How about a few more facts, and a little less California bashing "spin", based on what would appear to be very little knowledge about this procurement process?

High speed rail? Yes, technically. CHSRA has not anything to do with this....

These cars have a speed specification of up to 125 mph, and are technically High Speed, by the FRA defintion of 110 mph. or greater. Segments of LOSSAN through northern San Diego County, now operated at 90 mph.are slated for an upgraded speed 110 mph., after completion of the additional double tracking in this segment. Several current 90 mph. segments in south Orange County are also being assessed for potential 110 mph operations, as well.

No one from California is telling Illinois to buy anything. These states voluntarily formed a consortium several years back to develop a common procurement and design specification.

By doing a joint purchase that meets a standard bid specification, the states together are able to get a better bid on a larger car order by working together. This is a good idea because small car orders have typically had much higher per car bid costs. By conducting a larger order together, on a standard specification, it actually is more likely to create a sufficient market, which tends to attract more vendors, resulting in vendor economies of scale, that allows vendors to offer a lower per vechicle bid on a larger car order.

All cars are being competitively procured, with a combination of State and Federal monies. All of these cars a being procured in a fully competitive process, fully in compliance with Federal third party contracting requirements.

And, I don't know about Illinois, but all of the cars California is getting for the three corridors will be full on day one. The bilevel cars we have are already routinely over capacity on weekends, and peaks, in all of these corridors.

From beautiful sunny California, where our folks seem to like trains, have voted to fund trains, and actually use our passenger trains......a lot.