As petrol costs continue to vary, regional mass transit systems look better as an alternative choice to private vehicles for daily commuting. However as these systems expand to meet the increasing demand, they frequently run into a more common quandary. Lots of the best technology currently available is from Europe and Far East, but most regional systems are govt entities that must observe "Buy American" remits when upgrading their infrastructure. Chicago's Metra commuter rail is an example.

Metra serves 5 hundred miles of track and 230 stations in 6 counties. As a part of a scheme to upgrade both potency and purchaser satisfaction levels, Metra is replacing aging passenger automobiles with new Highliner cars, featuring the newest mass-transit technology from all over the world. The vehicles are being built by a Japanese company, Nippon Sharyo, and powered by Toshiba traction motors, but the final drives-a key high-value component-will be supplied by Voith Turbo of York, Pa. The final drives will be assembled and tested in Pennsylvania using gear wheels, bearings, seals and gear couplings from qualified US providers.

"These units will help Nippon meet the sixty p.c American content need for the new vehicles with no sacrifice in either quality or technology," recounted Voith sales engineer Michael Klug. The drives feature a sophisticated design that helps stop oil seepage, making the new automobiles more green than the ones they replace. They also are compact and tough, which makes a contribution to rider comfort by accelerating the automobile's trustworthiness, and to operational potency by reducing upkeep wants. Voith will deliver a total of 116 last drives over the term of the program. "We expect this sort of partnership to be the model for lots more regional transport systems across the U.S.," added Klug. "The wedding of worldwide technology and local producing and service is awfully tough to beat.".