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Showing posts with label Alstom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alstom. Show all posts

Tuesday, 17 July 2018

08:17

Siemens, Alstom deal faces full-scale European Union antitrust

Siemens, Alstom deal faces full-scale European Union antitrust
BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT:  Siemens and Alstom are set to face a full-scale EU antitrust investigation this week after declining to provide concessions to allay regulatory concerns about their plan to combine their rail operations, two people familiar with the matter said.
German industrial group Siemens and French rival Alstom want to create a Franco-German rail champion to compete more effectively with bigger rival CRRC and Canada’s Bombardier Transportation.
The companies had until July 6 to offer concessions to the European Commission but did not do so. Some firms prefer to wait for the EU antitrust enforcer to set out possible anti-competitive issues so they can tailor concessions to address them.
The Commission is expected to open a 90-working day investigation on Friday following the end of its preliminary review, the people said.
The Commission and Siemens declined to comment.
Siemens is seeking to convince regulators by citing the competitive threat from CRRC and that it does not compete with Alstom in rolling stocks, trains and signalling technology.
Competitors have expressed scepticism, saying that the two companies are the dominant players in Europe which can squeeze them out after the deal. (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee in Brussels and Tom Sims in Frankfurt.

Source:RailNews
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Thursday, 22 March 2018

08:11

DFC Project: Siemens, Bombardier, Alstom, BHEL-EMD, Toshiba, CRRC in race to manufacture 200 Electric Locos of 9000HP

DFC Project: Siemens, Bombardier, Alstom, BHEL-EMD, Toshiba, CRRC in race to manufacture 200 Electric Locos of 9000HP
NEW DELHI: Railways require 200 electric locos with 9,000 horse power (HP) each to haul double-stack containers in the upcoming 1,534 km long Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) from Dadri to Mumbai, passing through Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

According to the tender conditions, the selected manufacturer will make 190 locos at the Indian Railways’ Chittaranjan Locomotive Works facility in Asansol, with transfer of technology provision and import of only 10 engines. The company will also set up a maintenance depot at Rewari.
Showing interest in the project, five international players — Siemens, Bombardier, Alstom, BHEL-EMD and Toshiba-CRRC — have submitted applications on March 15, the last date for submission of pre-qualification bids. “These companies will submit their price bid by the end of April and the awarding the contract is expected by December this year,” said a senior Railway Ministry official.
The Railways had floated the global tender for high power locomotives after revising the loan conditions with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as the Western DFC is fully funded by Japan. Procurement of locos for Western DFC had to be from Japanese companies, as per the earlier agreement and, accordingly, the Railways had floated the tender two years back inviting Japanese companies for the project.
However, the bidding process got stuck on the pricing front as the Japanese companies quoted Rs 50 crore per locomotive which was considered too high and the Railways sought reduction by almost half. While the Japanese consortium did not agree to reduce the price as desired by Railways, a fresh global tender was floated after renegotiating and suitably revising the loan conditions.
With five global players in the fray, the Railways is expecting to get a competitive price this time. The 3,373 km long DFC, a flagship project of the Railways, aims to augment rail transport capacity to meet the growing requirement of movement of goods by segregating freight from passenger traffic.
The Western DFC (1,534 km) will be from Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) in Mumbai to Tughlakabad and Dadri near Delhi, and would cater largely to the container transport requirements between the existing and emerging ports in Maharashtra and Gujarat and the northern hinterland.
The Eastern DFC (1,839 km) will be from Ludhiana in Punjab to Dankuni near Kolkata — to be extended in future to serve the new deep sea port proposed in the Kolkata area, and will largely serve coal and steel traffic.

Source:RailNews
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Monday, 12 March 2018

20:46

Make in India Alstom Wins 40 Coach & Electrical Contract for Chennai & Jaipur Metro

Make in India -Alstom Wins 40 Coach & Electrical Contract for Chennai & Jaipur Metro

Alstom this weekend announced the completion of its first all-electric locomotive from its new Madhepur facility in Bihar. Within that announcement, they revealed that they’ve won three new system-related contracts worth about 75 million euros (roughly Rs. 600.03 crores) for Mumbai, Chennai and Jaipur’s metro systems.

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Monday, 12 June 2017

18:54

French firm to make 800 ‘super high-power’ locomotives for Indian Railways in Bihar

French firm to make 800 ‘super high-power’ locomotives for Indian Railways in Bihar

