Ottawa picks Alstom for six DMU trainsets

Alstom Transport on Friday said it will supply OC Transpo, the urban transit service for Ottawa, Ontario, with six new diesel multi-unit (DMU) trainsets. The order is worth C$34 million. The new Alstom DMUs, called Coradia Lint, will be delivered in May 2013, the company said.

Alstom said OC Transpo is currently operating vehicles that run on a segregated network and which were designed to European standards, and considers Coradia Lint “the ideal vehicle for Ottawa’s rail commuter service as it is a modern, high-performance, reliable, low-floor DMU.”

Features of the Coradia Lint include: Lower emissions and better fuel economy, providing a cleaner vehicle and reduced emissions; a passenger capacity of 260; and flexible operation with short traveling times and small stop distances that help meet timetables.

“This contract represents for Alstom the first introduction in North America of a vehicle designed to European standards. We are proud to bring our global DMU expertise to North America and to support OC Transpo in its plans to double capacity and increase service,” said Guillaume Mehlman, president of Alstom Transportation in North America. “By choosing Alstom’s Coradia Lint, the City of Ottawa is providing a safe, reliable mass transit solution to its citizens, which also reduces emissions and traffic congestion.”

Alstom has delivered more than 500 Coradia Lint trainsets to both public and private operators in countries such as Denmark, Germany and France.