ALSTOM to supply 42 railcars to The French National
Railways

The French National Railways Company (SNCF) has just
notified ALSTOM of its decision to take up an optional order
worth 51.5 million euros for 42 TER (Regional Express
Transport) railcars for use in regional France. With this new
contract, a total of 143 units of this type have been ordered
to date by the French National Railways.

The diesel propulsion, single-car vehicles, are to be built
in Reichshoffen in the Alsace region of France. They have a
capacity of 80 passengers per car and operate at a maximum
speed of 140 km/h. They will permit rail operators to meet the
increase in passenger traffic and to renew part of the rail
fleet serving the regions of France.

The initial contract, a joint order from SNCF and Deutsche
Bahn AG (DBAG) had been awarded in May 1997 to the ALSTOM-De
Dietrich group following a European tender. To meet regional
demands, DBAG had placed a firm order for 40 railcars with an
option for an additional 100 units, while SNCF had placed a
firm order for 40 railcars with an option for an additional 160
units.

The first railcars of the follow-up order will be put into
commercial service at the end of 1999. Further deliveries will
follow at a rate of six vehicles per month.

This new order confirms the confidence of French Regional
authorities and the SNCF in the TER railcars, built by
ALSTOM-De Dietrich.

ALSTOM is a world leader in the energy and transport
infrastructure markets. Present in more than 60 countries,
ALSTOM is organised in six sectors, Energy (through ABB ALSTOM
POWER, the 50-50 joint company created with ABB), Transmission
& Distribution, Transport, Industry, Marine and
Contracting, all of these being supported by the ALSTOM
Network.