Alstom delivers the first body-shells of the second series of Pendolino ETR 610 for the North-South traffic to SBB

Press releases and news 17 Sep 2013

Alstom delivers the first body-shells of the second series of Pendolino ETR 610 for the North-South traffic to SBB

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Alstoms Savigliano manufacturing plant in Italy today timely delivered the body-shells of the first of eight additional Pendolino ETR 610 trains ordered by the Swiss operator SBB in July 2012.

At the same time, a manufacturing workshop specially dedicated to the assembly of the trains was inaugurated at the Savigliano site in the presence of Henri Poupart-Lafarge, President of Alstom Transport, Joseph Deiss, President of Alstom Switzerland, and Jeannine Pilloud, Head of Passenger Division of SBB.

The first train set has just started the fitting phase, and the first body-shells of the second train are being assembled. In May 2014, the first train will perform homologation runs in Germany as well as acceptance runs in Italy, Switzerland and Germany.

Two trains are scheduled to be handed over to SBB by the end of 2014. As of spring 2015, SBB intends to operate these trains on the Gotthard line for the EuroCity trains to Milan. Thus, the new trains complement the Pendolino ETR 610 of the first series being reliably operated on the Simplon line.

We are glad to have achieved the important milestone of the handover of the body-shells and thereby to have reassured the trust placed in us by SBB, says Joseph Deiss, President of Alstom Switzerland. The Alstom team is strongly committed to delivering these new Pendolino ETR 610 trains on time and to the complete satisfaction of SBB.

Jeannine Pilloud, Head of Passenger Division of SBB says: «The Pendolino ETR 160 trains are very popular with our customers and will give us an additional drive for the North-South traffic. And on top, we are regularly introducing new customer services such as print-at-home- und mobile-tickets for international connections as well as access to the 1st class lounges in Italy».

In its seven cars, the Pendolino ETR 610 accommodates up to 430 passengers in comfort seats and runs at a maximum speed of up to 250 km/h. The high standard of the first series will be maintained wide corridors and gangways offer optimal accessibility and comfort to passengers. Seats are equipped with individual reading lights, electric sockets and a reclining function. They are aligned with the large panoramic windows which allow passengers to benefit from natural light and enjoy the scenery. A video surveillance system ensures maximum safety.

Also the second series of the train operates with the tilting technology developed by Alstom which allows the train to tilt on curves in the track thus reaching higher speeds than conventional trains. The Pendolino ETR 610 is 95% recyclable and uses an electrical brake system which injects brake power back into the catenary system, enabling energy consumption savings of up to 8%.

The Pendolino ETR 610 cross-border train sets for SBB have been designed to meet the European interoperability standards (TSI) and will have Atlas installed the Alstom European signaling system (ERTMS[1]) required to operate in Switzerland, Italy, Germany and Austria.

The trains are being manufactured at Alstom's Savigliano site in Italy, where Pendolino trains have been manufactured for more than 30 years. The other Alstom Transport sites involved are Sesto San Giovanni and Bologna in Italy, Le Creusot, Ornans and Reichshoffen in France, Montreal in Canada, and Neuhausen in Switzerland.

[1] European Rail Traffic Management System

About Alstom
Alstom is a global leader in the world of power generation, power transmission and rail infrastructure and sets the benchmark for innovative and environmentally friendly technologies. Alstom builds the fastest train and the highest capacity automated metro in the world, provides turnkey integrated power plant solutions and associated services for a wide variety of energy sources, including hydro, nuclear, gas, coal and wind, and it offers a wide range of solutions for power transmission, with a focus on smart grids. The Group employs 93,000 people in around 100 countries. It had sales of over 20 billion and booked close to 24 billion in orders in 2012/13. 
Alstom Switzerland employs a staff of around 6,400 across four locations in Switzerland and is the largest private employer in the canton of Aargau, with all three business segments of power generation, power transmission and rail infrastructure locally represented. During the 2012/13 business year Alstom Switzerland had sales of 2.4 billion and booked 2.8 billion in orders.

Media contacts:
Renzo Radice Alstom (Switzerland) Ltd:
Tel. +41 58 505 42 50
renzo.radice@alstom.com

Linda Huguet Alstom Transport (headquarter):
Tel. + 33 1 57 06 10 42
linda.huguet@transport.alstom.com

Inauguration of new SBB fitting line: (f.l.t.r.: Joseph Deiss, Jeannine Pilloud, Henri Poupart-Lafarge)