VENEZUELAN transport authority C A Metro de Valencia gave permission on September 4 for Siemens Transportation Systems to begin construction of the city’s US$80m light rail project. Phase 1 of the turnkey package covers the 6·2 km from Parque Recreacional to Avenida Cedeño (DM 97 p57), including eight LRVs to be assembled at Siemens’ plants in Sacramento and Carson, California. Subcontractors include Rail Transit Consultants Inc for interface co-ordination, HKC Inc and Safetran Systems Corp for signalling and train control, Mass Electric Construction Co for communications, and Redondo Construction Corp of Puerto Rico for the trackwork. Financing is being provided by the Royal Bank of Canada, Westdeutsche Landesbank and Bayrische Landesbank.
- Caracas Metro has awarded a US$89m contract to GEC Alsthom for refurbishment of 378 French-built cars up to 15 years old. The traction controls will be overhauled, an IGBT converter will replace the static convertor for auxiliary supplies, and electric circuit-breakers will be replaced by pneumatic units.
GEC Alsthom staff will oversee the work at the metro’s depots, whilst Bombardier Eurorail subsidary ANF Industrie will be responsible for bogie refurbishment. The deal includes technical assistance and staff training from consultants Systra. The first unit is due to be completed by March 1998, after which work will proceed at the rate of two vehicles per month. o
