SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The Massachusetts affiliate of Chinese rolling stock manufacturer CRRC has laid off 142 workers as of today (Monday, March 16) because U.S. Customs officials continue to block the import of railcar shells and other parts from China.
CRRC MA had announced the layoff plans for its Springfield plant in January to fulfill a requirement for a 60-day notice [see “CRRC plant in Massachusetts to lay off …,” Trains.com, Jan. 18, 2026]. At the time, the company had said it would furlough 161 workers, but a company spokeswoman said on Friday that number had been reduced through turnover and operational changes, MassLive.com reports.
The cuts leave 288 people at work at the factory. Those laid off will continue to receive health benefits for two months.
Production at the Springfield plant has been hampered since customs officials at the Port of Philadelphia seized car shells and other components last May [see “MBTA railcar builder hit …,” July 1, 2025]. The seizure was triggered by alleged violation of a 2021 U.S. law prohibiting the import of goods manufactured using forced labor by ethnic minorities in China’s Xinjiang region; CRRC said then it was in compliance with the law and provided documentation to Customs and Border Protection officials.
But the materials are still being held, leading to the layoffs.
“The economic impact of this detainment has affected CRRC MA’s business operations significantly, hindering the company’s ability to import components to build its vehicles, thus preventing the manufacturer from operating at full capacity,” the company said in a statement reported by New England Public Media. “As a result, difficult personnel decisions were unavoidable.”
The seizure continues to add to the lengthy delays in CRRC’s completion of a 404-car order for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority subway system. While a 152-car order for Orange Line cars was completed in December, according to MassLive, just 58 of the 252 cars for the Red Line have been delivered. All 404 cars were to have been delivered in 2023, but pandemic, quality control, and other issues slowed construction. In 2024, the MBTA agreed to pay an additional $148 million under a plan to have the order completed by 2027 [see “MBTA to pay more …,” March 29, 2024].
— To report news or errors, contact trainsnewswire@firecrown.com.
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