French firm to make 800 ‘super high-power’ locomotives for Indian Railways in Bihar
Endorsing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make In India vision, French conglomerate Alstom plans to manufacture 800 “super high-power” locomotives in India over a decade, its managing director for India and South Asia, Bharat Salhotra said.
Salhotra said in an interview that the company was also planning to export rail solutions from India to Australia, Central Asia and SouthEast Asia.
Awarded a contract to manufacture 800 electric locomotives for the Indian Railways, Alstom, a world leader in rail transport business, has decided to produce them in India — at a factory in Madhepura in Bihar.
“The factory will produce 800 locomotives of 12,000 horsepower each. The first phase of the factory should get over in September and the first locomotive will roll out from that plant in February 2018,” Salhotra told IANS.
He added that almost 85% of the supply chain for all those locomotives will be based in India.
“Eight hundred locomotives would be made in India. We would be importing some initial parts. But then we would subsequently move it to the plant in Madhepura.”
To achieve that, he said, local competency would be developed in India at supplier end through a partnership with France.
“Combining French technology and expertise with Indian talent and entrepreneurship would help us make rapid strides.”
Salhotra, who received the French honour insignia of the Knight of the National Order of Merits from the French Ambassador Alexandre Ziegler on Thursday, added that the company had already started moving towards the Make in India vision.
“Four years ago, we started with 30% (of the supply chain) coming from India and 70% coming from elsewhere. Now it is the other way around.”
However, Salhotra said he had larger plans not just to meet the Indian requirements, but also to expand the business to Central and SouthEast Asia.
“Our strategy is to develop our Indian footprint, first to deliver projects for India” and then to expand to other lucrative markets as well, he said.
“Today we have 1,000 plus engineers in signalling who are booking almost 1.5 million hours a year, partly for India and partly for various projects across the world.
“On the rolling stock front, we are designing trains in India for other countries. For example, we are going to export trains from India to Australia,” Salhotra said.
He added that Alstom would invest and expand its existing factories “depending on as-needed basis”.
“And not to forget we have the new Madhepura plant coming up. Once we have fulfilled the obligation of the Indian Railways for delivering the 800 locomotives, we can use that resource for various other projects,” he added.
In India, the French conglomerate started with Chennai Metro where it is providing 42 trains of four cars each.
For Kochi Metro, it is providing rolling stock, signalling and power supply solutions and receiving sub-stations.
It is also providing signalling system for Bengaluru Metro, train control system for Jaipur Metro and is doing track work for the Delhi Metro.
In the mainline space, Alstom is working on signalling system and power supply for the World Bank-funded 343-km eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC).
Salhotra said Alstom’s work does not end there as it is looking at building 50 metros across the country over the next 10-15 years, electrifying 4,000 km of Indian rail track every year and transform the transportation system in urban Indian cities.
“The 50 metros would take some time. Typically, we would see three or four metros coming every year.
“We believe we have the ability and capacity to handle that workload. And in addition to that, to also handle some workload beyond India,” he said.

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Thursday, 3 November 2016

07:55

International Conference on Decarbonization of Indian Railways- Mission Electrification begins tomorrow

International Conference on Decarbonization of Indian Railways- Mission Electrification begins tomorrow 
Ministry of Railways through Institution of Railways Electrical Engineer (IREE) in partnership with ASSOCHAM India is organising the International Conference on Decarbonization of Indian Railways- Mission Electrification tomorrow i.e. on 03-11-2016 in New Delhi.  Member Traction, Railway Board Shri Ashwani Kumar Kapoor briefed today about this conference and gave following information:-
· An International Conference on “Decarbonization of Indian Railways – Mission Electrification” isbeing organized in New Delhi on 3rd Nov.’16. 
·  The Conference aims at bringing various stakeholders on a common platform for   exchange of ideas and to deliberate on implementable technological solutions and financing options to significantly increase pace of electrification and achieve the target for setting up of renewable energy installations with total capacity of 1000MW by 2020. 
·The Conference will also project Indian Railways as an attractive investment destination considering its plans for huge investment in next 5 years towards modernization of its electrified network and use of renewable energy.
·  The Conference shall cover aspects relating to policy, technological modernization, mechanization, innovations and financing models for railway electrification and de-carbonization.
·  National Transport Development Policy Committee (NTDPC), in its report, has identified electrification of railway tracks as a means to reduce fuel consumption. The report has recommended for taking up electrification onpriority through systematically tackling the bottlenecks in progress of electrification projects. It has also suggested that electrification should be viewed as a means of making rail transport independent of imported fossil energy, while also provide a choice in sourcing energy. Moreover, electric traction allows regeneration of power while braking/coasting and feeding the network, thereby reducing overall consumption of energy and carbon emissions.
· In this regard, following action has been planned for improving efficiency and bringing in cost economies in freight and passenger operations. Reducing the Carbon Foot prints through use of sustainable and green sources of energy is also a key focus area.
In line with this vision, following action plan has been planned:
Ø  Electrification of Railway Tracks
Currently 28,000 rkm of tracks are electrified (42% of the total network) carrying around two-thirds of total freight traffic and 50% of total passenger traffic. As against 800 kms of average electrification in the earlier years, 1600 rkm of railway tracks were electrified in 2015-’16.
Further, in order to enhance the pace of electrification, following plan has been prepared:
Year
2016-’17
2017-’18
2018-’19
2019-’20
2020-’21
Target for electrification (rkm)
2,000
4,000
6,000
6,200
6,200

