Alstoms Citadis Dualis tram-train enters commercial service on the Epinay-sur-Seine - Le Bourget line (Tram 11 Express)

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Alstom's Citadis Dualis tram-trains will start commercial service tomorrow on the section of the T11 Express line that runs between Epinay-sur-Seine and Le Bourget. The first Citadis Dualis was delivered to SNCF Mobilités for Ile-de-France in August 2016 followed by a delivery rate of one train per month[1], making it possible to carry out tests progressively[2]. 

Designed based on Alstom's Citadis tram, the Citadis Dualis tram-train can run on a tramway network just as easily as on a regional rail network thanks to adaptations related to power, safety and comfort. This configuration makes it a highly versatile means of transport: it has the same dimensions as a tram, meaning it can circulate in town, while its performance, the same as that of a train, allows it to transport passengers at speeds of nearly 100 km / h in outlying areas without the need to switch transport modes. Citadis Dualis provides the link between the city centre and the suburbs without having to change trains, reconciling the advantages of the train and the tram. 

"Alstom's teams are very proud of the entry into commercial service of this new versatile mode of transport for SNCF and the STIF. In particular, we worked on increasing reliability to meet operational constraints in Ile-de-France," says Jean-Baptiste Eyméoud, President of Alstom in France. 

48 Citadis Dualis tram-trains are in operation to date: 24 in the Rhône-Alpes region to the West of Lyon since 2012 and 24 in Pays-de-la-Loire, which entered commercial service on the Nantes-Clisson and Nantes-Châteaubriant lines in June 2011 and February 2014 respectively. The trains ordered for Ile-de-France are currently being manufactured in Valenciennes. Five other French Alstom sites are involved in the manufacturing process: Ornans for the motors, Le Creusot for the bogies, Tarbes for the traction drive equipment, Villeurbanne for the on-board electronics and passenger information systems, and Saint-Ouen for the design.

[1] These tram-trains are part of the framework contract signed in 2007 by SNCF for 200 train sets. Two options have been exercised for Ile-de-France, one for 15 trains in June 2014 for the T11 Express line, and one for 15 trains in December 2015, to be delivered from October 2017 with commercial commissioning planned for 2018 on line T4.

[2] Authorisation for entry into commercial service (AMEC) was given on 14 March by the Public Railway Safety Authority (EPSF) and since 15 May, mock test-runs have been carried out to ensure that entry into commercial service takes place in the best possible conditions.