The following article appeared in the San Fernando Valley Business Journal on July 21, 2014.

Metro Railcar Assembly Starts in Palmdale – San Fernando Valley Business Journal

By Mark Madler

July 21, 2014

The first light-rail vehicle from Japanese transit manufacturer Kinki Sharyo Co. Ltd. arrived this month and was delivered to the final assembly plant in Palmdale.

The railcar arrived at the Port of Long Beach on July 16 and then was taken to Palmdale. It is the first of 78 cars ordered by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority to arrive in the U.S.

Kinkisharyo International LCC, the U.S. arm of Kinki Sharyo Co., in Osaka, will do the final assembly and testing of the car, which is scheduled to be delivered to Metro in October.

The company is leasing space from Los Angeles World Airports for the railcar assembly and testing, with plans to begin construction of a $50 million plant in Palmdale in early 2016.

The railcars will be used to support the Expo and Gold Line extensions.