To fast track the pace of electrification, Ministry of Railway would be involving PSUs like IRCON, RITES and PGCIL. Increase in the pace of electrification will reduce its fuel bill by Rs. 10,000 cr. annually as against the business as usual approach.
Ø  Harnessing Renewable Energy on IR to reduce energy cost and carbon footprints
-  Indian Railways targets to harness 1 GW solar and 500 MW wind power as announced in Rail Budget 2015-’16,
-   500 MW of solar units on roof tops through Central Finance Assistance (CFA) from MNRE and balance 500 MW on land.
Ø  Introduction of Energy Efficient Rolling Stock
Acquisition/ Introduction of new energy efficient Rolling Stock has been initiated through the following projects
§  Electric Loco Manufacturing Factory at Madhepura in Bihar
    Project awarded to Madhepura Electric Locomotive Private Limited (MELPL), a JV company of Ministry of Railways and Alstom Manufacturing India Limited, to manufacture, supply and maintain the state of art 12,000 HP energy efficient locomotives.
§  Production of Energy Efficient High Horsepower Locomotives
-Last year, CLW achieved highest ever out turn of 280 locomotives, out of which 215 were energy efficient three-phase electric locomotives.
-CLW has completely switched over to production of only energy efficient IGBT based High Horse Power three-phase locomotives from current year and has turned out 122 such locos till Sept.’16.
§  Head On Generation (HOG)
Indian Railways have introduced HOG system wherein the lighting, air-conditioning and other electrical loads of passenger coaches would be fed directly from electric power drawn by locomotive from grid. This system will do away with the requirement of diesel power car for feeding electric supply to coaches and also enable in carrying additional passengers. This system has already been introduced in NDLS-Mumbai Rajdhani Express saving around 3,000 liters of diesel in one round trip.
§  Electrical Multiple Units (EMUs)
All new EMUs produced will be energy efficient with three phase technology having regeneration capability. Around 200 energy efficient rakes have been introduced in Mumbai Suburban area having regenerative braking feature since 2007.
§  Manufacturing of energy efficient electric locos from DLW, Varanasi
In order to meet the increased requirement of electric locomotives resulting from accelerated electrification, it has been decided to manufacture electric locos from DLW, Varanasi also. It is planned to manufacture two locos in the current financial year followed by ten locos next year and there on.
Source:PIBNEWS

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Wednesday, 26 October 2016

16:11

Alstom’s plant closure not to impact railways project: French Minister

Alstom’s plant closure not to impact railways project: French Minister

'Rafale deal will pave the way for the strengthening of France-India technological and industrial cooperation'

Alstom’s decision to stop production at a plant in Belfort due to poor demand will not impact its India operations, French minister of State for Industry, Christophe Sirugue said in an interview.

Alstom’s India operations will include the implementation of a more than a €3 billion contract it bagged in November 2015 to supply Indian Railways 800 freight electric locomotives and carry out the related long-term maintenance.

Following Alstom’s recent plan to halt output at Belfort plant, the French government, in a controversial move, had agreed to purchase 15 high-speed trains from the rail transport major to protect around 400 jobs, months ahead of the national polls. The French state holds around 20 per cent stake in the multinational company.

“Alstom and the French government had recently held talks on the future of Belfort site, and more generally on the situation of Alstom’s different sites in France.” Mr. Sirugue told The Hindu.

“The government, Alstom and stakeholders elaborated a joint plan which will preserve Alstom’s strong technological expertise on several segments of the railway market, in particular locomotives. Therefore, those talks will have no impact on Alstom’s operations in India, including the (Indian Railways) contract.”

The €7.87 billion deal for purchase of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft by India will pave the way for the strengthening of France-India technological and industrial cooperation, he said.

Source:The Hindu



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Monday, 26 September 2016

19:00

Alstom unveils emission-free Coradia iLint Locos

Alstom unveils emission-free Coradia iLint Locos 

Zero-Emission Hydrogen-powered Train unveiled in Germany

Berlin: Two years after inking the first letters of intent (LoIs) with various German states and entities, French multinational Alstom’s zero carbondioxide (CO2) emission passenger train is set to grace the European country’s rail network.

Launched on Tuesday at railway trade fair InnoTrans, in Berlin, Germany, the new Coradia iLint locomotive is being promoted as a hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered alternative to diesel-powered locomotives and a more cost-effective choice compared to the electrification of lines.

Germany would be Alstom’s launching pad on route to the delivery of lower CO2 emission products, Alstom chairperson and CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge said at a press briefing on the sidelines of the trade show.

The move forms part of the company’s commitment to cut the energy consumption of its solutions by 20% by 2020 and is a part of the solutions Germany will adopt with its commitment to reduce its CO2 emissions by 40% from a 1990 baseline in the next four years.

“Germany is the ideal starting point for hydrogen technology, as customers increasingly demand innovative and environment-friendly products and the transport authorities push for the implementation of regional emission-free transport technologies,” Poupart-Lafarge commented.

He pointed out that a significant portion of Europe’s rail network – 50% in the case of Germany, with some 20 000 km of nonelectrified track – remains nonelectrified, with the number of diesel locomotives operating still high.

LoIs were signed in 2014 with the German states of Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg, as well as with the Public Transportation Authorities of Hesse, for the development of a fuel-cell train.

An LoI was also concluded with the town of Calw in 2015.

“The only exhaust is water steam and condensed water. No greenhouse gases or particles are exhausted from the train and electricity is produced without any generator or turbine, which makes the process much quicker and more efficient,” Poupart-Lafarge added.

In a fact sheet outlining the features of the new train, Alstom highlighted the use of high-performance lithium-ion batteries for the storage of energy from the fuel cell when not in use.

“The battery stores energy from the fuel cell when not needed for traction or from the kinetic energy of the train during electrical braking and allows supporting energy delivery during acceleration phases. They accumulate the energy not immediately used in order to later supply it as needed.”

Coradia iLint, which is based on the diesel train Coradia Lint 54, will be manufactured at Alstom’s Salzgitter site, in Germany, with the first of the new trains scheduled to enter commercial service in 2018.


