Canadian firm Bombardier has won its first contract in China as part of the Bombardier and New United Group Signalling Solutions (BNS) joint venture (JV).
Under the RMB226m ($33m) contract, the new Chinese JV will deploy an upgraded rail control system for the metro network in Changzhou, Jiangsu province.
Bombardier holds a 50% stake in the JV, which it founded with New United Group (NUG) last year.
Scheduled to open in 2019, the 34km Metro Line 1 will stretch from the north of Changzhou to the south, thereby connecting its residential and business districts.
The line will also link the city's high-speed railway to its public bus network.
Bombardier China president Jianwei Zhang said: “We are very proud to have been selected by Changzhou Metro to provide our advanced rail control technology for the city’s first metro line.
“Bombardier's CityFlO solution will enable semi-automatic train operation on the line, planned to transport up to approximately 950,000 passengers per day at speeds of up to 80km/h.
“This will significantly improve the travel time for passengers across the city.”
Compared to conventional signalling systems, the CityFlo 650 advanced automatic train control system efficiently carries out complex urban rail operations.
The on-board system uses wireless high-speed data communication to continuously monitor the location of trains, and automatically supervises train speeds to ensure shorter travel times.
It can also enhance the line´s capacity by safely reducing the distance between trains travelling along the same track.
Bombardier has also received a $370m order to deliver 52 additional Francilien electric multiple unit (EMU) commuter trains to the French National Railway Company Société nationale des chemins de fer français (SNCF).
Image: Upgraded rail control solution to ensure faster and safer operation on Changzhou’s Metro Line 1. Photo: courtesy of Bombardier.
