Topic: Rail industry suppliers in Ohio & nearby

[KJP]

With increased ridership and federal funding for Amtrak, commuter rail and rail transit, more rail cars are going to need to be built to expand the fleet. Many existing rail cars will need to be rebuilt to stay in active fleets.

That has led to the question in some quarters in recent days on the need for converting recently closed auto manufacturing plants to building or rebuilding passenger rail cars for the high-speed intercity, conventional intercity, commuter and transit sectors.

The question is, are Ohioans aware of this opportunity? If not, why not? And what auto plants are still in good condition but either completely or partially available for reactivation as railroad equipment manufacturing?

Let's compile a list of these plants and discuss their merits. And maybe someone will see this thread and share it others who can lobby for funding to put these plants back into productive use -- for the booming railroad industry!

[327]

We may need to partner with someone like Bombardier, but I completely agree that the work should be done here.  We have the capacity and the skilled labor to do it.  This region has the best possible setup to start cranking out all things rail.  The match is so perfect, as is the timing. 

I don't know of any completely unused ex-auto plants.  The former White plant on E140 comes to mind.  It's being converted to piecemeal industrial uses, but I'm sure they'd love for a giant tenant to move in.  There are plenty of vacant industrial properties sitting around.  As for what specific machines would be needed for railcar construction, I have no idea.  But we can get them.  They're probably already in NE Ohio.       

[Robert Pence]

Is Indiana eligible for a piece of this discussion, and does it have to be automobile plants?

I remember that it came up recently in one of our conversations that Amtrak intends to either scale back or shut down its facility at Beech Grove (Suburban Indianapolis). Back in the late 1980s - early '90s they invested a ton of money in part of the old Big 4 shops to create a state-of-the-art facility capable of heavy repair, including everything from wreck repair to scheduled rehabs on cars and locomotives. I can't remember all the details, but the Beech Grove shops played a significant part in building the prototype Viewliner cars.

European and Asian railroads used to send technicians and observers to Beech Grove to see how a first-class maintenance facility should be run.

There's a facility that doesn't need to be converted, and is underutilized but to a great extent fully equipped to do the work. If Amtrak doesn't want it, it seems to me that someone like M-K (Morrison-Knudsen) or Bombardier ought to be interested in buying or leasing it.

[dmerkow]

I know Philly is doing the building for most of their new regional rail cars - they are Korean/Japanese design, but they are being assembled somewhere in Greater Philly. This might be a good way to start.

[UrbanSurfin]

Maybe Boeing ought to get back into railcars.

[Robert Pence]

Maybe Boeing ought to get back into railcars.

Yeah. Maybe they could build on the reputation they established with those fabulous Muni Metro cars.

[BuckeyeB]

As for what specific machines would be needed for railcar construction, I have no idea.  But we can get them.  They're probably already in NE Ohio.       

My understanding is that Amtrak owns the tooling for the double deck long distance Superliners used out west, as well as the single-level Viewliner sleepers currently used on the Lake Shore Limited and other eastern trains.

Keep in mind also that we could remanufacture hundreds of former commuter cars into intercity equipment. Philadelphia's SEPTA system and New jersey transit are in the process of retiring hundreds of old Silverliner and Jersey Arrow electric MU cars. There are also 200 retired Long Island RR commuter cars in the hands of an equipment dealer available at about $25,000 each.

Thus we could have a scenario where we quickly gear up to remanufacture hundreds of old cars while simultaneously tooling up to build new cars in another part of the same facility.

For a billion dollars, we could remanufacture 500 old cars at about $300 million and build 300 new cars with the remaining $700 million (educated guess).



 

[carolecohen]

Oh if only the bail out money wasn't trying to help out failed companies but start ups like this instead. It's a brilliant idea.

[carolecohen]

This article from the Dayton Daily News mentions a proposal for legislation to allow incentives for building reuse in cases like you mention above.  Here is the article:

Leaders: Time to focus on GM plant reuse
> Do you think a new use will be found for the GM Moraine plant?
> Coverage of the plant's closing
By Thomas Gnau

Staff Writer

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

MORAINE — General Motors Corp.'s announcement last week that it will close its Moraine assembly plant Dec. 23 was painful, local leaders agree.

But by no means was it a surprise, they add. GM indicated in June that it will close the plant by 2010. And as recently as late August, the automaker had rejected an Ohio government offer of $56 million in tax credits to keep the plant open.

[NorthAndre]

It's more realistic to build a new plant for heavy manufacturing of a different type of product than reuse an existing facility except if maybe you were only doing assembly.  Most practical reuses of closed auto plants are light industry since they don't require a major retrofit of existing space. 

Speaking trains, maybe GM shouldn't have sold EMD

[KJP]

Assembly is pretty much what we're talking about since components are made all over the world. And even if newly manufactured rail cars can't be built in the existing auto plants, they can certainly be built in new plants built on the site of the old auto plants.

Also, when it comes to rebuilding/refurbishing existing rail cars, strip out the interiors of some of these auto plants and you can do the necessary work in them.

And, Rob, we want these rail cars built/rebuilt in Ohio!

