So this must be how they are going to bring our steel and concrete back? $12 bucks a day, Arnold, tolls and billions of dollars, its almost too much to take in one article.
I must correct a wrong information contained in the yahoo article pointed out by Josh.
Chinese are NOT building any high speed rail line in Brazil. This high speed line between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, the two most important cities in Brazil, is still just an idea. It doesn't have even the basic engineering ready. What exists is a preliminary basic engineering that has been done to estimate its cost, but is not complete enough to start construction. Also, as a matter of fact, cost estimates based on that preliminary basic engineering vary according to whom makes them. Cost estimates made by government are lower, those made by opposition are higher.
Present intention is in favor of a turn kee job. The company, or group of companies, that will be awarded the contract, will have to make the basic engineering first, the detail engineering later, then the construction and will finally supply the equipment and material.
The bid for the turn kee contract that has been closed about two months ago was fruitless. No company presented a proposal, claiming that the scope of the contract wasn't clear enough and the time to prepare an offer was too short. It's not known (at least by the public) when a new bid will be launched.
Off record, it is said, but not confirmed, that Chinese, Japanese, French and German companies are interested in getting the job. We will see.
Giovanni S. Crisi
Sao Paulo - Brazil
I saw that article too. The claim that the US fab industry just isn't capable of doing it is BS. Could they do it at a competitive price with a country that barely pays its workers and has no concept of safety regulations or of fulfilling contract (e.g., welding code) requirements that an outside inspector isn't sitting right there making them do? Different question. And the cost of maintaining an army of inspectors over there never figures into the "low bid" price.
Hg
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