Paris: RATP, the Paris public transport operator, and TSO, an infrastructure maintenance contractor, have signed contracts with Plasser & Theurer, Austria, and Scheuchzer, Switzerland. TSO has been outsourced to maintain the Paris metro infrastructure for eight years.
The Austrian manufacturer is expected to supply two MetroFlex E3 tamping machines powered by third rail and batteries to be used to maintain both standard and rubber-tyred metro lines. Use of the batteries is an innovative and crucial feature as while tamping third rail is switched off. Until now, these machines for metro lines have only been available on the US market and the MetroFlex E3 will be the first in the series to use electric or hybrid traction.
Scheuchzer will supply a battery-electric track renewal train for all 14 lines of the Paris metro with various tracks.