Source:RailNews
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Sunday, 28 August 2016

06:57

Alstom to provide Amtrak with its new generation of high-speed train

Alstom to provide Amtrak with its new generation of high-speed train
Alstom and Amtrak announced today that they have signed a contract for Alstom to design and build 28 new high-speed trains, which will run on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) between Boston and Washington D.C. Amtrak and Alstom also signed a long-term contract under which Alstom will provide Amtrak with long-term technical support and supply spare components and parts for the maintenance of the new trainsets. Together, these contracts are worth €1.8 billion ($2 billion). 

The Northeast Corridor (NEC) line covers roughly 730 km (457 miles)[1]. In only ten years, the number of passengers has increased from 2.4 million passengers in FY 2002 to 3.5 million in FY 2014. As part of an effort to renew and expand their premium product, Amtrak has therefore decided to purchase new trainsets to replace the existing Acela trains [2], thus increasing passenger capacity, providing more frequent service, minimizing journey times, and improving operating costs and energy efficiency. 

The train ordered by Amtrak is Avelia Liberty, the latest development of Alstom’s high-speed train range Avelia. The new trainset will be able to carry up to 33% more passengers than the current Acela trains. The trainset configuration includes an innovative compact power car and nine passenger cars, with the possibility of three more being added if demand grows. The train is capable of travelling at speeds up to 300 km/h (186 mph), but will initially operate at a maximum speed of 257 km/h (160 mph) based on NEC track speed limits. Additionally, each concentrated power car is equipped with Alstom’s pioneering Crash Energy Management (CEM) system.

Another key feature is the train’s articulated architecture, which provides greater stability and passenger comfort while enhancing safety. The train also includes Alstom’s innovative Tiltronix anticipative tilting technology, which allows the train to manoeuvre curves safely and more comfortably at high speeds.

“Amtrak is taking the necessary actions to keep our customers, the Northeast region and the American economy moving forward,” said Amtrak President & CEO Joe Boardman. “These trainsets and the modernization and improvement of infrastructure will provide our customers with the mobility and experience of the future.”

Jérôme Wallut, Senior Vice President, Alstom North-America said “Alstom’s high speed trains, which we have branded Avelia, are the most advanced, reliable and safest trains in the world. Avelia Liberty will not only provide premium passenger experience but will also provide greater energy efficiency and lower lifecycle costs. This award is an illustration of the success of Alstom’s strategy of customer proximity. We would like to thank Amtrak for its vote of confidence and remain fully dedicated to making this project a success”.

Most of the Avelia Liberty for Amtrak will be manufactured in the United States. The new trainsets will be manufactured at Alstom’s 150 year-old historic site in Hornell, NY. They will be maintained in the depots of Amtrak in Boston, New York and Washington DC under a specific Technical Support and Spare Supply Agreement with additional support from Alstom’s sites in New York, Delaware and Illinois for a period of 15 years, with an option for an additional 15 years. These contracts will result in the creation of more than 1,000 jobs nationwide, including 750 in New York with 400 of those at Alstom facilities.

In nearly 40 years, Alstom has sold more than 1,100 Avelia high speed trains around the world and equipped over 300 more with its technology.  As of today, Alstom’s Avelia high-speed trains have covered over 6.4 billion kilometres in 20 countries and transported 4 billion passengers.

Source:ALSTOM
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Sunday, 17 July 2016

21:46

Alstom to further maintain Class 180 trains in the UK

Alstom to further maintain Class 180 trains in the UK

Alstom has been chosen to provide maintenance support for the Class 180 trains operated by Grand Central Railway Company Limited for the next ten years, from January 2017 until December 2026, for around €100 million[1]. 

Alstom will provide Grand Central with the specialised materials, parts, technical and engineering support needed to maintain its fleet of ten Class 180s. The support team for the fleet will be based initially at Alstom’s Chester Traincare Centre and will then co-locate with the Grand Central fleet operations team at its East Coast mainline maintenance location later in 2018. 

“We’re delighted to be extending our contract with Grand Central and even happier that our support for the Class 180 trains is set to continue. It’s important that they are well maintained so that passengers can continue to enjoy the benefits the trains offer. That is why we’ve extended our commitment and look forward to doing so for the foreseeable future,” said Nick Crossfield, Managing Director at Alstom in UK & Ireland. 

Grand Central Railway currently operates five Class 180 trains between London Kings Cross and Yorkshire and the North East but in 2017 will expand its fleet to ten trains. The Class 180 fleet was first built by Alstom at Washwood Heath in Birmingham between 2000 and 2001. 

Part of Alstom’s Coradia range, the Class 180 is one of the few diesel multiple-unit trains that can reach speeds of up to 200 kilometres per hour.

Source:Alstom
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Tuesday, 12 April 2016

15:54

HCL Technologies signs Infrastructure Deal with Alstom

HCL Technologies signs Infrastructure Deal with Alstom

New Delhi: HCL Technologies said it has signed an infrastructure deal with France-based locomotive company Alstom, to provide engineering services, PC as-a-Service for 30,000 global users, and enable local end-user support services for multiple geographies.

The organisations did not disclose the deal value.

HCL will also set up a multi lingual global service desk for Alstom in 11 languages including more than 50 per cent French speaking users.

These services will be delivered through HCL’s three global delivery centers located in Poland, Brazil and India.

“Following the sale of Alstom Energy and central support functions to GE on 2nd November, it was our priority to ensure a smooth and continuous IT operations, to embrace the digital economy in our transformational objectives while optimizing costs,” said Christine Heckmann, chief information officer, Alstom.

IMS or infrastructure management services is HCL’s biggest business.

