Neha Patil (Editor)

7000 series (CTA)

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In service
  
2020 (projected)

Constructed
  
2019 (projected)

Fleet numbers
  
7001–

Manufacturer
  
CSR Sifang America JV

Formation
  
Married pair

Replaced
  
2600-series (base order) 3200-series (options if picked up)

The 7000 series is a future series of railcar for the Chicago "L". The order is for 400 cars and will be used to replace the 2600-series cars, which are currently assigned to the Blue and Orange Lines. If all options are picked up, these cars will replace the 3200-series cars, which are currently assigned to the Orange and Brown Lines. Including all options, which is a total of 846 cars, the order is estimated to cost a total of more than $2 billion. Prototypes for testing to be delivered in October 2019 and then delivery of the production cars beginning in October 2020, at a rate of 10 cars a month. The cars will be built at a new CSR Sifang America JV railcar manufacturing plant at 135th and Torrence in Chicago's Hegewisch neighborhood.

On February 20, 2016, two finalists were announced for the contract—Bombardier Transportation and CSR Sifang America JV. On March 9, 2016, the contract was awarded to CSR Sifang America JV, with a bid that is $226 million lower than Bombardier's. However, on April 12, 2016, it was announced that Bombardier filed a protest of the award, alleging that CTA rigged the procurement to give CSR an unfair advantage. On September 28, 2016, The CTA finalized its decision to make CSR Sifang America JV the manufacturer of the 7000-series cars.

References

7000 series (CTA) Wikipedia