Australia’s biggest public transport project, Sydney Metro on May 26 opened the North West Metro delivering Australia’s first fully automated driver-less rail service. Interestingly, the contract for this driver-less metro line was awarded to Alstom in 2014 by Northwest Rapid Transit (NRT). Alstom, a multinational company that operates in rail networks market, supplied 22 six-car Metropolis trains manufactured under Modi government’s ‘Make In India’ initiative to Sydney from its Alstom’s Sri City facility in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
The driver-less Sydney Metro trains are fully automated consisting of various modern features such as real-time travel information, 3 double-doors per car for improved access and passenger flows, CCTV cameras, LED lighting, emergency intercoms, and large windows. The trains are also equipped with Urbalis 400 which minimizes the stopping time at stations as well as the time between each service, reports Financial Express.
Ling Fang, Senior Vice-President for Alstom in Asia-Pacific in a press release said, “Alstom is very proud to have partnered with the NRT consortium and Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW) to provide our world-leading metro solutions for Sydney’s North West Metro. Sydney has now joined other great cities of the world (including Barcelona, Amsterdam, Paris, and Singapore) that benefit every day from Alstom’s metro solutions. The fully automated driver-less metro is a first for Australia and will provide a step-change for the commuters of Sydney.
According to the press release, under the contract, Alstom has been responsible for the design, manufacturing, project management, supply, testing, and commissioning of 22 x 6 car Metropolis trains and Urbalis 400 CBTC signalling systems. Additionally, Alstom company has also been awarded a 15-year maintenance contract for the trains, signalling, depot operations, and equipment, which includes the application of Alstom’s HealthHub state-of-the-art predictive maintenance tools.
Australian Television Network SBS reports that, presently, the metro line is being extended from Chatswood to Bankstown through the city. The North West Metro Line includes 36 km of track, 13 stations, and a depot. It is said that this new network will provide a train every four minutes in the peak in each direction, an efficient service which is never seen in Australia before. Also by 2024, Sydney will have 31 metro stations and a 66-kilometre standalone metro railway in addition to its extensive suburban rail network.
The Logical Indian congratulates the current government on accomplishing this achievement and hopes that the manufacturing sector which seems gloomy at the present time improves.
Also Read: Government Ships ‘Made In India’ Metro Coaches To Australia
