Alstom’s Regio CITADIS – A TramTrain for the Fraser Valley?
Not only does Bombardier make TramTrains, France’s Alstom now has several variants of the Regio Citadis TramTrain operating on several transit systems in Europe. It would be nice for residents in the Fraser Valley to see a demonstration of the Regio Citadis operating from Vancouver to Chilliwack in the near future!
Regio CITADIS, Connecting suburban area and city center.
The challenge
Increasing mobility between suburban areas and the city center is the new challenge of great urban centers that want to improve their traffic management. The Regio CITADIS has been designed to answer the issue of multi-modality.
As a tram-train it allows a fast and direct link from the suburbs to the city-center without discontinuities in load.
The concept
Regio CITADIS connects two existing systems that are usually separated: it runs as a tramway under catenary on the tram network and as a diesel train on the regional train network. So, it is technical trade-off to ensure sustained operation in two completely different worlds: different power supply systems, different railway and urban standards, different infrastructures such as rails and platforms, different speed constraintsA?ai??i??Ai??
As it uses existing networks, the regional tracks do not need to be electrified, saving infrastructure costs for the region. Moreover Regio CITADIS is based on a modular platform with service-proven components. Several variations are possible: hybrid, electrical two-system, single-system traction. All have the same design, only the traction power packs on the roof changes. This saves maintenance costs.
Key figures
- Ai??Ai??Length: 36,762 mm
- Width: 2,659 mm
- Seats: 93
- Standing facilities approx. 130
- Orders: 82 trainsets for German and Dutch operators
- Service: 28 in commercial service
I wonder how much one of these would cost, as a demo if one is available….
And how it would perform if it were shipped here and just placed right on the interurban track and away-we-go?
Now with the HST debacle, I’m thinking our Fraser Valley MLAs are not feeling quite so comfortable as before!
Maybe they would throw us THIS bone?
Zweisystem replies: Alstom does make a diesel version, as do Bombardier, Siemens and Stadler. The cost to purchase one would be between $4 million to $5 million, depending on which package one buys. The track needs attention and I would think about $100 million would have to be spent on vehicles (3 or 4), track refurbishment/ crossing protection, signaling and basic stations. A lot of money, but still less than 1 km. of SkyTrain. I think spending less money would only invite operational embarrassment.
Effectivement, j’ai loupe9 de peu une rames T3 e0 destination de Lattes e0 la siottan Moulare8s, et j’ai attendu environ 40 minutes la suivante.Entre temps sont passe9es de nombreuses rames T1 Odysseum , 2 rames T3 Pe9rols Etang de l’or et une myste9rieuse (sur le moment) T1 Hors Service mais transportant des voyageurs. Le panneau d’information du quai e9tait HS (comple9tement e9teint). Impossible donc de savoir of9 allait cette rame (ceci dit, vu la girouette, pas sfbr que je serais monte9 e0 bord meame si le tableau e9lectronique d’information du quai avait indique9 Lattes).Ce n’est qu’en arrivant e0 Lattes, et en croisant (e0 la siottan Cougourlude) la fameuse T1 Hors Service qui repartait, que j’ai compris que j’avais attendu 20 minutes pour rien. Heureusement, je n’e9tait pas presse9.C’est quand meame comple9tement stupide de renforcer la ligne 3 avec des rames de la ligne 1, vu qu’apparemment ces rames ne sont pas pre9vues pour pouvoir afficher les bonnes destinations sur les girouettes. Autant ne rien faire!