Metropolis is up and running in Amsterdam!
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The city of Amsterdams new Metropolis trainsets officially entered commercial service as of 7:30 a.m. this Tuesday, 26 June. Mr Eberhard van der Laan (the mayor of Amsterdam), Mr Bart Schmeink (the managing director of the operating company, GVB), and Mr Leon Linders (the general manager of Alstom in the Netherlands), boarded the inaugural train at the Sloterdijk metro station.
This first inaugural run also included a full load of passengers. Once past the trains doors sporting the capitals colours some carrying their bikes , they discovered the trains interior whose ample dimensions (3m by 116m) and wide free circulation between cars give it a sense of spaciousness and fluidity. Accessibility was a key concern in the trains design. Two multifunctional spaces can also accommodate passengers in wheelchairs.
The 174 seats were proportioned to accommodate the exceptionally tall stature of the Dutch. A trainset can transport 960 passengers safely at speeds of up to 80 kph.
This upgrade project for Amsterdams metro system, of which this commissioning ceremony is a part, was initiated by the city, the province of North Holland and the operator (GVB) in 2010. It includes the delivery of 28 new trainsets and the installation of a new signalling system.