Toronto, July 1 (Inditop.com) Canada’s Bombardier, which is the third largest civilian aircraft maker and global leader in rail transportation, Tuesday announced the world’s biggest sale of rail streetcars.
The Montreal-based Bombardier, which supplies coaches to Delhi Metro, said it has signed a contract worth $851 million to supply 204 state-of-the-art streetcars to the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC).
Toronto, Canada’s biggest city, is world famous for its Kolkata-type trams or streetcars.
Under the deal, the low-floor streetcars will be supplied between 2012 and 2018, the first prototype set for launch in 2011.
In a statement, the Canadian giant said: “The contract represents the largest single order ever for light rail vehicles worldwide and solidifies Bombardier’s position as the world’s leading provider of light rail technology.”
“Bombardier now has more than 2,700 trams and light rail vehicles operating or on order in cities across Europe, Australia and North America,” it said.
Grego Peters, president of light rail vehicles at Bombardier Transportation, said: “We are proud to receive this impressive order and delighted to adapt our proven Bombardier flexity streetcar technology – which is today operating successfully in cities across Europe – for one of North America’s premier urban centres.”
Each streetcar will have the capacity to carry more than 240 passengers and come with increased heating and air conditioning, improved customer comfort and enhanced features.
The multi-million order comes at a time when Bombardier has been hit hard by the cancellation of orders for civilian aircraft and business jets by companies amid the global downturn.
Bombardier employs about 65,000 people worldwide.
