Half-billion dollar MBTA contract awarded to firm owned by Chinese gov(Mass...the RED line!)

http://www.bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/2014/10/half_billion_dollar_mbta_contract_awarded_to_firm_owned_by ^

[raccoonradio]

A Chinese government-owned rail company was awarded a $566.6 million Massachusetts state contract on Wednesday to build subway trains for the "T," the nation's oldest subway system, despite concerns from local activists about China's human rights record as well as complaints from competitors that the company's winning bid was unrealistically low.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation's board of directors voted unanimously to approve a contract with CNR MA Corporation to build 284 new subway cars. The new cars are needed to replace the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's 32-year-old Orange Line trains and the 44-year-old Red Line cars that serve the Greater Boston area.

[raccoonradio]

[boycott]

“You’ve been bamboozed .... hoodwinked.”

[stubernx98]

Oh Oh, to bad, China built Big Bertha, how did that work out!

[NonValueAdded]

“but they come with egg roll,” the governor did not continue to say, before he left for the Kowloon and a pupu platter for two.

[boycott]

These sorry liberals don’t even care about all the illegal’s jobs here.

[Gay State Conservative]

WHAT??? Why not Japan,or South Korea,or Europe...OR THE US?

[rbg81]

I’m sure I will get flamed, but when I went to Beijing, I was very impressed with their subway system. Very fast and efficient. They also had messages in English. That and the new International Airport terminal were impressive. Everything else, not so much.

[henkster]

Ridiculously low bid, huh? I think the Massachussetts Department of Transportation are about to learn two Chines maxims:

It’s after the contract is signed that the real negotiations start.

We can always fool the foreigner.

[acapesket]

It is Minnie me… the other marxy fairy

[ExCTCitizen]

If you ride it, will you ride it again in an hour? It might be built in the US, thou.

[onona]

2 million dollars per subway car ?

What a bargain

[M-cubed]

this could compete with the “Big Dig” for efficiency...HONEST!

[Ethan Clive Osgoode]

So, Americans can’t build trains? Americans need the Chinese to build them?

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

So it isn’t just the greedy fat cats on wallstreet that are outsourcing jobs?

[PTBAA]

The Red Line. Sometimes the jokes write themselves...

Oh the irony, the Peoples Republic of MA hires the Peoples Republic.

[Gay State Conservative]

I’m sure I will get flamed, but when I went to Beijing, I was very impressed with their subway system. Very fast and efficient. They also had messages in English. That and the new International Airport terminal were impressive. Everything else, not so much.

I've never been to Beijing...but I have been to Guangzhou and Shenzhen,two major cities in the southeast...no too far from Hong Kong (Shenzhen is right over the border from Hong Kong).

I've ridden Hong Kong's Metro,the "MTR",many times.I've gotten pretty good at in fact (thanks to all the English signage).The MTR is world class in every way...but then *it* was built by the British before they left.

My main objection to having Chinese made cars for the T is jobs and the economy.China is our enemy and anything we do to strengthen their economy hurts us in many ways...economically,diplomatically and militarily.If the cars can't be made here I'd much rather them come from the places I mentioned...none of which are our enemies.

[rbg81]

Yeah, I agree. It’s not as if we don’t have good subway systems in the US. The DC Metro is excellent.