China and Turkey Invest in Train Car Manufacture in Ankara

Chinese Corporation CSR, China South Locomotive & Rolling Stock Corp, and MNG Holding of Turkey are planning a joint venture to manufacture metro train cars for the Turkish capital, Ankara.

The investment, said to total $110m, and will see the partnership develop a joint facility in the Sincan area of the Turkish capital to provide train cars for the city’s light rail network. A spokesman for the Turkish Ministry of Transportation, Maritime Affairs and Communications said that the facility will be developed in two phases, with 200 light rail cars to be manufactured in the first phase to be used in urban transportation. The second phase will consist of provision for the maintenance and repair of 150 vehicles per year.

During construction of the plant, which is expected to be completed within a year, jobs will be created for up to 6,000 people, which will include 350 Turkish and 30 Chinese full time engineers.

China and Turkey are working together to link Ankara with Istanbul by high speed rail, which could ultimately link up with rail in China, providing rail connection all the way from Lianyungang in easternmost China, across Europe, eventually linking up with Spain and England.