In a consortium with the general infrastructure contractor Per Aarsleff A/S, Siemens has received an order to build a light rail system in Copenhagen, Denmark, from urban transport development company Greater Copenhagen Light Rail I/S. The contract will be implemented as a turnkey project. Commissioning of the system is planned for 2024.
Siemens has received an order from the Qatar Foundation for the turnkey construction of a tram system in the capital Doha aimed at transforming Qatar into a knowledge-based society. The order is worth more than 100 million euros. The scope of supply also includes signaling and communication systems, electrification as well as the depot equipment. Siemens will also be equipping four of the stations with platform edge doors. Nineteen Avenio trams will run on 11.5 kilometers of track without any overhead contact lines. The system will be installed on the university campus and serve 25 stations. The trams will be equipped with the Sitras HES energy storage system from Siemens, with energy being supplied at the tram stops.
- First tranche comprises 24 trains
- Maintenance contract for 15 years
- Construction of a maintenance workshop
State-owned Israel Railways (ISR) and Siemens have signed a contract for the delivery of 60 Desiro HC regional trainsets over the next ten years. The order has a total value of around €900 million. The double-decker trains can be ordered in 4-car as well as 6-car configurations. Upon signing the contract, Siemens received the first call for 24 trains – six in a 4-car and 18 in a 6-car configuration. The order includes the maintenance of the first 24 trains over a period of 15 years, the construction of a maintenance workshop in Ashkelon, and further options for maintenance.
"This order is strategically important for us in two respects. For the first time in our company's history, we will be delivering complete trains to Israel. And also for the first time, we've sold our innovative Desiro HC train platform outside of Germany," said Sabrina Soussan, CEO of the Mobility Division.
Scandinavia is the first region in the world to rely increasingly on battery-powered and thus environmentally-friendly technologies in the shipbuilding industry. After "Ampere", the world's first electrical ferry in Norway, and a follow-up order of the Finnish shipping company FinFerries, Siemens has now received an order from Norwegian ferry operator Fjord1. Ampere was put into operation in Norway in May 2015, and has traveled a distance equivalent to more than 1.5 times around the equator. With the change from diesel propulsion to battery, Norwegian ship owner Norled has reduced the cost of fuel by 60 percent. Now Siemens has tailor-made a suitable technical solution for Fjord1. With this contract, the first four battery-driven ferries in the world will run on technology developed and manufactured by Siemens.
"Elektra" - the newest member of the electric ferry fleet: In June 2017, the Elektra began regular operation between Nauvo and Parainen in the Turku archipelago. Battery packs, which are charged via the land-based charging stations in the harbor for use by the ferry, serve as the primary source of energy, with Diesel engines used as emergency power units. The Elektra is also Europe's largest car ferry. At nearly 98 meters long and 16 meters wide, the Elektra can transport up to 90 cars per trip. The ferry purchased by FinFerries will now be traveling this route every 15 minutes. The batteries will be charged in roughly five minutes while cars move off and onto the ferry. The two lithium-ion batteries each have a capacity of 530 kWh.
San Francisco is considered an especially environmentally friendly city. The urban environment is characterized by an extensive public transport system. In September 2014, San Francisco's Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has awarded Siemens a contract to deliver an initial 175 light rail cars at a value of USD648 million. The order included an option for additional 85 cars. One year later, SFMTA exercised its option for another 40 light rail vehicles for the public mass transit network. This is one of the biggest orders for light rail cars ever placed in the USA. The trains are being built in the Siemens plant in Sacramento. Today, every third tram or light rail vehicle in the USA is made by Siemens.
Over 100 years ago, on August 5, 1914, the first electric traffic light was installed on a city street in Cleveland, Ohio, marking a milestone in traffic management. Berlin’s Potsdamer Platz (photo), at that time the busiest intersection in Europe, installed the famous five-sided traffic light tower made by Siemens in 1924. Today the red-yellow-green signals are an integral part of city landscapes worldwide. On the outside, traffic lights haven’t changed much over the last decades. But inside a traffic light, groundbreaking changes have taken place. Traffic lights have become more intelligent over the years: modern traffic management takes into account the current traffic situation and optimizes traffic flow, for example, by allowing "green waves" or by prioritizing emergency vehicles, buses, and trams.
More than 100 years ago - on August 5, 1914 - the first electric traffic light went into operation, a milestone for traffic control. Today, it is hard to imagine a world without the redyellow-green signals. And the success story of the traffic lights is continuing with "1-watt technology". This achievement has enabled Siemens to revolutionize the market and improve the energy efficiency of standard 230 V LED technology by up to 85 percent, a huge benefit for tight city budgets and for the environment. Equipped with the new technology, a typical intersection with around 55 traffic signals (red - yellow - green) avoids more than 6,000 kilograms of harmful carbon emissions a year.
Utmost reliability and maximum availability are critically important for ensuring the cost-efficient operation of rail vehicles and the infrastructure they use. After all, malfunctions and downtimes cost money, cause delays and frequently also lead to compensation claims from passengers, local transport purchasers and freight customers. Long before faults actually occur, their potential sources should be identified. To provide this information, Siemens is the first company in the rail industry to operate a special data analytics center, located in Munich, Germany.
Now things are getting down to business: following the initial test phase in the fall of 2016, the Siemens SiBike app is going live in Marburg. In the weeks between now and mid-November, dozens of cyclists will be subjecting this system – which gives priority to bicycles in city traffic – to a stress test that is taking place under realistic conditions. Beginning on October 5, 2017, SiBike is launching on a 700-meter stretch of the Erlenring road in Marburg, Germany. Dozens of volunteer "test pilots" will be helping optimize the "green wave" app. And beginning at the end of November, all Marburg residents will be able to download the SiBike app to their smartphones.
By the way: Marburg is a trendsetter. Since the project's successful start last year, numerous cities in Europe and the U.S. have already expressed interest in this technology.