Alstom and Chicago commuter rail operator Metra have finalised a framework contract for the supply of 500 double-deck push-pull coaches, with a €650m firm order for an initial 200 vehicles.

The Metra board selected Alstom as preferred bidder in January. The coaches are to be built at the manufacturer’s rolling stock plant at Hornell in New York state, with its site in Rochester, New York, supplying the automatic train control system. The first car is to be delivered in 42 months, with the base order completed 30 months later.

The stainless steel coaches will be a customised version of Alstom’s Coradia Duplex family, featuring a ‘streamlined, modern and welcoming’ interior, with large windows, USB sockets and touchless doors. They will have wide doors on each side for rapid boarding, and will meet all Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility requirements, with wheelchair lifts on each side. Efficiency features will include LED lighting and a climate control system, which adapts to the passenger loading.

‘Modern, service-proven’ components and diagnostic systems will provide Metra with information on operational performance to help increase fleet availability.

‘Alstom is pleased to have been selected by Metra to provide the latest in multilevel car design’, said Jérôme Wallut, President, Alstom Americas, on March 18. ‘Alstom continues to invest and support investment in US railroad infrastructure, and these new cars will allow Metra to extract maximum value from their fleet investments by increasing fleet reliability, enhancing overall passenger experience and ensuring maximum accessibility for all passengers.’