“Our track record in carrying out build, operate and transfer projects, and implementing multi-sourcing services integration gave Alstom the confidence that we were their ideal technology partner,” said Ashish Gupta, Corporate Vice President & Head-Diversified Industries & Infrastructure Services, EMEA, HCL Technologies.
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Saturday, 19 March 2016

23:24

Alstom wins the ‘Excellence in ‘Make-in-India’ award

Alstom wins the ‘Excellence in ‘Make-in-India’ award
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New Delhi: Alstom won the award for ‘Excellence in ‘Make-in-India’ category at the recently concluded ‘Metro Rail India Summit 2016’ re-affirming Alstom’s strong localisation in India as a result of its customer’s proximity strategy. The summit held on March 11, 2016 in New Delhi is India’s premier forum to address the issues related to the further development of metro rail in India.

Alstom is continuously pushing the edge of technology with fully equipped 100% localised, competitive, innovative and high value products to serve the ever growing urban and mainline transportation Indian market with employee strength of close to 1,700 people. In India, Alstom has two manufacturing facilities, Sri City (for manufacturing of metro trainsets) and Coimbatore (for traction equipment production) and an engineering innovation hub in Bangalore. Striving for excellence for the technology advancement, the facilities are the spearhead of Alstom group’s focus on innovation & quality in both urban and mainline transport market. Alstom has strong presence in India where the company has been awarded important metro projects for cities including Chennai, Delhi and Kochi.

“Alstom has been in India for over 100 years. In line with Government of India’s “Make in India” programme, Alstom has been investing heavily in the country. This award reaffirms and showcases our readiness and commitment to the Indian transport sector” – states Bharat Salhotra, Managing Director, Alstom India.

The Summit saw participation of more than 200 government officials, decision makers, planners, technology experts as well as project leaders to address specific challenges across key aspects like finance, planning, technology, mobility, signaling and control, as well as operations, safety and maintenance in urban transport sector.

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Thursday, 31 December 2015

23:20

Bombardier, Alstom win Euro Train contract

Bombardier, Alstom win Euro Train contract

Alstom SA and Bombardier won a joint contract valued at 3.3 billion euros to supply double-decker cars to the Belgian national railway through 2021. The first 445 cars are slated for delivery starting in 2018. Bombardier’s share of the contract is worth 2.1 billion euros. Alstom completed the sale of its energy operations to GE last month to focus on supplying the railway industry.

Bombardier decided in November to sell a 30-per-cent share of its train making unit rather than hold an initial public offering in the business. The company will use cash from that deal to help pay for development of the C Series airliner, a project that is behind schedule.

“The rail market is a dynamic market with a strong potential” tied to urbanization and mobility, Alstom Chief Patrick Kron told shareholders at a meeting on Friday. The French and Canadian manufacturers already co-operate on trains for the Paris region’s commuter network and Montreal’s subway system. Bombardier will provide 65 steering cars and 290 trailer cars under the new contract, while Alstom will build 90 motorized cab cars and the trains’ control technology.

Bombardier also to invest in Turkey’s high-speed railways

The head of  Canadian train maker Bombardier said on Wednesday that his company would invest in Turkey’s high-speed rail network construction. Speaking to Firat Gazel, Anadolu Agency’s Editor in Chief for Economy-Finance and Energy News, in Berlin, Laurent Troger said Turkey is one of the world’s most important railway markets as it connects Europe and the Middle East.

As Turkey invests for high speed railway network to connect Turkish capital and other provinces, Bombardier would participate by investing in a manufacturing plant and maintenance center in the country, Troger said. “The modernization process is proceeding very fast and government’s commitment of $45 billion investment to the railway sector boosts this importance to further levels,” Troger, who on Dec. 9 was named president of the company, said.

According to the president, if the company wins one of the local high-speed train tenders, the techology transfer to Turkey will take place. “We already have local employees in Turkey. But if we win one of the high-speed train tenders, surely there will be many more Turkish employees,”  Troger said. “We attach great importance to maintain quality at this point. We commit to providing comprehensive training in a sector which is technology oriented and exciting.”

According to the train maker’s chief operating officer, Canadian aerospace and transportation company Bombardier wants local production for high- speed train systems. “Turkey is one of the most important rail markets in the world. We want to produce high-speed train systems in Turkey with a strong partner.”

The government intends to increase the length of the network to 26,000 kilometers (16,155 miles), nearly double that of today’s 12,485 kilometers (7,757 miles) including 10,116 kilometers (6,285 miles) of  high-speed lines. Railway projects in the country are taking place in the western, eastern and northern parts of the country.

Extending the lines in the east-west direction is especially significant for Turkey’s railway infrastructure, to enable connections with the eastern provinces, and to create a transportation corridor, as well as to improve regional development. Railways are faster than sea transportation and cheaper than airway transportation.

Turkey started to invest in construction of railways a decade ago. But, according to experts, there is a long way ahead for Turkey to develop a dense network of railways. “We hope to be a key player in the railway sector of Turkey,” Troger said. “We would like to transform the Turkish market into a technology-focused, innovative one by boosting the cooperation with local industry.”

Troger said that the company has been operating in Turkey since 1986 and has many local employees.

Bombardier Wins 10-Year Fleet Maintenance Contract with Trenitalia

Bombardier Transportation has won a 10-year contract to maintain Trenitalia’s fleet of 50 V300ZEFIRO very high speed trains, known in Italy as the Frecciarossa 1000. One of the most important fleet maintenance contracts awarded in Italy in recent years, the contract will be executed in association with Bombardier’s consortium partner AnsaldoBreda, an Italian rail transport engineering firm. Bombardier Transportation’s share of the contract is valued at approximately 154 million euro ($191 million US).

