Alstom put into commercial service the signalling upgrade for El Fashn section of the Beni Suef Assuyt railway line in Egypt

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  • 20 km of railway line upgraded, opening El Fashn section
  • Interlocking signalling system solution to reduce delays for passengers and freight operations



31 October 2021 – Alstom has successfully put into commercial service the signalling upgrade on the El Fashn section of the Beni Suef Assuyt (BSA) railway line for better fluidity, connectivity and passenger experience. El Fashn is the 10th commissioned sector of the BSA line and is connected to the Maghagha, Beni Mazar and Matai and Samalut stations, which are already in service. The El Fashn phase of the project covers 20 km, but the overall length commissioned by Alstom is 145 km including 10 stations, 47 level crossings and 198-point machines.

The upgrade includes SIL 4 signalling electronic interlocking system (IXL solution-SmartLock 400 GP), a support system and SCADA which helps operators deliver high performance and availability rates. Also included is Alstom ICONIS, TLC system and 11 kv power supply sub-station which allows railway Infrastructure Managers to have complete control over their network operations in an adaptable and user-friendly package.

"This milestone is part of Egyptian National Rail’s ongoing transformation plan as it significantly improves the passenger’s journey and opens up the potential for freight operations."

Mohamed Khalil
Managing Director of Alstom Egypt

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Eng. Emad Assad Upper Egypt Zone Manager at ENR, Eng. Mohamed Magdy, BSA Executive Project Manager at ENR, Eng. Mohamed Fawzy, Operations Manager at ENR, and Mr. Ramzi Agoudjil, Alstom Egypt BSA Project Director.

“I am truly thankful for the dedication that the team has shown for this technically challenging project. This milestone is part of Egyptian National Rail’s ongoing transformation plan as it significantly improves the passenger’s journey and opens up the potential for freight operations,” said Mohamed Khalil, Managing Director of Alstom Egypt.

  • 20 km
    of railway line upgraded, opening El Fashn section
  • 10
    stations are covered in the overall commissioned project
  • 500
    Alstom employees approximately in Egypt

Alstom has been a partner to Egypt’s railways since 1971, supporting the railway infrastructure development in the country. Alstom Egypt has established a strong local team and a Center of Excellence (COE) for signalling systems, power supply and maintenance workshops to support projects across its Africa-Middle East-Central Asia (AMECA) region. Egypt’s vision and strong talent pool has enabled Alstom to make significant contributions to Egypt’s rail industry development. Today, Alstom employs approximately 500 people in Egypt with several ongoing projects including the modernisation of signalling system on the Beni Sueif – Assyut line.

Alstom™, Smartlock 400 and Iconis are protected trademarks of the Alstom Group.