The inauguration of Line 4 in Sao Paulo’s Metro will have to Siemens the effect of the inauguration of a showroom. The company is the supplier of the automation system that will allow trains to run without a conductor. It will be the first of its kind operating in Brazil and give further impetus to the German company in contention for this market in the country.
One of its main rivals, the French Alstom, won the competition in 2008 for the upgrade of the signaling system for the lines 1, 2 and 3 of the São Paulo’s Metro, which are already in operation. The contract, evaluated in US$ 373.56 million, is being implemented, and from the original estimates, it should be finished later this year. From the moment that this system starts its operation, the technology of Alstom will also exempt drivers. This means that the French company will also have to show soon.
In the dispute with Alstom, Siemens wants to show, among other things, that the autonomy of its trains may be higher than its competitors. Mainly, when there are times that these problems occur. “In case of failure, our system will evaluate themselves and are able to take the train into the yard alone,” says Paulo Alvarenga, CEO of Siemens Mobility in Brazil.
Reason to be
The business volume on the rail sector which is still opened is significant. “This is a market with a potential of US$ 851 million in the next four years”, says Mr. Alvarenga. And it is focused basically in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, where there is a urban density that justifies the investment. “By reducing payroll costs, it would not be worthy”, says the executive.
According to market estimates, the average investment necessary for the adaptation or deployment of signaling automated systems is, nowadays, US$ 170.25 million. The value of each project varies depending on the length and density of the rail lines.
Fasten your seatbelt
The image of a driverless train uses to cause fear on most people. No wonder, there is a comedy whose title in Portuguese is “Fasten your seatbelt, the driver is gone”. The justification for the adoption of fully automated control systems, which dismiss a conductor, however, is precisely the security. At least theoretically, the machines are more accurate and faster than mankind to react on an unexpected situation and avoid the collision between trains.
With more security, the trains can operate at the same time on the rail lines, respecting shorter headways on the stations and reaching a higher volume of transported passengers. “The Line 2 of Sao Paulo’s Metro is probably the most crowded in the world”, says Mr. Alvarenga. “Placing a train every 90 seconds on the line, instead of a two minute train, makes a lot of difference. It is one more train, on a six minute headway”, says.
According to the Metropolitan Department of Transportation, when the new signaling system starts its operation, the today’s headways will be reduced from 109 seconds to 87 seconds, on Line 1; 137 for 97 seconds on Line 2; and 101 seconds for 82 seconds on Line 3. The increase of frequency depends also from the conclusion of the refurbishment of the 98 trains and the supply of 33 new EMUs. On Line 4, it is expected that 900 thousand people will take its trains daily. The headway of these EMUs will be 90 seconds.
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