Bombardier wins US$262M Israel Railways locomotive contract
by Canadian Manufacturing.com Staff
Locomotives to slowly replace diesel predecessors as Israel electrifies its rail network
Bombardier’s TRAXX AC locomotive. The design will replace existing the company’s 369 diesel models already in use in Israel. PHOTO: Bombardier
BERLIN—Bombardier Inc. has secured a contract to provide Israel Railways with 62 TRAXX AC locomotives. The contract is valued at 230 million euro, or US$262 million, and also includes an option for an additional 32 locomotives.
“We feel honored to have been selected for this significant order,”Yossi Daskal, Bombardier Transportation’s Chief Country Representative and Head of Sales for Israel, said. “We have been working in close partnership with Israel Railways for decades, having already delivered and retrofitted a large fleet of double deck coaches.”
“Our long term relationship with Israel Railways is based on a clear understanding of how our transport solutions can continue to best meet the mobility needs of the people of Israel,” he added.
Designed to reach speeds of 160 kilometres per hour, the electrically-powered locomotives will replace Israel’s fleet of 369 Bombardier diesel coaches already in use. The company said the locomotives are identical to the Deutsche Bahn’s rolling stock that have been in service in Germany for years and are a highly-reliable and versatile platform. The locomotives will be a key part of Israel’s shift to electric railways.
“The Israel Railways electrification project is advancing and becoming a reality,” Boaz Tzafrir, CEO of Israel Railways, said. “The transition to electric operation, a standard practice in all advanced countries, will be a significant leap forward in every field relating to the operation of the Israel Railways and a key factor in Israel Railways’ future growth.”
