<span class="" id="parent-fieldname-description"> Alstom has led a joint venture to a contract win which the international power generation and transport group is calling âone of the biggest in rail transport worldwide and ⦠the largest contract ever signed in Alstomâs history.â </span> <p>Alstom is leading the Gibela joint venture, which consists of Alstom (61% share), New Africa Rail (9%) and Ubumbano Rail (30%).<br /><br />Last week it was announced that the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) had signed a contract with the Gibela joint venture to supply 600 passenger trains – consisting of 3600 carriages – to be delivered between 2015 and 2025.<br /><br />The contract is worth 51bn Rand – currently equivalent to $5.4bn Australian.<br /><br />“The PRASA fleet renewal program is the catalyst for the transformation of Metrorail services and public transport in South Africa as a whole,” said Lucky Montana, PRASA’s chief executive officer.<br /><br />“It is the beginning of the roll-out of government’s comprehensive rail program. While the urgent challenge to improve passenger services remains primary, the rolling stock program has been designed to achieve government’s objectives of developing skills, creating jobs and delivering quality services to citizens.”<br /><br />Alstom’s executive vice president, and president of transport, Henri Poupart-Lafarge, was delighted with the deal.<br /><br />“Alstom is proud to have been selected by PRASA for a project of this magnitude,” he said. “We are fully committed to mobilising the best of our technology and expertise through our South African joint venture, Gibela, and we believe our trains will set a high standard in serving the interests of commuters.”<br /><br />PRASA will be supplied with Alstom’s new X’Trapolis Mega train, designed to fit the 1.067m gauge in South Africa.<br /><br />The train can reach speeds up to 120km/h.<br /><br />Each single-deck train consists of six cars, and can carry over 1300 passengers, according to the French conglomerate.<br /><br />PRASA plans to utilise the modularity of the X’Trapolis trains, by setting a number of carriages for each based on the number of commuters expected.<br /><br />The trains are equipped with air conditioning, ergonomic seating, real-time on-board information, Wi-Fi internet access and a combination of direct and indirect lighting to increase the feeling of space, Alstom says.<br /><br />The trains are also 95% recyclable, and feature a stainless steel car body-shell, designed to reduce weight and improve energy consumption.</p>
