Canadian Railroads > Bombardier CEO denounces "Incomprehensible" VIA deal with Siemens

Bombardier CEO Alain Bellemare was quoted by Bloomberg,

"It's incomprehensible."

"All countries require significant local content.
We see it in the U.S. It’s difficult to understand that here,
we can’t find ways of protecting innovation,
technology and jobs that are similar to all the other countries in the world.

“Bombardier Transportation is not a broken company."
“Bombardier Transportation is a company that’s doing extremely well.
We are winning everywhere in the world –- except in Canada.’’


The Bloomberg article also stated that the Siemens contract
contains an option for 16 additional trainsets.

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/bombardier-ceo-blasts-incomprehensible-siemens-win-in-canada-1.1183163

I'll try to find my tiny violin...

Ray

So sick of Bombardier whining....

Michael

And he could not even deliver his crocodile tears on time....
:-)

I can already hear the sound in the wind the anguished cries of quebec politicians....

IF bombardier had a history of delivering quality product on time without massive subsidies there would be some justification to the ceo's rant but........
I am expecting that the next step by bombardier will be an appeal claiming that the competition was not fair followed by massive lobbying in ottawa by the Quebec government.

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/14/18 09:12 by dxm332.

Ray_Murphy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'll try to find my tiny violin...
>
> Ray

I will get mine and we can have the whining in stereo.

As one of the taxpayers who are constantly being asked to support Bombardier I am sick of hearing this crap.

Of course there is politics regarding any big procurement order by the Canadian Government, but on strictly practical terms, the delayed delivery of new streetcars to Toronto should be sufficient reason for not choosing Bombardier.

Bombardier is a major employer in Thunder Bay ON., which has produced generations of rail and subway equipment for Canada, (as Canadian Car & Foundry, Hawker Siddeley , and now Bombardier). Unifor, the union representing the Thunder Bay Bombardier facility picketed various Via facilities recently.

Twenty percent of the "content" of the Siemens order is to be Canadian. My guess is that the cars and locomotives will be assembled in California, and completed at a facility in Canada. Also Siemens has a maintenance contract for this equipment, so they will be either building a facility in Canada, or contracting the maintenance out to an established maintenance company.

Those familiar with Bombardier equipment in the US will note this is a virtual mirror image of the arrangement Bombardier has made to deliver and maintain rail equipment to the US.

 

 

Didn't Bombardier have a temporary shop in Plattsburgh NY for completion of an order? And one in VT?

Posted from Android

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Didn't Bombardier have a temporary shop in
> Plattsburgh NY for completion of an order? And one
> in VT?

I think the one in Plattsburgh was for the NJT MLV's and the Barre, VT shop was for Acela?

If Bombardier spent as much time properly managing, staffing and quality control in their maufacturing facilities as they do on milking governments for money they might have won the contract

Marcus Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bombardier CEO Alain Bellemare was quoted by
> Bloomberg,
>
> "It's incomprehensible."
>

ROTFLMAO!!!!!

 

Will MacKenzie
Dundas, ON

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Didn't Bombardier have a temporary shop in
> Plattsburgh NY for completion of an order? And one
> in VT?

The Plattsburgh facility is being used currently to produce an order of 56 cars for Vancouver's SkyTrain system.

eminence_grise Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Siemens has a maintenance contract for this
> equipment, so they will be either building a
> facility in Canada, or contracting the maintenance
> out to an established maintenance company.

No, VIA will be doing the maintenance. The news release states: "Over its 30-year expected life, the new fleet will be maintained in Canada by qualified VIA Rail employees at VIA Rail’s Montreal and Toronto Maintenance Centers."

What Siemens has is "a 15-year Technical Services and Spares Supply Agreement (TSSSA) valued at $23,7 million per year." So its personnel might be giving technical supervision to VIA staff, but that work will be done at the two VIA facilities.

railsmith Wrote:

> No, VIA will be doing the maintenance. The news
> release states: "Over its 30-year expected life,
> the new fleet will be maintained in Canada by
> qualified VIA Rail employees at VIA Rail’s
> Montreal and Toronto Maintenance Centers."

I thought they closed the Mimico shops ? 

railsmith Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lackawanna484 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Didn't Bombardier have a temporary shop in
> > Plattsburgh NY for completion of an order? And
> one
> > in VT?
>
> The Plattsburgh facility is being used currently
> to produce an order of 56 cars for Vancouver's
> SkyTrain system.

Thank you.

Posted from Android

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> railsmith Wrote:
>
> > No, VIA will be doing the maintenance. The news
> > release states: "Over its 30-year expected
> life,
> > the new fleet will be maintained in Canada by
> > qualified VIA Rail employees at VIA Rail’s
> > Montreal and Toronto Maintenance Centers."
>
> I thought they closed the Mimico shops ? 

The Toronto Maintenance Centre had been substantially closed, but several years ago it was partially  re-opened for light maintenance. According to this news release, obviously it will be re-opened even further in a few years.

They probably thought they are entitled to anything in Quebec at least., still licking their wounds on getting nothing for REM project.
All transit buses in Quebec that I have seen (Montreal, QC, Le Saguenay) are Novas. BBD must think they are in the same boat.  

CPR_4000 Wrote:

>
> I think the one in Plattsburgh was for the NJT
> MLV's and the Barre, VT shop was for Acela?

Before Acela, Bombardier was finishing Superliner IIs in Barre, VT in the '90s. (Shells presumably came from La Pocatiere).

I won't be shedding any tears for Bombardier.  They seem to have done well renewing Montreal's commuter fleet in the last few years, along with Go Transit and West Coast Express.

But for one reason or another, they poisoned their relationship with Amtrak.  There should have been good opportunity to build on Acela, but they started suing each other.  That's always a great way to build trust [sarcasm].

GTD

railsmith Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What Siemens has is "a 15-year Technical Services
> and Spares Supply Agreement (TSSSA) valued at
> $23,7 million per year." So its personnel might be
> giving technical supervision to VIA staff, but
> that work will be done at the two VIA facilities.

That seems like a pretty sweet deal for Siemens - $23.7M annual maintenance contract. For VIA Rail, I find that to be a high cost to swallow unless there's a parts allowance or something that is given for free, so to speak. 

Lets remember that Bombardier has dug its own hole and hasn't gotten out of it yet..... 

I think it is now clear the "Brightline car" (and its derivatives) will be the standard  North American intercity passenger car.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/16/18 09:40 by joemvcnj.

What was incomprehensible was Bombardier's inability to deliver funcitioning product on time. So performance finally caught up to them and bit 'em. Good.
Fred