Alstom the contract of the century in the USA – ladepeche.fr

To be worthy of the event and to make an impression, is the vice president of the United States himself, Joe Biden, who announced Friday an investment of $ 2.45 billion ( 2.2 billion euros) to start modernization works of the high speed line (LGV) connecting Boston to Washington. A $ 2 billion, a solid gold to the French giant Alstom, which will produce local materials, but expects the effects on French websites and especially Tarbes. The rest will be used to upgrade the network level

The manufacturer will supply 28 trains for Amtrak railroad to irrigate the East Coast and Boston serve axis. – Washington via New York and Philadelphia. Is a line covering more than 700 km away. The American has ordered Amtrak train “new generation”, to firstly reduce travel time and, secondly, increase frequencies on this stretch. The number of passengers on this unique high-speed line in the United States was 3.5 million in 2014, according to Alstom. The new train is expected to transport up to 35% more passengers. It will run initially at 257 km / h and to “mount” then 300 km / h.

“The high-speed trains from Alstom, which we called Avelia are the trains most advanced, most reliable and safest in the world, “said Jerome Wallut, vice president of Alstom in North America. For the manufacturer, in addition to revenues from this contract, the visibility and exposure of know-how “French” is a new door that opens on one of the most attractive market. If the high-speed transport whets appetites everywhere, Alstom has been strengthened by the signature. And acquires a strong argument in “the new Battle of the Rails” (see next page) that has already begun everywhere around the planet.

In the US alone, the market is already promising. California has initiated work for high-speed line reread Los Angeles to San Francisco in 2020. Also known project to Dallas – Houston, Las Vegas -Palmdale …

This contract nearly 2 billion euros will create 400 direct jobs in the State of New York, says Alstom, which employs over a thousand people in the region. But also provides benefits for the French sites that should especially take care of the design. These latest generation trains will target a clientele of businessmen, travelers will have the choice between trains 1st class or business, according to initial reports.

Alstom is a nice victory. After those recorded in June. Alstom has indeed already won the contract for the extension of the Dubai Metro, a line of 15 km and the purchase of 50 trains, totaling 2.6 billion euros. Still in June, through a consortium, Alstom signed the supply of 150 trains for the Italian railways.

In addition to the manufacturer, this success reflects on the entire economy French, often singled out by regular and unbearable campaign “French-bashing.” Alstom and brings a scathing refutation to those who described a loss tricolor industrial competitiveness.

Even better, a few days before school starts, this result has what cheer a sometimes prone to pessimism country. Knowing US protectionism and the reluctance of US policymakers to open up to other skills, it appears as a label recognizing the French know-how.

Finally we note for the blink of an eye, the color of the model of the Amtrak release Alstom, presented Friday at the announcement of the contract: a red white blue train. More than a symbol.