Alstom has been awarded a firm order for the supply of 61 Citadis Spirit light rail vehicles for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area (GTHA) by Metrolinx, an agency of the Government of Ontario. The value of the contract is over €355 million (CA $529 million/ US $389.40). The vehicle supply contract includes an option for additional vehicles.
Alstom will supply Metrolinx a 48-metre Citadis Spirit, which has a passenger capacity of 321. The Citadis Spirit is a 100% low-floor vehicle that offers easy accessibility from the street or the curb, and an interior layout featuring a wide central aisle and interior circulation that provide a safer and more enjoyable experience.
“We are proud to continue our collaboration with Metrolinx as it seeks to link communities and deliver advanced public transit solutions to the greater Toronto area, and we are honoured by their renewed confidence in our products, solutions and teams,” said Angelo Guercioni, managing director of Alstom Canada.
The Citadis Spirit has been designed for the Canadian market, capable of operating in winter conditions up to -38°C. The vehicle is fitted with winterized solutions to ensure vehicle operational performance, as well as preserve passenger comfort and experience, such as reinforced insulation, powerful HVAC, and snow and ice management solutions. All materials used on the vehicles are selected and tested in order to ensure performances in extreme cold conditions.
Alstom is currently supplying 34 Citadis Spirit vehicles as per a 2013 contract for the City of Ottawa’s O-Train Confederation Line. Alstom has already assembled one third of the fleet, which are in various stages of dynamic and static testing, from the Belfast Yard Maintenance and Storage facility in Ottawa, Ontario. In March 2017, the Citadis Spirit vehicle achieved and surpassed commercial speed during dynamic tests along the Confederation Line alignment.
This latest contract with Metrolinx illustrates the success of Alstom’s strategy of customer proximity. Alstom is also supplying Metrolinx with a new Iconis control centre to integrate the GO Transit network into a single, centralized facility, and a new signalling system for the Union Station Rail corridor. Furthermore, Alstom is providing a complete Communication-Based Train Control system for Toronto Transit Commission’s Line 1 subway line, including the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension (TYSSE).
