Invensys Rail wins Brazilian Metro contract

Invensys Rail, a leading railway control and communications systems provider, Montagens e Projetos Especiais (MPE), a Brazilian engineering company, and Infoglobal, a Spanish telecoms specialists signed a milestone £255 million contract to upgrade the automatic train and signalling controls on lines 8, 10 and 11 of São Paulo's Metro system.
Invensys Rail will install its Sirius CBTC (Communication Based Train Control) system on all three lines and associated rolling stock, along with LED signals, point machines, and WESTRACE interlockings, totalling a 60% share within the consortium. To greatly reduce disruption during the upgrade, the new system will be designed and installed to function beside the existing signalling system until the project is finished. This approach has been effectively used by Invensys Rail on metros around the globe and has proved very successful in delivering difficult projects on-time and on budget with the least possible problems for passengers.
James Drummond, Invensys Rail’s CEO and President has highlighted the importance of the contract to the business, by stating: "This is the first major project we have been awarded in Brazil and is another success story for our CBTC systems after we won the signalling contract for Singapore's new Downtown Line. We are delighted to be given the opportunity to work on such a high-profile project in one of the world's most exciting cities."
The contract marks Invensys Rail's biggest success to date in the Brazilian market, and with rapid development of commuter and metro networks, heavy-haul freight routes, and a planned high speed line in the country, Invensys Rail believes this award will provide a platform for expansion in this growing and important market.
The three lines are operated and owned by CPTM (Companhia Paulista de Trens Metropolitanos). Line 11 is 37km long with 12 stations, Line 10 is 37km with 15 stations, and Line 8 is 35km long with 20 stations. In total, 136 maintenance vehicles and trains operate on the three lines to transport more than one million passengers each working day.