Siemens on track for Qatar green tram project
DOHA, March 16, 2015
Siemens has completed the first four tram bodies for Qatar’s Education City project and was on track for its shipment to the Gulf state in summer 2015.
In total, Siemens will be supplying 19 trams, each with three cars and able to accommodate up to a maximum of 239 passengers per tram. Following static testing at its production facility in Vienna, Austria, the first trains will be sent to Germany for dynamic testing before delivery to Doha.
As part of the contract, Siemens will also supply signalling and communication technology as well as depot equipment.
The tram bodies have been completed by Siemens, marking a key milestone in the project to build the Middle East’s most energy-efficient tram system.
The Siemens Avenio trams will operate without overhead contact lines and receive electric power while paused at the 25 stations along the 11.5-km route within Education City.
The overhead contact line-free system design allows for highly-efficient operation and maintenance. The trams will be equipped with powerful air-conditioning systems and special sun protectors on the roof that will protect the electrical equipment from radiant heat, said the company in a statement.
“The on-time completion of the first two train bodies is a significant milestone for this important project,” said Fatih Sakiz, the CEO of Siemens Qatar.
“The Qatar Education City tram will be a benchmark in energy-efficient urban mobility for Qatar and the whole Middle East, and Siemens is proud to be the first to bring this technology to the region,” he noted.
The Avenio tram bodies – the first of 19 – have been built at Vienna, Austria, said a statement from Siemens.
A delegation from Qatar, including representatives from Qatar Foundation and consulting firm Astad, took a tour of the factory to observe the construction of the first units.
The low-floor technology and the sophisticated arrangement of double doors for the Avenio platform ensure that passengers can get in and out of the trams quickly, enabling shorter stop times, it added.
-TradeArabia News Service
