The federal government of Ontario is investing almost C$500 million (US$347.7 million) to refurbish 181 GO Transit bi-level rail coaches on the Alstom plant in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The federal government of Ontario notes the funding is a part of the continuing service enlargement throughout the GO rail community.
“As Ontario continues to grow, our government is investing in made-in-Ontario solutions to ensure our public transit network grows with it,” mentioned Ontario Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria. “The refurbishing of the bi-level rail coaches will inject millions of dollars into creating and maintaining good jobs in northwestern Ontario while supporting the largest transit expansion in Canadian history.”
The refurbished bi-level coaches will likely be geared up with new seating, doorways, flooring, partitions and ceilings, upgraded washrooms, up to date electrical shops with USB ports and new HVAC management programs.
“On behalf of town of Thunder Bay, I wish to lengthen our most honest due to the Ontario authorities for this transformative C$500 million (US$347.7 million) funding in our group,” mentioned Thunder Bay Mayor Ken Boshcoff. “By selecting the Alstom plant for refurbishing GO Transit rail coaches, the province is just not solely supporting a whole lot of native jobs, but additionally reinforcing Thunder Bay’s popularity as a hub for manufacturing excellence. This dedication will ship significant financial advantages to our metropolis, strengthen our native industries and create a shiny future for households and companies in Thunder Bay.”
The federal government of Ontario notes refurbishing the 979 bi-level coaches will lengthen their service life by 20 years and assist the province’s bold GO Enlargement program, which goals to ship two-way, all-day service to Oshawa, Burlington, Kitchener, Stouffville and Barrie, Ontario.
In line with the province, the bi-level rail coaches have been initially manufactured in Thunder Bay between 1978 and 2021. In 2021, the federal government of Ontario positioned an order for 94 bi-level coach refurbishments on the Alstom Thunder Bay facility. Alstom has operated GO Transit’s commuter rail community for greater than a decade, together with supplying practice crews and offering customer support on greater than 500 kilometers (310.7 miles) of observe throughout seven strains. Alstom has constructed near 80 p.c of all passenger rail automobiles in Canada.
“We thank the federal government of Ontario and Metrolinx for his or her renewed belief and confidence and for recognizing the distinctive experience of our workforce in Thunder Bay, who’re the most effective positioned to improve automobiles they initially manufactured. We’re proud to proceed delivering a refreshed and modernized fleet with state-of-the-art passenger facilities to boost the expertise of transit customers within the Higher Toronto and Hamilton Space,” mentioned Alstom Americas President Michael Keroullé.
“Extending the life of these coaches is a vital part of our plan for faster and more frequent GO rail service, supporting the demands of our rapidly growing region. With industry-leading amenities on board, these revived coaches will ensure a comfortable and enjoyable customer journey for years to come,” mentioned Metrolinx Interim President and CEO Michael Lindsay.
