Bombardier Receives Launch Order for New Multi-System
Locomotives From The Swiss Federal Railways
MONTREAL, QUEBEC--MAY 20, 2003 - 11:52 EST
Bombardier Transportation will manufacture 18
new multi-system locomotives, derived from its class 185 model,
for SBB Cargo in Switzerland. The order, which was confirmed by
the Supervisory Board of SBB Cargo, is valued at approximately
$103 million Cdn (99 million Swiss Francs). The official contract
is scheduled to be signed within the next few weeks. The
locomotives, which are adapted to both AC and DC networks, will
be used for freight transport between Switzerland and Italy.
Deliveries are scheduled to take place from October 2004 to March
2005.
For Wolfgang Tolsner, President, Locomotives & Freight,
Bombardier Transportation, the multi-system locomotive is a
milestone in the development of locomotives: "With the
multi-system version of our successful class 185 locomotive our
customers can now cross the borders of electric systems. This
will considerably increase the competitiveness of pan-European
freight transport on rails."
Thanks to its modular design, the class 185 locomotive can be
equipped with the most advanced and powerful electronics used
both on the 15 kV AC network in Switzerland and the 3 kV DC
network in Italy. Furthermore, the train control systems of both
countries will be installed in the vehicles. The multi-system
locomotive meets all requirements for cross-border freight
traffic, and is especially well suited to the Bellinzona - Luino
- Gallarate line.
The new multi-system locomotives can easily be integrated in the
fleet of 50 freight locomotives of the class Re482, as it is
called in Switzerland, previously ordered by SBB from Bombardier.
To date, 150 locomotives of class 185 have proven their
reliability on more than 20 million kilometers across Germany and
Switzerland. Their availability rate is very good, and their
operation and maintenance costs are low.
The new locomotive, which can reach a maximum speed of 140 km/h
and a power of 5.6 MW at an alternating current of 15 kV, will be
developed by Bombardier mainly in Oerlikon and Turgi,
Switzerland. It will be manufactured in Kassel, Germany, before
being commissioned by Bombardier in Switzerland.
Bombardier Transportation is the global leader in the rail
equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its wide range of
products includes passenger rail cars and total transit systems.
It also manufactures locomotives, freight cars, propulsion &
controls and provides rail control solutions.
Bombardier Inc., a diversified manufacturing and services
company, is a world-leading manufacturer of business jets,
regional aircraft, rail transportation equipment and motorized
recreational products. It also provides financial services and
asset management in business areas aligned with its core
expertise. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, the Corporation has
a workforce of some 75,000 people and manufacturing facilities in
25 countries throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
Its revenues for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2003 stood at
$23.7 billion Cdn. Bombardier shares are traded on the Toronto,
Brussels and Frankfurt stock exchanges (BBD, BOM and BBDd.F). |