Jean Baptiste Eymeoud, Head of Services Execution, Bombardier Transportation, Western Europe, Middle East, Africa (WMA) said, “Our target is to optimise the availability and reliability of the new vehicles with the adequate preventive and corrective maintenance program once the vehicles enter revenue service by mid-2015. This contract and its duration represent a great achievement for the Frecciarossa 1000 and will reinforce Bombardier’s long-term commitment to Italy.” Bombardier’s services execution team in Italy is already responsible for the maintenance of more than 200 vehicles in the country.

Manufactured in partnership with AnsaldoBreda, the Frecciarossa 1000 is the newest member of the BOMBARDIERZEFIRO family of high-speed trains. With a top commercial speed of up to 360 km/h, the V300ZEFIRO is the fastest train in Europe and its advanced, high acceleration delivers excellent travel times, even on winding routes. It is also fully interoperable, meaning passengers can cross European borders without having to change trains. The V300ZEFIRO can also be adapted for use on networks in many other non-European countries.

Bombardier is a leading rolling stock manufacturer in Italy and is involved in many of the country’s most important rail projects. These include Trenitalia’s various electric locomotives such as the E464, the ETR500/FRECCIAROSSA high speed trains, the BOMBARDIER INNOVIA automated people mover 100 for Rome-Fiumicino airport, the BOMBARDIERFLEXITY trams for Milan and Palermo, propulsion systems for Rome’s new metro vehicles, and the traffic management systems installed in various sections of Italy’s rail network.
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Sunday, 27 December 2015

09:01

Alstom wins €190m contracts to supply equipment for Cairo metro’s line 3


Alstom wins €190m contracts to supply equipment for Cairo metro’s line 3.

Thales to provide Fare Collection and Communication Systems for Cairo Metro

Under the deal, Alstom which is leading a consortium with Thales will offer its Urbalis signalling solution, including Iconis at the operating control centre, point machines and station signalling equipment.

Thales has signed two new contracts to upgrade the fare collection system for Lines 1 and 2 on Egypt’s Cairo Metro, as well as provide communications systems for the Al Thawra extension on Line 3 (Phase 3).

As part of the deal, Thales will deploy its TransCity fare collection solution, which uses its Web 2.0 technologies, on Cairo Metro’s Lines 1 and 2, effectively replacing the equipment installed in the 1980s.

Thales will deliver 850 access gates, 100 vending terminals for ticket outlets and 75 portable ticket control terminals, as well as implement new system architecture.

The TransCity central system will also supervise all data generated across the existing network and accommodate future network evolutions and extensions. This is the company’s second deployment of the TransCity system this year, following a contract awarded in South Africa in September. Following the completion of the 18-month project, a combination of magnetic stripe and contactless fare media technology will make it easier for passengers to access the metro system. The new fare collection equipment installed at stations on these lines will improve reliability while reducing maintenance costs. In addition, a consortium comprising Thales and Alstom will implement fully integrated communication and supervision systems, relevant to 15 new stations and an additional depot, from Attaba to Rod El Farag and Cairo University, for a length of more than 17km. The extension is one of the strategic investments by Egypt in Cairo to increase the level of public transport services. Installed at the Line 3 operational control centre, the systems will ensure real time management and control of the whole telecommunications, ticketing and electromechanical systems. In February, Egypt’s National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) has signed two contracts with Alstom-led consortiums to deliver signalling system and the infrastructure of the Phase IVA of Cairo Metro Line 3. A consortium of Alstom and Thales was responsible for the supply of signalling system, while another consortium comprising Alstom, Colas Rail, Orascom and ARABCO will deliver infrastructure for Cairo metro.

Egypt Cabinet endorses $669mn to finish phase 4 of Cairo Metro-line 3

The Egyptian Cabinet approved Tuesday the final value to complete the second part of the fourth phase of Cairo Metro Third Line estimated at 5.237 billion Egyptian pounds (US$668.6 million). The second part of phase 4 extends with length of 6.36 km and include four stations; Gesr el Suez ,Haykesteb Bridge , the Ring Road ,Ismailia desert road. The Cairo Metro Line 3 extends from Cairo‘s the northwest district of Imbaba to the northeast nearby the Cairo airport. The line will cross the River Nile twice, once at the western branch between Imbaba and Zamalek Island, and again at the eastern branch between Zamalek and downtown Cairo. The total length of the line is approximately 30.6 km, of which 28.1 km is an underground section. National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) has awarded a contract to Orascom Construction Industries and Arab Contractors to build a 6.3km surface section from Nozha 2 to Al-Salam in the 10th City of Ramadan. NAT has signed a contract with Vinci Construction France to implement the fourth phase of Line 3, which will extend the line by 5.1km from Haroun to Nozha 2.

