From Associated Press (AP)

The California Department of Transportation on behalf of the departments of
transportation of Illinois, Michigan and Missouri has issued a Notice of Intent
to Award to Sumitomo Corporation of America a contract to design, build and
deliver 130 bi-level passenger railcars for use in intercity rail corridors in
California and the Midwest. The Notice to Award does not signify that a contract
has been awarded but that a potential vendor has been identified. A fully
executed agreement is expected to be in place by mid-November, pending FRA
approval.

Sumitomo Corporation of America partners with Nippon Sharyo for passenger rail
car construction, so if Sumitomo gets the contract, these cars will be built at
Nippon Sharyo's new plant in Rochelle.

California will get 42 of the cars for use on their Capital Corridor, San
Joaquin and Pacific Surfliner routes. The Midwest will get the other 88 cars for
use on routes between Chicago and Port Huron, Detroit, Pontiac, Grand Rapids,
Carbondale, St. Louis, Kansas City and Quincy, and future service to Dubuque and
the Quad Cities.

The first rail cars are slated for delivery in the fall of 2015, with the final
car expected to be delivered in early 2018. These cars will be fully compatible
with Amtrak's existing Superliner cars and with the bi-level cars currently in
use in California.