Production of carshells and finished passenger vehicles in stainless steel is widely recognised as the speciality of the former Sorefame plant at Amadora on the western edge of Lisboa. Recent contracts obtained by what is now Adtranz Portugal point towards the development of a broader product base, with orders obtained for the final assembly of light rail vehicles as well as manufacture of carbon steel components for locomotives and bogies.
With the last of 32 stainless steel carshells for the Los Angeles Red line metro delivered to Breda’s Pistoia plant in Italy (RG 1.98 p91), the main complex at Amadora is presently occupied by three parallel production lines. Each line turning out finished vehicles works under the ’one roof’ concept, with parts delivered on a just-in-time basis to stores on the factory floor.
One line is currently building 14 four-car electric multiple-units for the Sintra line of Portuguese Railways (CP), easily distinguished from earlier builds by roof-mounted air-conditioning equipment. Next to the stainless steel EMUs, work is in progress to fit out the first of 10 six-car tilting trainsets for CP. Delays to the delivery of bogies by main contractor Fiat Ferroviaria have had a knock-on effect, with the first unit now due to be received by CP in July.
Adtranz Portugal is currently delivering one three-car ML90 trainset to Metropolitano de Lisboa each week, under an order for 38 units placed in 1995 and a subsequent option for a further 18. Delivery requires careful planning, as storage space is limited for the 1435mm gauge metro cars on the mainly 1668mm gauge tracks of the Amadora plant.
Once the last Sintra line trainset is rolled out in June, work will begin on 30 double-deck EMUs ordered by CP for Lisboa suburban services and the North-South link. Amadora will undertake final assembly of the trains built by GEC Alsthom Transporte and CAF, as well as supply of bogies and cabs with what has become the standard CP layout of controls.
A project team has been established for the final assembly of 72 Eurotrams for Porto (RG 1.98 p10), expected to begin in the summer of 1999. Amadora is to produce frames for the Eurotram bogies that will be built at the Adtranz UK plant in Derby. Adtranz Portugal also hopes to maintain the LRVs in conjunction with CP maintenance subsidiary EMEF.
Klas Wåhlberg, Vice-President, Marketing & Sales, for Adtranz Portugal, says that 25% of present production at Amadora is for export. Growth in carbon steel work and bogies in particular has been ’tremendous’, with recent orders including 320 bogies for German Railway (DB) Class VT612 tilting DMUs, 220 bogies for Praha metro trainsets and 288 bogies for Berlin metro cars.
Also in carbon steel, work has begun on cabs, frames and bodies for 20 Blue Tiger diesel locomotives ordered by Pakistan Railways. The completed assemblies will move to Kassel to be mounted on Flexifloat bogies from Adtranz Germany, receive traction equipment from General Electric of the USA and be painted. The last 10 of the 30-strong order will be built in Pakistan.
Later this year, Adtranz Portugal will begin work on 70 sets of frames and bodyshells for DB Class 145 electric locomotives, under an order worth Esc1·4bn. Deliveries to Adtranz Germany at Kassel, responsible for final assembly, are scheduled to begin in July for completion two years later. o
CAPTION: CP’s future flag carriers are the tilting high speed trains for Lisboa - Porto services
CAPTION: Frames for 30 Blue Tiger locos are being assembled; the locos are for Pakistan Railways
CAPTION: Work will start soon on a fleet of 30 double-deck EMUs for cross-Tagus services
