Alstom again wins Ottawa light rail contract

In 2013, Alstom won the contract to supply and maintain 34 Citadis Spirit light rail vehicles to the city of Ottawa for the O-Train Confederation Line. Now, it has won the system maintenance contract.

Alstom will maintain the entire O-Train Confederation Line line for Rideau Transit Maintenance General Partnership (RTM), which is comprised of SNC Lavalin O&M, ACS and EllisDon. The contract involves maintenance of the right-of-way, the operations control system, power substations and signalling and communications systems, for 30 years. The 7.75-mile, 13-station line is expected to begin full revenue service in 2018. The contract is valued at C$180 million (US$137 million).

LRV production is under way in Ottawa at OC Transpo’s Belfast Yard, with testing slated to begin on a test track this fall, Alstom spokesperson Michelle Stein told Railway Age. “Currently, five vehicles are on the assembly line in Ottawa; the first vehicle is in validation testing in our Advanced Rail Technology & Manufacturing Center in Hornell, N.Y.,” she said. “The project is on track and we fully expect to complete the full delivery of the vehicles for entry into revenue service in 2018. Alstom is exceeding the 25% Canadian content requirement and has approximately 60 Canadian suppliers contributing to this project.” Rideau Transit Group (RTG), a consortium of ACS Infrastructure Canada Inc, SNC Lavalin, ACS and EllisDon, awarded Alstom the LRV supply and maintenance contract, which is worth approximately C$587 million (US$448 million).

“We are pleased to award Alstom this expanded scope in maintaining the Confederation Line system,” said RTM General Manager Grant Bailey,. “This contract places many of the critical system interfaces under the responsibility of a single service provider and will result in streamlined maintenance processes and improved system reliability. Alstom is a world-class supplier with a proven track record in maintaining urban rail transport systems around the globe, and we are excited to work with them in providing green and efficient public transport in the nation’s capital.”