Eastern Railroad Discussion > AL: Does Airbus receive components by rail?

Airbus has received an aircraft order from Jet Blue which may total $5bn before discounts.  The A220 will be assembled in Mobile AL, with some components manufactured nearby (Safran, for example), and others brought from Europe by ship.  Container ships will bring some large elements such as fuselage and wing assemblies. Presumably these will be subject to tariffs on aluminum unless the finished product is exported from the US.

CSX runs alongside the industrial park, which is adjacent to the old Brookley AFB.  Does CSX run much business to Airbus?  I've not heard of large components moving by rail, as Boeing does with some models, but there are plenty of smaller assemblies etc which could come in by rail.  Especially with Airbus in alliance with Bombardier in Quebec.

I don't know where all the pieces will be made, but the A220 series is the Bombardier C-Series aircraft re-branded.

Ray

Ray_Murphy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't know where all the pieces will be made,
> but the A220 series is the Bombardier C-Series
> aircraft re-branded.
>
> Ray

Yes. I believe Airbus bought a majority interest in the Bombardier aircraft line.  The jobs went to Alabama.

While CSX does have access to the Brookley Aeroplex I've not heard of any of the current Airbus production receiving components by rail.  The components that arrive by ship are trucked to the site.  Word has it that production of the A220 will involve construction of another facilityadjacent to the exisiting.  As yet, no word as to how aircraft components will be delivered.

Here's the components source list for what's in the currently-certified models:
http://www.airframer.com/aircraft_detail.html?model=CSeries

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ray_Murphy Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I don't know where all the pieces will be made,
> > but the A220 series is the Bombardier C-Series
> > aircraft re-branded.
> >
> > Ray
>
> Yes. I believe Airbus bought a majority interest
> in the Bombardier aircraft line.  The jobs went
> to Alabama.

The Airbus - Bombardier linkup was a response to a stuipd trade ruling on a complaint against the Bombardier Canadian assembled C series planes brought by Boeing.  They were complaining about a passenger count size plane in a market they dropped from production years ago.  Led to Boeing have to team up with Embraer in Brazil to keep from getting their clocks cleaned by Airbus.  Giant levels of stupidity all around.

Indeed. If Boeing hadn't forced Bombardier into Airbus's arms the C series aircraft would have limped on as a product of a minor manufacturer. Now the C series has Airbus's worldwide marketing and servicing heft behind it.

Wow now experts on the aircraft market.

Airbus expects to invest another $300mn in the Alabama plant.

Sounds like 400 more American skilled worker jobs are on the way. 

https://thehill.com/policy/transportation/aviation/425657-airbus-to-invest-300-million-and-create-400-jobs-in-new