Alstom Transport Applauds Obama Administration's Proposal to Invest over $53 billion in Rail Infrastructure

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Washington, D.C. Officials of Alstom Transport, a world leader in high-speed rail, today applauded the Obama Administration on its plans to make a significant investment in rail transportation, including high speed rail. The Administration yesterday announced a plan to invest $53 billion over six years to continue construction of a national high-speed and intercity passenger rail network around the country.

Guillaume Mehlman, Managing director of Alstom Transports North American Region, said, Alstom applauds the Obama Administration for proposing a $50 billion-plus investment in both high-speed and traditional passenger rail. As a leader in providing high-speed trains around the world and a company with significant rail manufacturing and engineering operations in the US, we are confident that such infrastructure will make a significant contribution in creating jobs, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and reducing dependence on foreign oil. We look forward to getting to work--and putting people to work--in building Americas new rail transportation network.

Mehlman noted that Alstom Transport operates the largest train manufacturing plant in the US, a state of the art facility in Hornell, NY, along with a growing signaling business in Rochester, NY, that could also contribute to the growth of a national rail network.

Along with VINCI, Virgin, and OHL, Alstom is part of a consortium of companies that will compete for high-speed rail opportunities in Florida. The groups proposal to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain a full turnkey system will include a private financing dimension that offers the best solution for Florida.

Mehlman said, "Additional investments like the Administration is proposing can help accelerate the progress toward a full-fledged high-speed rail line in Florida. While phase I from Tampa to Orlando is a critical first step, additional funding will allow a quicker implementation of the second leg of the line to Miami and deliver the maximum economic development benefits to Florida."

Alstom Transport builds the fastest trains in the world, and has an impeccable service and safety record with these trains. In 2007 the company broke the world high-speed rail record at 357 miles/hour and its trains have the capacity to routinely travel at 225 mph and above. Alstom Transport has 30 years of experience with high-speed rail, having built and maintained the TGV that has been widely used across Europe for decades, and more recently has rolled out its AGV trains that have distributed propulsion systems. Since 1981, Alstom has sold 670 very high-speed trains. Alstom very high-speed trains are already operating in France, Spain, UK, Korea, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands. Over 1.7 billion Very High Speed customer trips have been safely undertaken in Alstom trains over a total distance equivalent to the distance between the earth and the moon.

Press Contact
Tim Brown - 860-713-9530 timothy.s.brown@power.alstom.com

About Alstom Transport
Alstom Transport, a global leader in rail transportation systems, equipment and services, is present in over 60 countries and employs some 26,000 people. The company is a key player in the North American market and currently operates the largest passenger rolling stock manufacturing facility in the United States, located in Hornell, New York, which provides extensive rehabilitation and new passenger car production capabilities. Alstoms Transport Information Solutions (TIS) team, headquartered in Rochester, New York, is a leading provider of signaling and train control systems.

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