The Alstom-Bombardier consortium has won the contract to design and manufacture the next generation of metro trains for Île-de-France Mobilités and RATP. The contract is for 44 trains, for a value of 530 million euros. The contract also includes options for up to 410 metro trains. Both companies have a 50 percent stake in the contract.
The new trains from the core order will run on three of Paris’s metro lines (3bis, 7bis, and 10). They will enter into service between 2024 and 2026. The trains from the contract options would then run on five other lines (13, 12, 3, 8 and 7).
The two companies will design the new steel-wheeled metro trains to increase availability and make maintenance easier. Passengers will benefit from improved accessibility, comfort and information displays. Additional features include USB sockets, CCTV, and heating and air-conditioning.
The order for 44 metro trains breaks down as follows: there will be 30 five-car trains for line 10 and 14, which will be 76m long. Then there will be four-car trains for lines 7bis and 3bis. These will be 60m and 86m in length respectively. All of these trains will have a driver’s cabin. Both the four-car and five-car trains will be open throughout, allowing good passenger flow along the entire length of the train.
“I am honoured that Île-de-France Mobilités and RATP have chosen to trust us to renew travelling comfort on the historic lines of the Paris metro. Together, we want to turn the region into the world's showcase for the French rail sector’s cutting-edge technologies and propose an eco-friendly train that will contribute to carbon-free mobility.”
20 percent of the materials Bombardier and Alstom will use to manufacture the new trains will be recycled materials. Overall, 98 percent of the materials will be recoverable at the end of their lives. Furthermore, they will consume 20 less energy compared to the current MF77 rolling stock in operation. A major source of this energy reduction will come from the 100 percent electric braking as well as the exclusive use of LED lighting throughout.
Compared to the MF01 metro train, the new MF19 will reduce maintenance costs by 15 percent.
“The combined expertise of our two companies makes it possible to offer RATP and Île-de-France Mobilités a metro equipped with the latest on-board technologies that is part of tomorrow's modern mass transportation. Passengers will appreciate the special attention paid to the interior atmosphere, level of comfort and quality of on-board services. In addition to optimal performance and reliability, the MF19's innovation lies in its modularity and scalability adapted to the existing Paris network.”
The order award is still subject to contract and final confirmation.
Alstom’s two Valenciennes sites will work on assembly, as will Bombardier’s Crespin site to manage the issue of industrial capacity. Furthermore, both sites will be in charge of studies, design, train assembly, testing and validation, and certification.
Alstom will also develop and produce the engines, traction changes, on-board electronics and IT safety systems. Bombardier meanwhile will design the mechanical components of the trains, for example the body shell design and the design and production of the bogies. Bombardier will also be responsible for the air-conditioning system and all components for the interior design, such as lighting, seats, and panelling equipment.
The project will require around 9,000 workers in the French rail sector.
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