The French manufacturer’s ambition knows no limits. Renowned for the challenges launched on the railway market, with which the company wants to break all international records, Alstom has recently announced that they plan to deliver a new locomotive in just 9 months after signing the contract, a world premiere, as well as a competitive advantage, as opposed to the other players that activate on the railway traction market. Alstom organised a workshop in Germany in order to show the progress made in case of the prototype of a new series of PRIMA II locomotives, as well as the development strategy for this type of products. Alstom’s philosophy will change the way in which contracts are signed for locomotives. The objective is to attract private operators and leasing companies, aside from the national operators who represented the company’s main customers. To that effect, the company came up with a completely new approach.
Alstom Transport decided to organize this event in order to present the flexibility and performances of the new PRIMA II locomotive, which has been undergoing tests at the company’s facility in Wildenrath (Germany) since July 2009. This was the first occasion for the press to see the locomotive. Until now, the tests were performed behind closed doors. Railway Pro was the only Romanian publication present at this event, which was held during December 16-17, 2009 and which attracted the interest of some of the largest economic and railway publications worldwide.
PRIMA II is, in fact, an improved PRIMA platform, which was launched in 1997. Over 1750 PRIMA platforms were sold in France, Iran, Israel, Syria etc.
Operating speed superior to the market offer
The main differences between the old and the new generation of locomotives are related to the bogies, the traction equipment which is called ONIX and the electronic systems. Alstom managed to create a smart locomotive, which means that all the vital systems of the locomotive, as well as the maintenance and service operations, can be performed directly from the software.
Alstom managed to reduce the weight of the locomotive from 90 to approximately 86 tonnes – the Bo-Bo version, allowing a reconfiguration of the bogies which, together with the new suspension systems and the axle-integrated electric motors (whose weight was reduced to 22.5 tonnes/axle), contributed to the significant noise and vibration reduction in the driver’s cabin. The new bogies also allow the locomotive to run at high speeds in curves.
PRIMA II promises to be the most modular locomotive on the market. The vehicle can be assembled and disassembled very quickly and it can be done even by the standard maintenance personnel. A special focus was placed on the interior design of the locomotive and on facilitating the activity of the engine drivers and the maintenance personnel. Alstom managed to extend the corridor between the driver’s cabins to 750 mm, as well as gain extra space for assembling various customized equipments for every customer requirement. Pierre Chanal, Project Manager PRIMA II, stated for Railway Pro that the company managed to simplify the maintenance operations, which can now be directly performed by the engine drivers.
The locomotive underwent the first aerodynamic tests. Its design incorporates elements taken from the aeronautic industry. The maximum speed for the freight version is of 140 km/h which, apparently, is not much, but the superior aerodynamics and the bogies which allow the locomotive to run at high speed in curves allow PRIMA II to operate at an operating speed higher, compared to the locomotives which can reach a maximum speed of 160 km/h. The passenger version can reach a maximum speed of 200 km/h.
PRIMA II, an effort almost entirely due to Alstom, is equipped with power supply systems for all the different types of voltages encountered in Europe (AC: 25 kV, 15 kV; DC: 3 kV, 1.5 kV). The pantographs were supplied by Alstom’s partner, Faiveley Transport. The locomotive is also equipped with regenerative brakes and rheostat braking systems (2.600 kW). The prototype tested at Wildenrath behaved excellently during operation and braking; the only problems which Alstom plans to eliminate until the validation process scheduled to end in February 2010 are related to the use of a new concept in terms of interior doors. The manufacturer is testing a door prototype which requires subsequent improvements in order to achieve complete air tightness for the driver’s cabin, so as to eliminate the noise coming from the motors.
The ONIX system is made of asynchronous motors which develop a power of 6400 kW, IGBT invertors which help reduce the energy consumption. PRIMA II has a traction force of 320 kN, in the Bo-Bo version. In 2007, Alstom began the development of a Co-Co PRIMA II version for the Chinese market. This version promised to be the most powerful locomotive in the world, with a force of 9600 kW.
Until February 2010, Alstom will perform the acoustic and electromagnetic compatibility tests, thus analyzing the level of noise pollution and radiation in the electromagnetic field.
PRIMA II, the first locomotive to be delivered in just 9 months
Products instead of projects
Railway Pro wanted to know more about Alstom’s marketing strategy for the new locomotive, as well as the advantages and novelties brought by this new product. The response came from Pascale Grasset, Vice-President of Development, Freight Transport – Europe, Alstom Transport.
Pascale Grasset joined the Alstom team in 1989 and began his activity within the On-Board Electronic Systems Department. In 2009, Grasset became in charge of business development in the field of freight transport. His wish is for PRIMA II to be the basis for Alstom’s expansion on the European markets.
Railway Pro: The main selling markets for Alstom’s locomotives are those in France, Benelux, North Africa and the Middle East. The fact that the first order for PRIMA II came from Morocco doesn’t seem to change this tendency. How will you manage to attract new markets for your locomotives and how do you plan to meet the requirements of the operators who want to buy only a few such locomotives?
Pascale Grasset: Designed for cross-border services, PRIMA II underwent a series of tests in order to evaluate and implement a new driver’s cabin in conformity with EUDDplus, the European driver’s cabin standardization programme. This makes PRIMA II a European locomotive. 17 engine drivers from 10 European countries participated at our tests, which included various scenarios that recreate real life. PRIMA II is compatible with EUDDplus; it is a European locomotive. The freight market has changed a lot in the last period of time and, following the liberalisation process, the national operators are no longer the main customers and the delivery of only a few hundred pieces will no longer be possible in the future. These customers procured projects, rather than products. At present, the locomotive market is frozen; many vehicles are parked in depots. The situation seems to be changing and we want to be there when this happens.
Private operators seem to become very important customers, but they have to face the final costs, which are very high, when it comes to the installation of the safety, signalling and control systems, equipment maintenance and certification. Our new approach, which we hope will help us conquer new markets, relies on providing a complete package which includes, among others, our ATLAS and TrainTracer solutions. A major part of our strategy is represented by obtaining certification in European countries. Hence, the operators can eliminate the costs required by the certification of the vehicle. This allows us to deliver a locomotive in just 9 months after signing the contract, compared to the previous 15 months. The first countries we will be focusing on for homologation are France, Germany and Benelux in 2011, followed by the countries in Eastern Europe. Everything will be made at the expense of the company. This, together with the modularity of the concept, will help eliminate the time wasted and the expenses made by every operator for the certification of the locomotives. In the future, this will eliminate the large documentation required for the task books.
PRIMA II is not just a project; it’s a Product that will meet the requirements of all operators, whether they come from Eastern Europe or North Africa.
Reducing the production time necessary will allow us to meet even the requirements for 1-2 locomotives, the availability level being at maximum.
Railway Pro: What is the approximate cost of the PRIMA II locomotive, once the validation process is finalized?
Pascale Grasset: We want to change the perception on the cost from simple numbers to an analysis based on the life cycle and the product’s performances. If the locomotive is procured together with ATLAS and TrainTracer, the investment will show its results in time, by reducing the maintenance costs and simplifying the certification procedures. The cost doesn’t matter; irrespective of the situation, the cost will not exceed the market level and we hope it will stabilize at the current values.
Feature put together by Alin Lupulescu
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