Days earlier than the MBTA pulled 9 new Orange Line vehicles from service as a consequence of mechanical issues, it despatched a scathing letter to CRRC, describing the Chinese firm’s failure to provide high quality trains and meet supply deadlines.
“Given the breadth, number and age of chronic quality issues that have remained unresolved, it becomes abundantly clear that CRRC MA’s management has completely abandoned its core responsibility and commitment to lead, monitor, mentor and support quality management functions within CRRC MA,” MBTA Deputy Director Mark DeVitto mentioned.
“This situation has already caused major disruptions, rework and delays in production and delivery of Orange and Red Line cars.”
The letter, which was first obtained by a Boston Globe columnist and verified by the MBTA, listed 16 areas the place CRRC, which has a producing facility in Springfield, failed to satisfy high quality requirements in assembling the brand new practice vehicles and reply to the T’s quality-related points and considerations.
It laid out “chronic workmanship quality issues” with electrical and mechanical meeting work and torque management that occurred throughout manufacturing.
The MBTA has needed to pull beforehand delivered Orange and Red Line vehicles out of service a number of instances as a consequence of braking and battery points, and once more simply final week when failing energy cables had been present in 9 new Orange vehicles.
“The MBTA remains greatly concerned that the situation will only degrade further unless CRRC senior management intervenes immediately to develop a plan of interim short-term and long-term actions to remedy the situation,” DeVitto wrote to CRRC MA Project Director Xianyi Jiang.
The MBTA demanded that CRRC reply inside seven days of the Dec. 22 letter, with particulars about its plans to satisfy the venture’s objectives and supply deadlines.
“The MBTA continues to engage with CRRC MA on issues related to production and quality assurance, and CRRC MA has informed the MBTA they will provide a response to the concerns raised in the letter this week,” mentioned MBTA spokesperson Joe Pesaturo.
Under the phrases of its almost $1 billion contract with the MBTA, CRRC was required to ship 152 new Orange Line vehicles by final January, and 252 new Red Line vehicles by September of 2023.
As of Wednesday, solely 78 new Orange Line vehicles and 12 new Red Line vehicles had been delivered, Pesaturo mentioned. There has not been a brand new supply since no less than September, when venture delays had been mentioned at an MBTA Board of Directors assembly.
At that assembly, Interim General Manager Jeffrey Gonneville mentioned CRRC’s present schedule places the remaining Orange Line supply into subsequent summer time, and the ultimate Red Line vehicles wouldn’t arrive till the summer time of 2025.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”