"T betting on untried firm to build fleet; Korean outfit has scant US presence" by Noah Bierman, Globe Staff | October 13, 2008
The MBTA, which has a history of long delays in its rail car purchases, is relying on a South Korean company that has never built a passenger rail car in the continental United States for a vital set of train coaches needed to upgrade its aging fleet.
To deliver on that promise, the T has placed a $190 million bet on a company, Hyundai Rotem, that has yet to open an assembly plant on American soil, a requirement under federal law. T officials said their choice of Rotem was not influenced by the fact that former T official John K. Leary, who also once led the Philadelphia transit system, has worked as a consultant for the company. Leary's son, Richard, is now head of operations for the MBTA.
Oh, I'm sure that had nothing to do with it, yup.
Hyung Wook Kim, president of Hyundai Rotem USA Corp., said a Philadelphia factory will open in March. The four pilot cars will be built in South Korea. Rotem has fallen months behind schedule on its other two American commuter coach orders, in Philadelphia and Southern California. --more--"
