Alstom supplies its Euroduplex Océane trains for the new Paris-Bordeaux high speed line
3 min read
Alstom has delivered the new generation of Euroduplex train sets to SNCF Mobilités in time for the commercial launch of the new Océane line between Paris and Bordeaux on 2 July 2017. The new trains incorporate a number of innovations, both in terms of interior design and equipment, to provide passengers with an unprecedented travel experience.
Euroduplex, a double-deck train from Alstom’s Avelia high-speed train range, is a solution unparalleled in today’s high-speed market, demonstrating French excellence in this field. With higher capacity (556 seats instead of 509), the interiors of the Océane cars have been redesigned. The train has 4 seats for people with reduced mobility, a new passenger information system, new information screens providing updates on the journey in real time, and a space for storing bicycles.
Passengers have been placed at the heart of the development of this new train, with the emphasis on onboard mobility, comfort and leisure. New materials (wood) and new colours have been used to create a warm atmosphere. Special attention has been paid to indoor spaces and fixtures to increase their accessibility. The train is also pre-equipped to provide onboard internet access (wifi). Everything is designed to make Euroduplex a comfortable, accessible and connected train.
The seats are designed to offer maximum comfort to passengers: enhanced comfort, new seating positions, ergonomic seating, universally adaptable head and armrests. An innovative system allows first-class seats to rotate 180° so that passengers can face the direction of travel. As surface coverings and cladding have a direct effect on ergonomics and comfort, Alstom has paid particular attention to the choice of materials and the quality of their development.
Last but not least, the buffet car has been completely redesigned to let in more light thanks to a more open counter, a brand new space for the provision of in-seat catering and a configuration that provides the possibility of installing an automatic vending machine.
"This new train has a lot of advantages for rail operators: with improved comfort levels, it has greater capacity in comparison with an equivalent train, thus reducing the cost per seat. A new air conditioning system and an improvement to the train’s aerodynamics make it possible to optimise energy consumption, thus preserving the environment and reducing operating costs," said Jean-Baptiste Eyméoud, President of Alstom in France.
Eight Alstom sites in France are working on the design and manufacture of this project: La Rochelle for the passenger cars and buffet car, Belfort for the power cars, Ornans for the traction motors, Le Creusot for the bogies, Tarbes for the electric blocks and traction equipment, Petit-Quevilly for the traction transformers, Villeurbanne for the onboard electronic systems and passenger information systems, and Saint-Ouen for the design.
A total of 1,500 people work on these sites every day in the domain of high speed. The main French suppliers of the project are Faiveley Transport and Compin. With the other SMIs of the French railway sector, they employ 6,000 people in France.