The 78km-long Cairo metro network currently carries three million passengers a day, and may reach five million by 2020. The network includes two complete lines, with a third partially open due to construction in different phases. Currently under construction and scheduled to be completed in 2022, phase 3 comprises a 17.7km line extension and 15 extra stations. “We are committed to accompany our customer in the further development of Cairo’s metro network to meet the growing demand for mobility.” Following completion, line 3 will be capable of carrying more than 1.5 million passengers a day. Under the deal, Alstom which is leading a consortium with Thales will offer its Urbalis signalling solution, including Iconis at the operating control centre, point machines and station signalling equipment. The signalling solution will allow safe and comfortable journeys to commuters and a short headway between trains. A consortium comprising Alstom, Colas Rail, Orascom and Arabco will supply electromechanical equipment, which includes power substations to feed the third-rail electrification, ventilation, escalators and lifts. Alstom Middle East and Africa senior vice-president Gian-Luca Erbacci said: “These new projects will undoubtedly strengthen our partnership with NAT that started more than 30 years ago. We are committed to accompany our customer in the further development of Cairo’s metro network to meet the growing demand for mobility.” The company has already provided Metropolis trains and infrastructure, signalling and services solutions for lines 1 and 2 of Cairo Metro, and it has been awarded phases 1, 2 and 4a of line 3. The company has also secured a contract to modernise the signalling systems on the regional railway line from Beni Suef to Asyut.

Orascom Construction awarded €105 m for phase III of Cairo Metro Line III

Orascom Construction (ORAS) announced today that its consortium with Colas Rail, Alstom and Arab Contractors has signed a contract with the National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) in Egypt to execute electromechanical and related civil work for the third phase of Cairo Metro Line III. OC’s share of the contract is approximately EUR 105 million. OC has played an integral role in the development of CairoMetro and is well-positioned for future metro awards. The Group is currently executing another package for the third phase of Cairo Metro Line III and has previously completed significant work on the existing lines.
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Thursday, 17 December 2015

07:45

PPP Projects could be brought under proposed Rail Regulator’s ambit

PPP Projects could be brought under proposed Rail Regulator’s ambit

New Delhi: Rail minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu plans to bring public private partnership (PPP) projects under the ambit of the proposed regulator for the rail sector. The idea is to turn around Indian Railways’ unsuccessful experience with PPP projects as part of larger reforms to boost investments through private participation.

Prabhu told that he would soon approach Parliament with the draft of the regulatory authority Bill seeking a debate on the controversial provision. “The three key elements of the regulator’s functions will be the framework and monitoring of passenger and freight tariffs, PPP and efficiency.”

The minister, who completed a year in office last month, clarified the regulator would not set tariffs but provide the framework for tariff setting with a view to improve efficiency and give final approval. “We are creating the regulator to tackle the issue of cross-subsidisation. The draft is ready and we will get it passed in Parliament soon,” he said.

The proposal is being finalised at a time the railways is struggling to cut down costs in the wake of falling freight volumes and the impact of the seventh pay commission recommendations. “It is easy to say we want to raise passenger fares and freight rates because of the pay commission impact. But would it be fair? Therefore, I am putting efficiency as a part of the regulator proposal,” Prabhu said.

According to officials, Indian Railways has undertaken 20 projects worth Rs 14,000 crore in the current Plan period including new lines, doubling and electrification projects on the PPP mode. While seven PPP projects of Rs 5,693 crore are under implementation as part of a joint venture model, an additional Rs 2,236 crore worth of projects are being executed through the customer-funded model. Also, three PPP projects worth Rs 3,016 crore are being implemented through the annuity route and in-principle approval has been given to six others worth Rs 3,078 crore. These models are part of the participatory policy for rail connectivity launched in 2012.

The rail ministry had recently awarded two locomotives projects involving around Rs 36,000 crore investments in Bihar to foreign firms – US-based GE and French firm Alstom.

The two PPP projects will start delivering high-horse power diesel and electric locomotives after 2018. Also, the ministry has announced plans to redevelop 400 stations through the PPP mode.

Prabhu had announced an investment plan of Rs 1 lakh crore for the current financial year in this year’s Budget including Rs 40,000 crore of the gross budgetary support or the Centre’s financial assistance, Rs 17,655 crore of market borrowings, Rs 17,793 crore of internal resource generation and Rs 5,781 crore to be raised through PPP.
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Monday, 30 November 2015

22:31

Railway plants in Bihar to boost manufacturing, jobs: Jaitley

Railway plants in Bihar to boost manufacturing, jobs: Jaitley

Marking the first big FDI in the railway sector, the Indian Railways today signed Rs 40,000-crore contracts with GE and Alstom to set up two locomotive plants in Bihar with a view to boosting manufacturing and employment in the state. 

Terming it as the "first major" manufacturing investment in Bihar, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said setting up of diesel and electric locomotive factories will benefit farmers.

"It is a major manufacturing investment in India... And when GE and Alstom start investing in Bihar, I think it's good days for 'Make in India'. India is going to benefit, the Railways is going to benefit, Bihar is going to benefit," he said. 

He was speaking at the formal contract signing ceremony for the two Rs 40,000-crore modern locomotive joint venture factory projects. 

He also said "very soon, you will hear about contracts and tenders which will be out with regard to private sector participation in modernisation of 400 select railway stations". 

"Both these activities are going to generate a lot of economic activities. Obviously, the quality of the Indian Railways is going to improve," he added. 

He said it is a win-win situation for Bihar because one of the greatest challenges for India is to boost the economy of the state. 

"There will be job creation. Their taxes can improve. This will create an ecosystem where you will have ancillary units and service providers," he said. 

Jaitley termed the move as "a certainly important contract" at entry point into the railway system by international majors like GE and Alstom, which have a mandate to manufacture ecologically-friendly locomotives. 

