Siemens, in conjunction with ESTEL RA, the joint rail automation venture of Algerian National Company for Rail Transport SNTF, will supply telecommunication and signaling systems for the new long distance line from Mecheria to El Bayadh.
Algerian railway agency ANESRIF is the customer and the order value for Siemens is estimated at 69 million Euros. Jochen Eickholt, CEO of Siemens’ Rail Automation Business Unit stated Siemens has contributed in recent years to the development of railway transportation in Algeria and the new order for the long distance line in south west of Algeria is a testament to customer confidence in Siemens’ technology.
The commissioning of the line is planned in the fall of 2015. The 129 km long line with five stations will be provided with Vicos, the automatic operations control system; Trainguard 100 for Level 1 European Train Control System (ETCS) and five Simis W type electronic interlocking. All these are to be supplied by Siemens Mobility and Logistics. The contract also has provision for imparting training on the new technology to personnel. After commissioning, the maximum speed of trains running on the line will be 160 km/h. Algeria offers plenty of scope for modernizing infrastructure. As part of its five-year economic plan, the Algerian government has expressed an intention to invest US $20 billion by 2014 to develop rail transportation. In keeping with the expansion plan, Siemens has already delivered ETCS signaling systems for vital goods transportation line between Arzew port and Senia and the railway lines between Boughezoul, M'Sila and Tissemsilt.
Source: http://www.siemens.com