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Through a competitive RFP process, CTA selected Bombardier Transit Corporation located in Bensalem, Pennsylvania for the contract. The CTA issued a Notice to Proceed to Bombardier at the end of July 2006 to begin assembly of the cars. The contract calls for delivery of the 10 prototype cars within 30 months (by December 2009) after official Notice to Proceed is given by the CTA. The Chicago Transit Board granted permission on October 11, 2006 to issue up to $275 million in revenue bonds to help pay for new rail cars and buses and to continue capital improvement projects.
Delivery of prototype rail cars is expected in late 2009. The 10 prototype cars will get at least nine months of testing -- in Chicago's snowy winter and humid summer -- before other new cars are delivered by Bombardier. Construction will go forward at a slow pace during the testing period. Production of the base order of 206 is expected to begin in 2009 with delivery beginning in 2010. If the first option is exercised for 200 additional rail cars, delivery is expected to begin in 2012. Under the contract with Bombardier, CTA® will be able to exercise other options for an additional 216 rail cars and another 84 rail cars for airport service as funding becomes available.