ALSTOM chosen for upgrade of regional trains in
France

The existing trains are composed of an electric locomotive and
between 4 and 8 passenger cars. The upgrade will consist in
installing a driver cab at the end of a tale car, so that it can
operate in push as well as in pull
mode. It will then no longer be necessary to move the locomotive
to the other end of the train for a return trip.

The efficiency of operations on short distances will thus be
enhanced. This gain in efficiency will in turn increase capacity
on the regional lines concerned.

The transformed trains will serve the following 5 French regions
: Alsace, Rhône-Alpes, Burgundy, Franche-Comté, PACA
(Provence-Alpes- Côte dAzur); some of these trains
will operate at increased speeds, up to 200 km/h.

Three ALSTOM sites in France will be involved in this contract :
Reichshoffen will be in charge of design and production. Tarbes
will provide some cab equipment and Saint Ouen will be
responsible  for speed control.  Delivery will start in
2006 and finish in 2008. Once ALSTOM has finished this work, the
cars will return to SNCFs  maintenance centre in
Romilly where the passenger area will be completely refurbished.

With more than 35 product lines and a presence in more than
60 countries, ALSTOM's Transport sector offers complete products
and services for new rolling stock, signaling, and electrical and
mechanical infrastructure as well as maintenance and
rehabilitation services to four distinct types of customers:
urban transit authorities and operators; intercity passenger rail
operators and rolling stock owners; rail freight operators; and
intercity railway infrastructure owners. ALSTOM's Transport
sector, with sales of 4.9 billion euros in financial year
2003-2004, is among the world's leading suppliers to the railway
industry.

Press information :

Susanne Trabitzsch

Tel. + 33 (0) 1 41 66 97 16

susanne.trabitzsch@transport.alstom.com

• The SNCF website