In a win for PM Modi’s flagship ‘Make in India’ programme, Australia’s Sydney Metro, on 26 May, launched its first fully-automated driverless rail service, which were assembled in manufacturer Alstom’s India-based unit.
Alstom, a multinational company that operates in rail networks market, had delivered 22 ‘Made in India’ Metropolis trains to Sydney that were assembled at its Sri City facility in Andhra Pradesh last December.
According to Australian television network SBS, the six-coach driverless trains will run on the North West Line, which falls under the Stage One of Sydney Metro and includes 36km of track, 13 stations and a depot.
Alstom won the contract in 2016 with the Northwest Rapid Transport in 2014 to deliver 22 six-car trains that were designed in their facility in France and assembled in Sri City.
“Alstom is very proud to have partnered with the NRT consortium and Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW) to deliver our world leading metro solutions for Sydney’s North West Metro. Sydney has now joined other great cities of the world (including Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona and Singapore) that benefit every day from Alstom’s metro solutions,” said Ling Fang, Senior Vice-President for Alstom in Asia-Pacific in a press release.
“The fully automated driverless metro is a first for Australia and will provide a step-change for the commuters of Sydney.”Ling Fang
SBS further reported that the trains are based on the international Metropolis train that is used in 25 cities across the world.
The trains have CCTV monitoring and emergency intercoms for passengers’ safety. It also provides real-time travel information and has areas for luggage, bicycles and priority seating for those with reduced mobility. According to Alstom’s press release, the trains are equipped with a computer based train control system, Urbalis 400, which reduces the time stopping at stations and the times between each service.
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