Raise the Hammer

Not to rain on everyone's parade guys but they just had to bring ION LRV #1 back to Millhaven because Bombardier sent it to Waterloo in a in non-operable state and would not bring crews down to change that. However, both ION LRV #2 and the Eglinton Crosstown Pilot LRV were seen doing high speed testing on the Millhaven test track soon after that picture was taken. It seems Bombardier is slowly getting its act together and will most likely have 12 LRV's operational for Waterloo by December 31, 2017.

I wonder if Hamilton will end up getting any of the 61+ Alstom Citadis Spirit LRV's ordered by Metrolinx just in case Bombardier can't deliver on time. What's really sad is that, Bombardier's Flexity family of LRV's are a great product and is the most widely ordered LRV in the world with over 3000 LRV's delivered or on order to over 50 cities on 5 continents since the first model in the late 1990's. Most of the problems seem to be coming from the province's defiant stance that all the Canadian ordered LRV's be made in Ontario. When Bombardier (and Alstom as well) have never built a 100% Low-Floor LRV outside of their European supply and building chain. Only 70% Low-Floor LRV's have been made in Bombardier's North America supply and production chain. Unfortunately, there is a major increase in complexity and building standards when upgrading from a 70% to 100% Low-Floor LRV and Bombardier's Ontario and Mexican workers seem to be the Guinea Pigs.

Where as the Alstom's Citadis Spirit LRV's are only about 25% Canadian content. Parts production and fine manufacturing happening in Europe, with most of the gross large body section manufacturing occurring in their Platsburgh New York plant. Only the final LRV section assembly and testing occur in Ottawa at Belfast Yard. The only thing is that, Ottawa's Spirit LRV's seem to be going along just fine, so far (Fingers Crossed).