CTA 7000-series

The 7000-series is the rapid transit rail car order placed by the Chicago Transit Authority for the Chicago L, meant to replace the 1980s-vintage 2600-series cars on the Blue, Brown and Orange Lines. The base order is 400 cars and the total with all options is 846 cars at about 1.3 billion dollars. CRRC Sifang America won the contract in 2016 after a protest by Bombardier failed, and the cars are completed at a new plant on South Torrence Avenue in Chicago, with the car shells made in China. Production began in June 2019, prototypes arrived in August 2020 and the production cars began service in August 2022. The cars use AC propulsion with regenerative braking, door sensors that count passengers and screens showing real-time information.