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ProgressiveRailroading.com, 11/26:

Kinkisharyo to expand rail-car facility under new agreement, L.A. Mayor Garcetti says   Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) officials announced yesterday that an agreement has been reached between Kinkisharyo International L.L.C. and labor and community groups to resolve an impasse that would have resulted in the company locating its manufacturing operations outside Los Angeles County for the next order of LACMTA light-rail cars. The agreement calls for Kinkisharyo to expand the current light-rail car assembly and testing operations at its existing site in Palmdale, Calif., to include manufacturing tasks that will create up to 250 jobs. The 175 cars being worked on at the plant will be put into service on the Crenshaw, Exposition and extended Gold lines. The pact includes a neutrality agreement and a commitment to explore additional skills training and assistance for disadvantaged county workers, according to a press release issued by Garcetti's office. Garcetti, who also serves as LACMTA chairman, recently intervened to jumpstart the stalled talks among the parties. "As I oversee the nation’s largest public works project as mayor and [LACMTA] chair, it's critical to me that our economy benefits from our $36 billion transportation build out, and this agreement makes that happen," he said.

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