Urban Transport
Lusail, as well as Casablanca and Rabat in Morocco. The site is also responsible for manufacturing Africa’s first high-speed train, which is also destined for Morocco. What unique technologies and systems are being developed for the Middle East, and how is the La Rochelle facility preparing carriages and trams for the distinctive environmental challenges in the region? Take for example the Dubai Tramway, which was the first catenary-free tramway in the Middle East. Between sandstorms, temperatures of 50 degrees Celsius and humidity at 90%, the tram has been put to the test since its inauguration in 2014. It boasts a tropicalised design that allows it to face such conditions. This includes things such as boosted UV resistance in the paint and the cabling and electronics components, and reinforced ventilation and filtering systems to cope with the dust. Passenger comfort is maintained via bolstered air conditioning and
specially designed systems Keeping in mind the distinctive environmental challenges in the MENA region, Alstom’s engineers carry out several tests and processes to ensure that the systems work properly in harsh conditions.
windows with special UV filters. It is also the first such vehicle to have ground-based power supply all along its course, and furthermore, it is the first tramway equipped with an Automatic Train Protection system, which is based on Urbalis 400. How will these carriages and trams use the smart mobility systems that Alstom is working on? Smart mobility solutions will
increased interest in turnkey solutions Due to the increased complexity of urban rail projects, cities and public transport authorities are showing interest in the turnkey approach, where they delegate all the technical phases of a project to one company, such as Alstom.
38 June 2018
increasingly apply to all of Alstom’s urban solutions offered around the world, including those for the Middle East, as we move forwards. Some of the general areas that Alstom is working on for its future Citadis and Metropolis products and projects include smart solutions for passenger experience, multimodality, connectivity, driver assistance or autonomy, catenary-free solutions (such as
“Given the complexity of urban rail projects, cities and public transport authorities are increasingly taking an interest in the turnkey approach, allowing them to completely delegate all the technical phases of a project, from studies to entry into service, and sometimes beyond”
