Alstom (OTC: ALSMY) and Hitachi Rail have today confirmed that the Hitachi-Alstom High Speed (HAH-S) 50/50 joint venture has signed contracts with High Speed Two (HS2) to design, build, and maintain the next generation of very high speed trains for HS2 Phase 1 as part of the £1.97 billion contract, including an initial 12-year train maintenance contract.
The UK’s two leading train manufacturers will deliver Europe’s fastest operational train, capable of operating at maximum speeds of 225mph (360 km/h), significantly reducing journey times for passengers. The fleet will be 100% electric, and be one of the world’s most energy efficient very high speed trains due to the lower train mass per passenger, aerodynamic design, regenerative power and latest energy efficient traction technology.
In a major boost to grow and rebalance the economy, the HAH-S joint venture will manufacture the 54 trains at newly enhanced facilities in County Durham, Derby and Crewe. The award to the British-based firms will protect and create thousands of green jobs and add £157 million GVA to the UK economy for every year of the train building phase.
The new 200m-long, 8-car trains are set to run in Phase 1 of the project between London and Birmingham, and on the existing network, and will dramatically increase capacity and connectivity between towns and cities across the country including Stoke, Crewe, Manchester, Liverpool, Carlisle, Motherwell and Glasgow. They will have a major impact in reducing carbon emissions from transport by encouraging people away from fossil fuelled cars and planes, and onto rail.
The first of the 12000-horsepower, Prima T8 electric locomotives has been put into commercial service by Indian Railways. Built by Alstom and certified by the Ministry of Railways and Commissioner of Railway Safety/RDSO, the electric locomotives – known locally by the designation WAG-12 – are the most powerful locomotives to run on Indian rails. The 2015 contract will see a total of 800 locomotives built for Indian Railways.
Set to revolutionise freight logistics in the country, the e-locos will allow faster and safer movement of heavy freight trains, capable of hauling 6000 tonnes at a top speed of 120 km/h. Planned for deployment on Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs), they will increase the average speed of freight trains in India by approximately 25 km/h. Equipped with Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT) propulsion technology, the e-locos will also allow considerable savings in energy consumption thanks to the use of regenerative braking.
“Alstom is very pleased to be delivering these electric locomotives to Indian Railways. The introduction of the Prima locomotives into the IR fleet demonstrates our commitment to the country. This revolutionary product which will be faster, safer and more environmentally friendly, and it will help write a new chapter for India’s sustainable mobility journey. We are immensely proud to be a partner in this,” said Ling Fang, Senior Vice President of Alstom Asia-Pacific.
In line with the Make-in-India mandate, all the 800 Prima locomotives are being manufactured locally. Designed at Alstom’s Engineering Centre in Bengaluru, the Prima T8 WAG-12 are being built in one of India’s largest integrated greenfield manufacturing facilities at Madhepura in Bihar. Spread across 250 acres, with a production capacity of 120 locomotives per year, the Madhepura site is built to international standards of safety and quality. Two ultra-modern maintenance depots in Saharanpur and Nagpur will ensure the high service availability of the locomotives. The Saharanpur depot is already operational and the one in Nagpur is under construction. Equipped with the latest features, these depots will play a critical role in maintaining India’s most advanced freight locomotives at significantly lower costs.
As part of the largest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) project of Indian Railways, in 2015 the Ministry of Railways and Alstom signed a contract worth €3.5 billion (INR 25,000 crore) and created a joint venture for the project. The contract allowed for the manufacture of 800 double-section, 12000-horsepower electric locomotives for freight service and associated maintenance for a period of 11 years. The scope also included the set-up of a manufacturing plant at Madhepura (Bihar) for building the e-locos and two maintenance depots at Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh) and Nagpur (Maharashtra). A true embodiment of India’s vision, the project will create more than 10,000 direct and indirect jobs in the country (primarily in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra).
Alstom and Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) unveiled the life-sized mock-up of the trainset for Mumbai Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line). The new, iconic and exclusive design for Mumbai meets all technical and manufacturing parameters. The mock-up provides a glimpse of the advanced features that will make daily commute substantially easier for millions of citizens in the city.
Once operational, the Aqua Line will reduce vehicular congestion by offering a better alternative that will be fast, efficient and sustainable. Earlier, in August this year, the scale model of the rolling stock was unveiled by Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra in presence of Ashwini Bhide, Managing Director of MMRC along with senior officials. At the same event, Line 3 was christened as Aqua Line, inspired by the vital flow of the sea which is an integral part of the city.
Speaking of this milestone, Alain Spohr, Managing Director, Alstom India and South Asia said, “Our objective was to create an appropriate, future-proofed design that is relevant to the people, the city and their expectations. This theme is called – Dynamic Fluidism. All technical and manufacturing parameters have been met in respect to the high interior density layout and space efficiency. We are proud to present this ‘New Face of Mumbai Transportation’. Alstom is committed to support MMRC in easing the transportation challenges of Mumbai. With the project stipulating more than 80% localized manufacturing, this contract further reinforces Alstom’s commitment to invest, grow and Make in India.”
The design takes inspiration from the positive energy of Mumbai and architecture of the city–which is an amalgamation of different styles from around the world. The theme captures evolution of the city’s architectural landscapes over the years.
The exterior theme is a tribute to the energy flowing through the city of Mumbai – the city that never sleeps. Inspired by the vital flow of water and aspiring to be a fast, efficient and sustainable mode of travel, to become the new lifeline for the people of Mumbai.
The interior colour harmony is inspired by the people of Mumbai–always on the move, who turn to the sea for peace and are soothed by its waves and breeze. This inspired the idea to use a unique blend of comfort (beige) and freshness (arctic green) to provide a relaxing and refreshing travel experience.
The trainsets for Aqua Line will be equipped with regenerative braking system aiding significant reduction in carbon emissions. The 177.2 meter-long trainsets will have higher capacity capable of ferrying around 3,000 passengers in one trip to accommodate high passenger flow.
Aqua Line trainset will have safety features that include CCTV cameras, smoke detectors, emergency intercoms, fire extinguishers with large detrainment doors to quickly evacuate passengers in an emergency. The trainsets have appropriate signages, three rows of grab rails, grab handles, poles for holding and dedicated space for passengers with luggage. The design also ensures easy accessibility and comfort for the differently abled, with dedicated space for wheelchair in every car.
MMRC awarded Alstom a contract worth €315 million to supply 31 lightweight, fully-furnished modern passenger trainsets of 8 cars each (total 248 metro cars) for Mumbai Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line) in September 2018. Along with rolling stock, Alstom will also execute the power supply contract and equip Line 3 with Urbalis 400, its latest generation of CBTC signalling technology. The scope of the signalling contract (worth €100 million) includes unattended train operation (UTO), computer-based interlocking and centralised train supervision, platform screen doors, as well as the electrical and mechanical supervisory control and data acquisition system (E&M SCADA).
The Aqua Line has 27 stations (26 under-ground & 1 at-grade), 33.5-km long underground stretch connecting the busiest and most congested regions in Mumbai – one of the fastest growing cities in India. The metro line will connect Cuffe Parade business district in the extreme south of the city to Santacruz Electronics Export Processing Zone in the north-central. The Aqua Line will be the first underground metro line in Mumbai and will be one of the longest underground continuous stretches in India.
