The first of a new fleet of Alstom light rail vehicles has arrived in Sydney from France, for use on the in-construction Sydney CBD and South East Light Rail project.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the vehicle’s arrival was a significant step towards the new transport system coming to life.
“It is a really exciting day to be standing here with the first of our world-class light rail vehicles and offering the people of NSW a glimpse of this innovative, modern vehicle,” the Premier said.
Alstom is delivering 60 of its Citadis X05 light rail vehicles, which will operate on the network in 30 coupled sets, each 67 metres long.
“Sydney is the first city in the world to receive the Citadis X05 vehicle and I am pleased to note they are fully accessible with low-floors, double doors, dedicated areas for wheelchairs and prams and low-level on-board passenger intercoms,” transport minister Andrew Constance said.
“These trams use four times less energy than an average bus and 10 times less energy than a car.”
Each light rail vehicle set can carry up to 450 people, equivalent of up to nine standard buses, the minister added.
With more vehicles set to arrive soon, the project team will begin testing them along part of the track later in the year, ahead of services starting operation in 2019.
Alstom said the state-of-the-art trains included large balcony-style windows, ambient LED lighting, and the highest levels of customer safety including CCTV technology, emergency intercoms, and the latest wayfinding aids.
The new light railway will also feature Alstom’s APS technology; a wire-free solution which uses ground-based power supply.
The APS catenary-free section will be roughly two kilometres in length, through the city centre.
“We are extremely proud to be able to deliver our latest and most innovative light rail technology to Sydney,” Alstom Australia and New Zealand managing director Mark Coxon said.
“The Citadis X05 and associated technologies will transform Sydney and provide a step change in the city’s public transport capability and reliability while preserving the aesthetic appeal of the City.”
Click to enlarge. Photos courtesy of Alstom.
