Siemens has unveiled the first of 74 Inspiro metro vehicles to be operated on Riyadh metro in Saudi Arabia, which will have six lines and a total route length of 175km.
The first train is currently being tested for extreme conditions in the climatic wind tunnel at Rail Tec Arsenal (RTA) in Vienna, Austria.
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Dynamic testing will start later this year at the Siemens Test and Validation Center in Wildenrath, Germany.
Siemens won the order in 2013 from the High Commission for Urban Development (ArRiyadh Development Authority), with its share worth a total of €1.5bn.
The company is part of the BACS consortium, comprised Bechtel, Almabani General Contractors and Consolidated Contractors, which is building Lines 1 and 2.
Under the deal, Siemens is supplying the metro trains, signalling and train control and electrification equipment for Lines 1 and 2 of the metro network.
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By GlobalDataAccording to Siemens, the two and four-car train configurations have been designed with the region’s climate in mind.
Siemens Mobility CEO Jochen Eickholt said: "Our project teams in Vienna and Saudi Arabia poured all their heart and soul into the development and completion of the first train, which is specially equipped for the extreme climatic conditions in Riyadh."
Based on the company’s Inspiro design, the new vehicles are equipped with more powerful air-conditioning and bogies, traction equipment, brakes and doors modified to prevent sand ingress.
The new trains with their all-aluminium car bodies are designed to run on standard-gauge track at a top speed of 90km/h.
Under the deal, Siemens is also responsible for integration of the railway systems on the two lines, which cover a total of 64 route kilometres.
Image: Rollout ceremony of the first metro for Riyadh in the Siemens plant in Vienna. Photo: courtesy of Siemens.