[Rob Jaques]

The old Packard plant(s) in Warren/Champion, Ohio... Currently Delphi is only using a fraction of the plants that are located on their property and are planning to close another. Significant rehab would most likely be needed. That's the only plants I can think of though...

[KJP]

The Lorain Ford plant has been in my mind, and is still mostly unused since an investor bought the huge complex.

[327]

I think the old Copperweld complex in Warren is underutilized too.  Parts of it might be too far gone at this point, but other parts are still kicking.

One issue with the really old factory buildings is that their docks don't work well with modern trucks.  The bays aren't deep enough and I think there's a height issue too.  We aren't in a position yet to get everything in and out by rail, which is what those buildings were originally designed for.

[dmerkow]

Perhaps some of the factories in north-central Ohio might be better suited. I'm thinking of the factories in the small towns north of Columbus that have been crushed this decade. A factory in the cities would be great, but fixing the small town one's would be far easier.

[noozer]

Here's an editorial from the Dayton Daily News from back in July that addresses this thread.

EDITORIAL
Our view: Trains could be route to new jobs, too
By Dayton Daily News
Friday, July 11, 2008

Maybe the old adage about what's good for General Motors being good for the country should get a tweaking: what's good for the former GM worker is good for the country.

On first reading, two recent stories in this newspaper might suggest a struggle that is beyond winning. First, a report Friday, July 4, by business reporter Tim Tresslar told of the millions upon literal millions of square feet of plant space either already empty or due to turn fallow when, as announced, DHL and GM cease area operations.

[w28th]

New developments such as these should be focused on the cities if the State ever wanted to take the advice of the Brookings Institute.  The core cities and their able and ample workforce could take advatage of these jobs and make the biggest impact on the economy.

[noozer]

News from Columbus....

http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article.asp?id=20766

Value Recovery Group investors acquire former Colorado Railcar DMU

Private investors affiliated with asset management firm Value Recovery Group Inc. (VRG) recently acquired the former Colorado Railcar Manufacturing L.L.C. diesel multiple unit (DMU) and plan to resume manufacturing the self-propelled passenger cars in a new U.S. manufacturing facility to be established later this year.

VRG formed US Railcar L.L.C., which will retain the acquired Colorado Railcar DMU proprietary rights and information, manufacturing documentation, inventory, tooling, fixtures/jigs and other production equipment.

“There is a major commitment by the Obama Administration and Congress to make investments in intercity and high-speed rail to promote economic growth and mobility, create jobs, conserve energy and address climate change,” said VRG Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Barry Fromm in a prepared statement. “This opens a new era for passenger trains and rail-car manufacturing in the United States.”

VRG appointed Michael Pracht president and CEO of US Railcar. He previously held various key positions at Siemens and Ansaldo STS.

US Railcar plans to manufacture both single- and bi-level DMUs designed to operate in all mixed-mode U.S. freight corridors. US Railcar’s DMU is the only Federal Railroad Administration-compliant DMU operating in North American revenue service, according to VRG.

Below is an example of what the former Colordao Railcar used to build:

[Living in Gin]

Doesn't Siemens already have some big manufacturing facility in the Cincinnati area? They're a big player in streetcar and light rail rolling stock, as well as German high-speed rail.

[noozer]

They might, but I don't believe they have a full-blown assembly operation anywhere in the U.S. currently.  Our home-grown rail car industry is, of course, long gone.... Pullman, Budd, American Car Foundry, et al.

[327]

I think that's correct, no assembly takes place in the US.  The most significant operation I know of is Bombardier's in Quebec.

[Living in Gin]

Whatever manufacturing Siemens does in Cincinnati, I'm pretty sure it isn't rail-related. The company is also a big maker of medical equipment and God-knows what else. They do have a presence in the area, though.

[dmerkow]

It's electrical switching equipment and its in Norwood. One of the oldest continually operating factories in Siemens as I recall.

[Living in Gin]

Trains and rail infrastructure certainly use a lot of electrical switching equipment. It would be nice to see the local Siemens plant get a piece of that action.

[noozer]

U.S. Railcar
200 jobs may roll in with business
Wednesday,  July 1, 2009 3:10 AM
By Marla Matzer Rose

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
http://dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2009/07/01/rail_car.ART_ART_07-01-09_A8_A7EB67B.html?sid=101

Eyeing federal stimulus money set aside for transportation projects, a Columbus company has purchased a defunct manufacturer of diesel-powered passenger railcars and is talking to the state about basing manufacturing operations in Ohio.

U.S. Railcar LLC would employ between 100 and 200 workers once a manufacturing site is established, said Barry Fromm, CEO of financial-services firm Value Recovery Group, lead investor in U.S. Railcar.

[KJP]

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090712/NEWS02/307129906

Railpower on rise again
Company could switch manufacturing work to Erie

BY JIM MARTIN
jim.martin@timesnews.com
Published: July 12. 2009 12:01AM

Erie's other locomotive maker -- Canada-based Railpower Technologies Corp., which had its U.S. headquarters in Erie -- was split into pieces by bankruptcy early this year.

But just a few months later, some of the company's technology, patents and employees have resurfaced in Erie under new ownership.

