7000 series (Chicago "L")

The 7000 series is a future series of railcar for the Chicago "L". The order is for 400 cars and will be used to replace the 2600-series cars, which are currently assigned to the Blue and Orange Lines. If all options are picked up, these cars will replace the 3200-series cars, which are currently assigned to the Orange and Brown Lines. Including all options, which is a total of 846 cars, the order is estimated to cost a total of more than $2 billion. Prototypes for testing to be delivered in October 2019 and then delivery of the production cars beginning in October 2020, at a rate of 10 cars a month. The cars will be built at a new CSR Sifang America JV railcar manufacturing plant at 135th and Torrence in Chicago's Hegewisch neighborhood.

On January 27, 2014, CTA had opened up their bids - these include Bombardier, Sumitomo Corporation and its manufacturing partner, Nippon Sharyo.

Bombardier was the low bidder, bidding $1.39 million to make the 846 7000-series cars. At the time, Bombardier was completing delivery of 714 5000-series cars under $1.49 million contract. Bombardier was seen by some as having the inside track, since they were in the midst of manufacturing cars for the CTA.

Sumitomo and Nippon Sharyo, who have not sold their cars under the CTA before, submitted a $1.55 million bid. Nippon Sharyo was manufacturing their 160 commuter Highliner coaches for Metra's Electric District at the company's plant in Rochelle, Illinois. Sumitomo's bid was highly anticipated by some state and local officials because Nippon Sharyo's manufacturing plant in Rochelle could create more jobs.undefined

A third rail car manufacturer who had expressed interest, Kawasaki Rail Car Inc. did not submit a bid.

On May 20, 2014, CTA announced that they were rejecting the only two bids submitted to manufacture the 846 700-series railcars and instead would restart the procurement process by summer 2014 to drum up more competition and lower pricing. CTA officials said inter-connectivity between different models of railcars is desirable but not vital to operations, noting that 5000-series cars cannot be mixed in the same train with the 3200- and 2600-series cars, all of which would coexist in CTA's fleet even after delivery of the 5000's is complete.

On February 20, 2016, two finalists were announced for the contract&mdash;Bombardier Transportation and CSR Sifang America JV. On March 9, 2016, the contract was awarded to CSR Sifang America JV, with a bid that is $226 million lower than Bombardier's. However, on April 12, 2016, it was announced that Bombardier filed a protest of the award, alleging that CTA rigged the procurement to give CSR an unfair advantage. On September 28, 2016, The CTA finalized its decision to make CSR Sifang America JV the manufacturer of the 7000-series cars.