The electric locomotive factory will be set up at Madhepura and the diesel one at Marhowrah in Bihar. 

The project was originally approved by the Cabinet in 2006. 

Last year, the government had relaxed FDI norms in the railway sector.

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Wednesday, 25 November 2015

08:16

New Alstom and GE Plants to double IR’s Freight-pulling Power

New Alstom and GE Plants to double IR’s Freight-pulling Power

India’s Rs 8,500-crore railway locomotives market is set for a mega upheaval with the government awarding the contracts for the Madhepura and Marhowra factories to General Electric (GE) and Alstom in a Rs 36,000-crore deal — the country’s first foreign direct investment (FDI) in the rail sector.

Once commissioned over the next two to three years, the two factories to come up in Bihar would supply 200 locomotives of 6,000 horsepower (HP) and 12,000 HP annually to Indian Railways, adding to the existing supply of 650 locos of 4,000-6,000 HP.

“That translates into more than doubling the trailing-load-capacity of freight trains without having to use extra engines per train,” said R Sivadasan, former Railway Board financial commissioner, who had overseen the preliminary discussions on the Bihar projects.

Trailing load refers to the maximum tonnage volume that can be hauled by a freight train and it depends on the propulsion strength of the locomotive being used. Indian Railways’ freight trains currently carry a maximum trailing load of 3,900 tonnes.

“The new 12,000-HP engines will catapult this capacity to an average 10,000 tonnes per train — similar to Chinese railways,” Sivadasan added.

India currently manages to achieve higher trailing loads only by using extra two to three low HP engines per train.

Indian Railways operates 10,500 locomotives to haul both passenger and freight trains at present. The transporter inducted 647 locomotives in its fleet in the last financial year at a cost of Rs 8,465 crore, around a half of its total expenditure of Rs 17,376 crore on rolling stock. This included 397 diesel locos purchased from Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) at Varanasi and 250 electric engines from Chittranjan Locomotive Works (CLW) in West Bengal.

In 2015-16, railways plans to induct 636 locos (375 diesel and 261 electric). While the expenditure on locos is budgeted to remain flat at around the same level as 2014-15, railways’ total rolling stock expenditure is expected to go up 12 per cent to Rs 19,342 crore, indicating higher budgeted expenditure for acquisition of wagons and coaches.

Experts say with the two new factories at Madhepura and Marhowra in two years, making available additional 200 locomotives and the supply from CLW and DLW getting ramped up to 700 locos, total locomotives supply for Indian Railways would cross 800-900 annually. That, however, does not translate into a surplus scenario.

“There is not likely to be a huge demand-supply mismatch. India is now trying to increase freight loading multifold as economy continues to grow at 7-8 per cent; DFCC (Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation) corridors will start getting commissioned 2018 onwards and also a lot of old locos will gradually retire,” said Amrit Pandurangi, senior director at Deloitte.

He added the new locomotives would be a game changer with better technology, higher fuel efficiency, and increased haulage power. “In addition, the higher speeds of the new locos will play a critical role as we move towards separation of freight traffic from passenger lines,” said Pandurangi.

Experts point out the expected ramp up in domestic demand might not allow an export scenario to develop. Also, the new locos will be designed for Indian broad gauge that is not used in a majority of other countries, which have already moved on to standard gauge in rail networks.

“There is a possibility of utilizing the Madhepura plant for exports but our primary focus is to meet the obligations of this contract and to meet the expectations of Indian railways in terms of product delivery and quality. Hence we are not envisaging any major exports from this plant at this point of time,” Bharat Salhotra, Managing Director at Alstom Transport which bagged the contract for the Madhepura electric loco factory told Business Standard.

The efficiency gains from new locos would come at a cost that is almost double the price Indian Railways pays for existing DLW and CLW locomotives. According to Salhotra, the price for each locomotive churned out by the Madhepura factory works out to Rs 28.4 crore. “However, there is an expectation of a 3 per cent reduction in the price year-on-year. So, the overall average price works out to Rs 24.88 crore per locomotive,” he said.

This price is in stark contrast to the cost of electric locos delivered by CLW – Rs 13 crore per engine. A former Railway Board Chairman said the doubling of price is justified in view of the double trailing load capacity the new locos will provide.

“Also, it must be remembered that the contract for new locos includes maintenance for the first 500 locos too. That is a major gain for Indian Railways,” he said. GE would supply 1000 diesel locos over ten years at a basic cost of Rs 14,656 crore from Marhowra while Alstom would deliver 800 locos over 11 years at a cost of Rs 21,389 crore from Madhepura.

THE BIG FDI PUSHIndian Railways currently operates 10,500 diesel and electric locomotives

More than 600 locos, purchased from DLW, Varanasi and CLW, West Bengal, are added to this fleet annually

Two new factories being set up by GE and Alstom in Bihar would add another 200 locos to existing supply in a few years

New locos would be of higher strength 6,000-12,000 HP with better fuel efficiency and faster speed but cost almost double at Rs 25 crore per loco against the existing ones

GE’s Rs 14,656-crore contract would supply 1,000 locos over 10 years from Marhowra while Alstom would deliver 800 locos over 11 years from Madhepura, as part of Rs 21,389-crore contract

Indian Railways spends Rs 17,376 crore on rolling stock annually, including Rs 8,465 crore on locos. Expenditure on rolling stock seen jumping 12 per cent to 19,342 crore in FY16 though loco spend to remain flat.
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