Boston buys 284 rapid transit vehicles from China firm

(October 23, 2014) BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation today will officially get the approval to purchase 284 rapid transit vehicles from China CNR Corporation Limited (China CNR) to provide service for Boston metro's red and orange lines.

Specifically, these rapid transit vehicles include 152 orange line vehicles and 132 red line vehicles, mainly for the replacement of the old vehicles already in service over the past 30-to-40 years.

This batch of rapid transit vehicles are built specifically for Boston metro's operating conditions and conform to American standards and are an example of energy conservation and environmental protection using modern techniques.

More than 60 percent of the vehicles' raw materials are from the U.S., according to China CBR. Apart from the 12 prototypes, which were manufactured in China, the vehicles were assembled in Massachusetts.