Siemens to build a new metro line in Rennes, France

Berlin, Germany, The rapid transit operator Rennes Métropole in Rennes, France has awarded Siemens the order to build an automated metro line worth more than EUR200 million. Siemens will be responsible for the complete realization of a turnkey project ranging from initial planning of the line to installation of the communication, control and safety equipment and including delivery of 19 Cityval trainsets. The inauguration of this new metro line is scheduled for end of 2018.

Rennes’ first fully automated and driverless metro line, A Line, was built by Siemens and entered revenue service in 2002. The new B Line will run predominantly underground on a 12.6-kilometer northeast-to-southwest axis and serve 15 stations including the city center. The rubber-tired automated trains of the Cityval range of mass transit vehicles are to be deployed on this line and are ideal for operation on short lines with short distances between stations. Even without attendant personnel on the trains and at the stations, the Val system offers its passengers utmost safety and security by means of a radio-based automated train control system linking the metro trains with the trackside equipment (Communication-Based Train Control: CBTC). The trainsets will offer a high level of passenger comfort: large picture windows, modern design, dynamic screens and real-time information systems. Passenger safety will be guaranteed by an onboard video system and secured radio link.

For the Rennes Metro, the Cityval will be designed as a two-car trainset. Each car is 11.2 meters long, 2.65 meter wide and will be able to accommodate up to 130 passengers. The number of trains in operation can be flexibly adjusted to changing levels of ridership, thereby enabling metro trains run every 2.5 minutes during rush hour or even shorter headways. The short headways and the resulting shorter journey times are a huge advantage for the passengers because the rubber-tired running gear ensures quick acceleration of the trains and pinpoint stopping at the station platforms. In the beginning, the system is designed for a capacity of 4,000 people per hour per direction and is supposed to increase by up to 15,000 people.

Since the Val automated guideway system was introduced some 26 years ago, Siemens Mobility has continually kept the AGT system abreast with the state of the art and optimized its operational safety and passenger comfort. Cityval is an evolution of the Val system that Siemens Mobility has realized together with Lohr Industrie within the context of the Neoval research program. The aim of the project was to develop an intelligent, modular trainset for inner-city connections (Cityval) and for passenger transport at airports (Airval). Within this cooperation, Lohr Industrie is in charge of the realization of the design and production of the new vehicle while Siemens is responsible for the complete system from design to implementation and is in charge of overall project implementation, marketing and sales. Furthermore, Siemens is responsible for the train control, communications, passenger information system, platform screen doors, power supply, guideway and depot.

Eleven fully automated, Val type metro lines have already been built by Siemens Mobility around the world – among them, the four airport people movers at Orly and Charles de Gaulle (two lines) in Paris, France and at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport in Illinois, USA. In addition, urban Val systems are operating in France in Lille (two lines), Toulouse (two lines), and Rennes, as well as in Taiwan, Taipei and in Turin, Italy. Siemens is also currently constructing a Val system in Uijeongbu, Korea.

You will find a photo for this press release at: http://www.siemens.com/mobility-pictures/Cityval

The Siemens Industry Sector (Erlangen, Germany) is the worldwide leading supplier of environmentally friendly production, transportation, building and lighting technologies. With integrated automation technologies and comprehensive industry-specific solutions, Siemens increases the productivity, efficiency and flexibility of its customers in the fields of industry and infrastructure. The Sector consists of six divisions: Building Technologies, Drive Technologies, Industry Automation, Industry Solutions, Mobility and Osram. With around 204,000 employees worldwide (September 30), Siemens Industry achieved in fiscal year 2010 total sales of approximately €34.9 billion. http://www.siemens.com/industry

The Mobility Division (Berlin, Germany) is the internationally leading provider of transportation and logistics solutions. With its “Complete mobility” approach, the Division is focused on networking the various modes of transportation in order to ensure the efficient transport of people and goods. “Complete mobility” combines the company’s competence in operations control systems for railways and traffic control systems for roadways together with solutions for airport logistics, postal automation, traction power supplies and rolling stock for mass transit, regional and mainline services, turnkey systems as well as forward-looking service concepts. With around 24,000 employees worldwide, Siemens Mobility posted sales of EUR6.5 billion in fiscal year 2010 (ended September 30). www.siemens.com/mobility

Reference Number: IMO201011004e