Amtrak to award Alstom $2.5B contractBRIAN TUMULTY, btumulty@gannett.com 10:11 a.m. EDT September 21, 2015
(Photo: Molly Riley / AP)
Heard this from “informed sources” at Amtrak as well last week.
“Sources” say they will be AGVs (articulated) with Pendolino tilting suspension.
AGVs are EMUs. The FRA will allow passengers in the front car?
The proposed Tier 3 standards do for over 125 absent grade crossings and freight trains, ATK betting those proposed standards will become the regulation.
[quote user=“081552”]
Amtrak to award Alstom $2.5B contractBRIAN TUMULTY, btumulty@gannett.com 10:11 a.m. EDT September 21, 2015
(Photo: Molly Riley / AP)
1994 was when Amtrak requested bids for the project. Alstom was selected in 1996 and the first revenue run was in 2000. The request for bids is probably where that 1994 date originated.
They need to start planning or seeking funds for replacement of the Long Distance Fleet, IMHO.
Awarding this contract to Alstom is a travesty considering that company’s propensity for corporate malfeasance and corruption. They are currently under investigation by the United States Attorney General and justice agencies of other countries for fraud and bribery on a grand international scale. Amtrak should in no way be aligned with this criminal organization, let alone providing them with $2.5 billion in business. Although no domestic companies have capabilities for manufacturing high speed trains there are several other European and Asian companies that can produce this equipment at a US facility. Alstom should not receive Federal funds for this project.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-12-23/alstom-s-mr-paris-paid-millions-in-bribes-u-s-says
In addition, Alstom has overcharged Amtrak by adding markups of up to 2400% for materials and repairs over the course of several years according to Amtrak Inspector General’s office. Congress needs to investigate this activity before consummating this contract for the Acela replacement.
Award it to VW & GM, they are so squeeky clean! There isn’t a large corporation that hasn’t done something that the agrieved feature as being criminal.
Perhaps you should Google ‘Alstom + fraud’ and find a history of corruption dating back to the 90s when BNSF threw them out. You will not find the same from Talgo, Siemens, Bombardier or the Chinese or Japanese train builders. Alstom is basically a crime syndicate with a litany of bribery and fraud. Unlike GM and VW their’s is a continuous history of unethical and illegal practices. Then again, save time by read the FBI summary.
Railway Age says this announcement was very premature and that there are still 2 builders in the running.
Schumer!
Schumer needs a majority of the Amtrak board, 5 out of 8. He seems pretty confident.
Railway age article blasts Schummer.
For our legal eagles. Will it be no matter now who gets the contract that the other applicants will sue claiming high pressure political influence ? As well claim Amtrak did not complete due dilengence for best equipmen?
Might cause over a year’s delay ?
BaltACD: VW and GM don’t build HSR trainsets. Siemens and Talgo are a better comparison. Neither hast been prosecuted by the FBI and fined $750+ million. Unlike Alstom, both companies both do business with Amtrak without being charged by Federal investigators for finding loopholes in the procurement system and then grossly overcharging for goods and services.
We need to rethink our posts and conclusions. This link only states that Amtrak is only going into negoiation with Alstom. Have to claim that this poster did not read the release properly. MY bad.