new subway cars for the agency's Red and Orange lines, Gov. Deval Patrick announced yesterday.

The board is scheduled to meet today to consider the recommended contract with CNR, which is a joint venture of China CNR Corp. Ltd. and CNR Changchun Railway Vehicles Co. Ltd.

Patrick also announced CNR would build a 150,000 square-foot facility in Springfield, Mass., to assemble the vehicles, creating more than 250 manufacturing and construction jobs, according to an MBTA press release.

The contract will include the purchase of 152 new Orange Line cars and 132 new Red Line cars to replace the 44-year old Red Line cars and 32-year old Orange Line cars. The contract also includes the option to purchase an additional 58 Red Line cars.

The new cars will help provide improve reliability, accessibility and energy efficiency, Patrick said.

"This is a critical investment in the future of public transportation in Greater Boston and in the economic well-being of western Massachusetts," he said.