A factory that will build trains for the T in Boston is almost ready to open.
The facility in Springfield just received its certificate of occupancy. The factory is about 90 percent complete, and will open this winter.
That's according to a spokeswoman for CRRC, the Chinese company that owns the plant.
When complete, about 180 workers at the Springfield factory will build trains for Boston, Los Angeles and Philadelphia.
Bryan Perkins will be one of them.
He and about 20 other employees traveled to China from April to August to learn how to build the trains.
“We did have our communication difficulties. With some patience, and some help from translation apps, we were able to communicate, and work together to achieve our goal,” he said Thursday.
.@MassGovernor inspects photos at the new CRRC factory in Springfield showing what train assembly areas will look like. #trains pic.twitter.com/35R14XsyQv — Heather Brandon (@heddahfeddah) October 12, 2017
Perkins, along with Governor Charlie Baker and Mayor Domenic Sarno, spoke at an event marking the factory's progress.