Did the Bombardier employee explain how Metrolink would be able to afford to replace the Bombardier cars?

The fact is that the current Rotem car order is not sufficient to cover Metrolink's current and planned service needs. These are barely sufficient for the new OC service expansions, replacing the damaged cars from Placentia, Glendale, and Chatsworth, and the priority replacement of the Bombardier cab cars with the Rotem crash management cab cars on the point when pushing.

It is my understanding from staff that most of the existing Bombardier cab cars can safely be used as coaches. I've already seen what appeared to be a consist with that configuration (Rotem cab in the lead). Ridership is growing again on Metrolink this summer with high gas prices, and some trains are facing severe overcrowding. So there isn't much excess capacity on hand to cover day to day operations, even with the Rotems.

Finally, money doesn't grow on trees, and I'm not aware, at this time, of a source of funding that would allow Metrolink to completely replace all of the Bombardier cars anytime soon. I believe that they may have an option to add on a small number of additional Rotem cars to the current order, but these would most likely be needed to cover the additonal service needs when the Perris line begins operations.

While the replacement of the Bombardier cars, with a full fleet of next generation "crash management" cars may be a long term policy "goal", it's probably going to take quite a while to accomplish.