MDOT MTA Extends Alstom O&M Contract

Maryland DOT photo

The Maryland Department of Transportation – Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) has awarded Alstom a five-year O&M (operations and maintenance) contract with extensions for MARC (Maryland Area Rail Commuter) that “builds on a long-standing collaboration in O&M dating back to 2012” and adds “digital innovations aiming at developing sustainable and smart mobility.”

The base term of the initial five-year contract, with an agency budget of around $401 million, allows for two potential extensions in 2028 and 2033, which together would carry the total value to around $1.4 billion. This agreement follows the 2012 award of the previous services contract with Alstom predecessor Bombardier and calls for Alstom’s continued O&M on MARC’s39-mile Camden Line and 74-mile Brunswick Line.

Alstom will continue to be responsible for train operations, customer service, crewing, locomotive and railcar fleet maintenance, as well as station and facilities management. Alstom notes it “has acquired extensive experience and proven its expertise in maintaining MARC’s mixed fleet” consisting of 42 diesel-electric locomotives, 60 MARC II passenger cars, and 54 Alstom BiLevel coaches (MultiLevel II MARC IV coaches), which includes daily inspection, equipment servicing, preventive and corrective maintenance at the MARC Train maintenance facilities.

Under the contract’s broadened scope, Alstom will continue O&M of the Camden and Brunswick Lines. In addition to piloting a fuel-saving project, this new scope also features “digital innovations that align with Alstom’s strategic plan to lead the way to smarter and more sustainable mobility,” the company said. They include Digital Twins, described as “a virtualization tool for facilities and equipment that fosters efficiencies through reduced travel time, linked data and maintenance information, and enhanced training capabilities. 3D printing technology will be used to bring agility to certain maintenance activities and parts replacements. The Remote Assistance platform features connected glasses that will provide remote assistance, allowing real-time analysis and problem-solving in the field by local and regional experts, regardless of location.”

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to strengthen our long and proud relationship with the Maryland Transit Administration, and very proud of our performance since we initiated services in 2013,” said Michael Keroullé, Alstom Americas President. “We look forward to serving MARC with the continued high-performance standards we have demonstrated in the past decade.”