Empty Pockets wrote: "Actually, no, I don't get your point. I assume you are saying that volume purchase equals a lower cost per car. Which is fine except that the citizens of Illinois were not informed of this deal. At some point, theoretically, we have a right, as citizens of the State of Illinois. to know where the state government is spending our money. The fact that the state of Illinois is clubbing together with the state of California to buy a few passenger cars, without our knowledge, is just not going to get it.
Having said that, it is my understanding that the engineering developed by Pullman-Standard exists in files somewhere in south suburban Chicago, so why are you looking to the Japanese for a solution to rail transit when the answer exists here in the US?"

1> I find it doubtful that IDOT commited funds to this purchase below-board or covert.

2> Sumitomo's build plans and standards obviously meet current DOT/FRA/NTSB requirements for crash-worthiness, et. al. The firm also has a proven track record. Pullman Standard exited passenger building years ago. I seriously doubt it would be competitive to try and upgrade archived build plans given today's ISO and process standards, but I am confident the opportunity is there for whatever firm thinks that upgrading and tooling up to compete with Sumitomo, or any other firm for that matter, is there for the taking.