And what's more, one key company official is indicating there's a possibility the company's local presence could grow substantially.

Kentucky-based R.J. Corman Railroad Group LLC, which purchased many of the old company's assets, has established a new Erie-based division to make hybrid and conventional yard switcher and medium-horsepower locomotives.
......

[KJP]

This was formerly the thread "Converting auto factories to rail car plants?" which seems to have taken on the subject that it is now. So I changed the subject title to something more appropriate and that can be applied more broadly.

[noozer]

A good title change, KJP.

[noozer]

http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/journal_media_detail.asp?locid=19&prid=4402
    For Immediate Release
Friday, July 17, 2009
      Carla Vigue, Office of the Governor, 608-261-2162


      

Governor Doyle Announces Agreement with Talgo to Bring New Trains, Assembly and Maintenance Facilities to Wisconsin

         MADISON - Governor Jim Doyle today announced an agreement with the Spanish train manufacturer Talgo to put two Talgo train sets into service in Wisconsin and to establish new assembly and maintenance facilities in the state.  The rail car assembly plant will support the delivery of Talgo trains throughout the country.
      “We are pleased to welcome Talgo to Wisconsin,” Governor Doyle said. “I can’t wait for our Midwestern travelers to experience first-hand the comfort, modern amenities and expanded seating capacity on these wonderful trains.  In addition, the company will use Wisconsin workers and skills to assemble and maintain Talgo trains. This relationship has the potential to create even more jobs, gives the state a major role in the growth of an exciting transportation industry and helps us move forward with our vision for high speed passenger rail service in the Midwest.”
      Talgo officials joining Governor Doyle to make the announcement in Madison included Antonio Perez, CEO and president of Talgo Inc., the company’s U.S. subsidiary, and Jose Maria Oriol, CEO and president of Patentes Talgo, Spain.
      "After 14 years of track record in the US market and having participated in the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative in 2000, Talgo is very excited to have its equipment selected again as the most suitable for the Madison-Milwaukee-Chicago Corridor,” Antonio Perez said.  “We are very excited with the opportunity of manufacturing high speed trains in Wisconsin and helping to bring economic development and the option for proven intercity passenger rail equipment to the Midwest region. We appreciate the leadership from Governor Doyle in this very important step towards accomplishing the new Administration's Vision."
      Wisconsin will purchase two, 14-car train sets for $47 million. The agreement provides an option to buy two additional train sets if the state is successful in securing federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for the extension of passenger rail service from Milwaukee to Madison.
      Talgo cars are made of aluminum alloy with welded seams to form a structural frame making them lighter weight and stronger than traditional rail cars.  The rail cars use passive tilt technology that allows the cars to navigate curves at higher speeds with less car tilting and to ride smoother at higher speed, greatly enhancing passenger comfort.
      The trains will be put into service on the Amtrak Hiawatha Service with the cars pulled by existing locomotives. Each train set provides a seating capacity of 420 compared to the current capacity of 350. The popular Amtrak Hiawatha Service provides daily trips between Chicago, Illinois, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Ridership on the Hiawatha Service continues to grow, with more than 766,000 riders in 2008, a 24% increase over 2007. 
      “I’m delighted the State of Wisconsin has taken the bold step to purchase modern, new passenger rail equipment,” said Amtrak Chairman of the Board Thomas Carper. “Amtrak has had a great response to Talgo train equipment on its Cascades Service in the Pacific Northwest, and we are confident travelers on the Hiawatha Service will have the same reaction.  Wisconsin has always been one of Amtrak’s strongest state partners, and we congratulate Governor Doyle on this important and exciting initiative that will bring new levels of comfort and convenience to intercity travelers.”
      The locations of the assembly and maintenance facilities have not yet been determined, but are likely to be in south central or southeastern Wisconsin. Together, the assembly and maintenance facilities are expected to create about 80 jobs for Wisconsin workers, with the potential for more jobs as operations grow.
      Aluminum alloy structural frame parts for the Talgo trains will be manufactured in Spain and then shipped to Wisconsin for assembly.  Talgo will be working with Wisconsin and other U.S. vendors to supply parts for outfitting the trains.
      The dedicated rail car maintenance facility will provide ongoing service for equipment used in the Midwest. Talgo currently operates a maintenance facility in Seattle, Washington, to service Amtrak Cascades trains.
      

[KJP]

I debated whether to post this here or in "What other states are doing..." but this seemed a better fit here:

http://www.rtands.com/breaking_news.shtml#Feature4-7-21

July 20, 2009
GE Transportation completes $80-million project in Seattle

GE Transportation said that Central Puget Sound’s transportation authority, Sound Transit, has officially opened its north-south Central Link light rail line, operating with a complete GE Transportation communications and train control signaling solution.

Sound Transit recently reached another milestone with the grand opening of the 14.2-mile Central Link light rail line that runs from downtown Seattle to the 154th Street station in Tukwila near the Sea-Tac airport. The new line will allow riders to travel between Tukwila and downtown Seattle in 30 minutes, with trains running up to 20 hours per day, every 7.5 to 15 minutes. When the Link light rail line is extended to the University of Washington (University Link) it will serve an estimated 100,000 riders a day.