Egyptian National Railways (ENR) and Thales signed two agreements covering signalling modernisation and infrastructure works.
Under a framework agreement, Thales will be responsible for the modernisation of signalling and telecommunication, track rehabilitation and duplication for 158 km of lines covering the Qalyoub – Menouf – Tanta Line (94 km) and Qalyoub – Shebin El Qanater – El Zagazig Line (64 km), two key priority lines for ENR, located in the Delta Region in Egypt. This agreement is a continuation of a MoU that was signed between Thales and ENR in September in Madrid and will determine the increase of the capacity that ENR needs for these two heavy traffic lines.
Under this project, Thales will provide ENR with a turnkey proposal for signalling and telecommunication system modernisation, for track rehabilitation and duplication. In parallel, Thales will explore both the possibility to implement a national Central Traffic Control (CTC) for ENR network and to add an ETCS L1 solution along the two lines.
The two companies have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the modernisation of two interlocking stations located in Farz and Limon Bridge. The two towers Farz, and Limon Bridge are located in the heart of Cairo, around Cairo Ramses Station, the Central Station of Cairo, and will complement the currently on-going modernisation of Cairo – Alexandria Corridor. With the modernisation of these two stations, ENR will have a fully compatible signalling solution with the system already being implemented in Cairo Alexandria. This modernisation scope shall enhance ENR operations around Ramses Station by improving the level of safety as trains approach the Main station from different secondary lines.
Thales is currently upgrading the signalling system on the 208 km Cairo – Alexandria railway and on the 250 km Assiut – Naga Hamadi line by implementing its Electronic Interlocking System (EIS), which will increase the train speed from 140 to 160 km/h and headways between trains will be reduced from 10 to 5 minutes.
Country’s signalling modernisation programme covers the entire 1,900 km rail network and is estimated at EGP 50 billion (USD 3.2 billion). Recently, a new signalling contract was awarded for a rail line in upper Nile River.
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