Brazil outsources its new metro trains to China

[mvan1]

Twelve of fifteen new trains bought from China will be put in service starting today in Rio de Janeiro.

With all the skills and able bodied men available in Brazil to work, it would seem that those expensive metro trains that Brazil purchased from China could have been built in Brazil, creating thousands of jobs for Brazilians.

Instead of building the trains in Brazil, with guidance from Chinese engineers, Brazil contracts with China to have new trains built then shipped to Brazil for its transit system trains.

Maybe some of the demonstrators in Brazil about incompetence are not that wrong.

http://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/rio-real-estate/rios-metro-line-4-trains-start-tests-with-passengers/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRioTimes+%28The+Rio+Times%29

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[MsGuy]

Mvan1, the last thirty years or so China has spent a humongous amount of money building out an ultra modern rail transport system (some would say greatly overbuilding it but that's another question). In the course of that building binge they have developed world class rail design and construction firms. True some of the technology was initially imported but much is now home grown.

The Chinese rail boom is tailing off sharply. There's just not all that much left worth building in China. A lot of spare capacity now exists in China and they are busy shopping top flight equipment around the world at bargain prices. And the government is offering very attractive financing terms if you buy Chinese gear.

For a country like Brazil, cash strapped and with a very narrow market to support a domestic capacity, it makes sense to import from abroad. Witness the mess a similar 'built in Brazil' policy for oil production gear has made in the development of the Pre Sal offshore oil fields.

FYI, the Chinese are trying to put together a consortium between Brazil, Bolivia (& Peru?) to build a new Atlantic to Pacific railway tailored to haul the type of stuff China buys from South America. What with the current economic conditions, the deal may fall through but, if it's done, that also will be with Chinese financing.

[paulsf]

The Chinese also just signed some deals in SE Asia. They will be building high speed systems from Bangkok to NorthernThailand and across Cambodia and Laos to Hanoi. They have been soliciting new business all over the world.

[RA1]

Which country does not have some short comings in their industrial might? Certainly not China or the US, etc.

Embraer makes some outstanding aircraft for the airlines as well as business aviation. They are tough, able to go long periods between routine maintenance and generally well received by all their customers.

One problem is not good products from virtually every country but too many people and not enough jobs/economy to support everyone, especially not in the manner many seem to expect.

Good luck everyone.

Best regards,

RA1

[ihpguy]

I could have sworn I read somewhere, but could be wrong, that are the first two trains, the rest are to be assembled in Brasil. Interior of SP state.

I think a bigger question for me is why all of the iron rails for the VLT/Tram are being imported from Belgium? And with all of the new VLT systems being installed here in Brasil, including Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Cuiaba and Macae among other, why were all of the train sets built in Brasil?

The nine new fast ferries that are going to be traveling the bay are all being imported from China. Just goes to show you about Brasil, the first one, The Pao de Acucar between Rio and Niteroi is too big to load and unload at the docks. So they can not use all of their boarding entries/exits for the passengers. It now takes longer to load and unload than it does for the crossing. It would have been easy to extend the docks. A bit tougher to build a two-level boarding structure. So, so Brasil