Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

ePublic Transportation Projects in Riyadh to Be Completed With First Stag German Made Train | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
Select Page
Media ID: 55347896
Caption:

Saudi Arabia’s First Riyadh Metro train complete


Saudi Arabia's First Riyadh Metro train complete

Saudi Arabia’s First Riyadh Metro train complete

Riyadh-The first phase of the Riyadh Metro project has been completed with final tests taking place of the train for the multibillion-riyal public transport system, according to the High Commission for the Development of Riyadh.

The project is being supervised by the High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh and consists of 190 trains currently being made by three of the world’s largest manufacturers — Siemens from Germany, Bombardier from Canada, and Alstom from France.

A Saudi delegation visited Siemens in Germany to check services, equipment, component specifications, and systems of the units.

The train has 470 cabins with a capacity to handle 251 to 522 passengers per trip.

Each train is equipped with electronic display screens and visual information systems to communicate with passengers; surveillance cameras are also in place.

“The train is undergoing tests to check its readiness for Riyadh’s climate. It would be transported to the Kingdom in the coming months,” said Al-Waleed Al-Akrash, the head of the project.

A total of 74 two and four-car trains are being manufactured , the design of which has been developed from the Inspiro platform but with a more powerful air-conditioning system which is better suited to the extreme heat of Saudi Arabia.

Siemens is to supply 45 four-car Inspiro trainsets for Line 1 and 29 two-car sets for Line 2. The air-conditioned aluminum-bodied trains will have a maximum speed of 90 km/h. Work to adapt the Inspiro design to local conditions has included fitting the bogies, traction systems, brakes and doors with seals and filters to reduce sand ingress.

Mechanical components such as bogies, traction motors, brakes and doors have also been upgraded to keep out the sand that is so prevalent in the area.

The first train is currently being tested for extreme conditions in the climatic wind tunnel at Rail Tec Arsenal (RTA) in Vienna. Testing running will begin in the spring at the Siemens Test and Validation Center in Wegberg-Wildenrath, Germany.