SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Car shells seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection for almost a year have been released, the Massachusetts affiliate of Chinese rail manufacturer CRRC announced on Wednesday, March 18. That will allow the company to recall workers laid off earlier this week.
In a statement to public broadcaster WAMC, CRRC MA said that with the release of the shells, its “business operations will gradually resume with the goal to recall affected employes from furlough to resume the work of providing safe, quality vehicles to MBTA and Los Angeles Metro.”
Some 142 workers were laid off on Monday because of materials shortages resulting from the seizure of the car shells and other components that began last May [see “CRRC plant in Massachusetts …,” Trains.com, March 16, 2026]. The seizures at the Port of Philadelphia stemmed from alleged violations of a law prohibiting the import of goods using forced labor by ethnic minorities in China; CRRC had contended it was in compliance with that law.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey called the release “great news” in a statement to WWLP-TV, adding, “These parts are essential for delivering the safe and reliable service that Red Line riders deserve, while also supporting hundreds of good jobs in Springfield. That’s why we worked so hard to get them released and to get this project back on track.” She thanked U.S. Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.) and Phillip Eng, the MBTA’s general manager and interim state transportation secretary, for their efforts.
The plant is producing subway cars for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and LA Metro. As of December, almost 200 of the 404 cars in the MBTA order, originally slated for completion in 2023, had yet to be delivered. The plant is also completing a 64-car order for LA Metro; the first of those cars were delivered in 2023 [see “LA receives new subway cars,” Trains.com, Aug. 18, 2023].
— To report news or errors, contact trainsnewswire@firecrown.com.
Share this article
I still want to know what happened to the multilevel shell sent over for the aborted SEPTA order.