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Alstom’s Lapa manufacturing plant in Brazil has timely manufactured the first complete body-shell of the twenty X’Trapolis Mega commuter trains currently under production in the site as part of its 600-trains contract with Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa.

The Alstom-led Gibela consortium has completed manufacturing of the first complete stainless-steel bodyshell for the 20 X'Trapolis Mega EMUs it is supplying to Passenger Rail Authority of South Africa (PRASA) from Alstom's Lapa plant in Brazil as part of an order for 600 trains.

Making quick work of its ten-year R51-billion contract to supply South Africa’s Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) with 600 trains, rail company Gibela has unveiled the first completed car body-shell at major shareholder Alstom’s Lapa manufacturing facility, in Sao Paulo, Brazil – some seven months after the landmark deal’s financial close.

First cutting-edge South African commuter train takes shape

Gibela and PRASA executives are leading a visit by SA media to Alstom Transport's train-assembly plant in Lapa, Brazil to show progress on the building of the first of 600 new commuter trains for PRASA.

South African rail company Gibela Rail Transport Consortium is making steady progress on executing a R51-billion contract to supply the State-owned mass transportation system operator Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) with 600 new X'Ttrapolis Mega commuter trains to replace South Africa's aging Metrorail rolling stock trains over the next ten years, says Gibela CEO Marc Granger.

South African rail company Gibela Rail Transport Consortium is making steady progress on executing a R51-billion contract to supply the State-owned mass transportation system operator Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) with 600 new X'Ttrapolis Mega commuter trains to replace South Africa's aging Metrorail rolling stock trains over the next ten years, says Gibela CEO Marc Granger.

Stainless steel flat products producer Columbus Stainless received the first order in February to supply coils and sheets for the first 20 passenger train sets that form part of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa’s (PRASA’s) passenger coach replacement project.

Metrorail’s first new passenger train will arrive in November next year, says Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) CEO Lucky Montana.

South Africans have a right to be sceptical. All too frequently they and their country have been short changed in promised skills or technology transfers. Perhaps they have expected too much.

Alston, a world leader in rail transport equipment, has made a bold move towards equipping young South African engineers with a range of skills in train manufacturing. Download article

Construction of 600 000m² Alstom-led Gibela train manufacturing facility in Ekurhuleni in Gauteng is set to begin mid 2015, with the construction phase set to include 20, 000 to 30, 000 local people as contractors and subcontractors.