Alstom starts testing of the 1st Coradia Polyvalent train for Senegal

Alstom successfully started the test run of the first Coradia Polyvalent Train for Senegal at Alstom’s site in Reichshoffen (France). This event will mark the start of an extensive testing campaign prior to its departure. These tests will allow Alstom to make adjustments to the train before its forthcoming delivery to Senegal. More than 40 people are mobilized at Alstom’s Reichshoffen site to carry out the 6000 serial tests and the 50 validation tests to check and guarantee the correct functioning of the train.

The Coradia Polyvalent trains are part of the Regional Express Train Project (TER), a flagship element of President Macky Sall’s Plan for an Emerging Senegal (PES) policy framework. The trains aim to satisfy the increasing need for mobility in Dakar and they will run on the new line that will connect the centre of Dakar to the new Blaise Diagne international airport (AIBD), in Diass. They will serve 14 stations over a distance of 55 km, which they will cover in 45 minutes. The number of daily passengers is estimated at 115,000.

“This test run is a significant milestone for Alstom and for the project. We are proud to conduct the tests in order to guarantee not only the smooth running of the trains but also the control of all norms to guarantee maximum safety for both APIX and its passengers“, said Didier Pfleger, Senior Vice President for Middle East and Africa.

The Coradia Polyvalent train for Senegal is dual-mode (diesel/electric[1]) and is capable of running at speeds of 160 km/h. With a total length of 72 meters, the train has four cars, a capacity of 400 passengers and a first and second class. It is adapted to the climatic and environmental conditions of the country and has a highly efficient air conditioning system. Its low floor provides easier access and on-board movement in particular for people with reduced mobility.

Alstom’s site in Reichshoffen design, manufacture and validate the trains. Five other sites in France are involved in the project: Saint-Ouen for the design, Le Creusot for the bogies, Ornans for the motors and alternators, Tarbes for the traction system and Villeurbanne for the on-board IT systems and passenger information.

Coradia Polyvalent, already adopted by SNCF and the French regions as well as by SNTF in Algeria, belongs to Alstom’s Coradia range of modular trains, which benefits from over 30 years of expertise and proven technical solutions. More than 2,800 Coradia trains have been sold so far and around 2,300 are currently in service.

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[1] 25Kv