A new tramway has opened in Lusail, a new city 10 miles north of Doha in Qatar.
This is the first tramway that Alstom has constructed in Qatar. It is notable that the sections of the route that are above ground do not have catenaries.
With a network length of 34km, 7km of which are underground, this is the largest tramway system project in the Gulf region. There are 29 stations, with 25 within Lusail, and connects with the Doha Metro.
Alstom, as part of LRTC Consortium together along with QDVC, was awarded a contract in 2014 by Qatar Railways Company to supply a turnkey tramway system that is catenary-free above ground. LRTC Consortium comprises Alstom and QDVC, which is a Qatari shareholding company in charge of civil works (51 % Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company & 49% VINCI Construction Grands Projets).
Alstom's role in the project was to provide the design, manufacturing, and commissioning of 28 Citadis trams, track works including hardscaping, power supply equipment, and signalling, as well as platform screen doors. A number of Alstom sites in France and Spain were involved in the project including Aix-en-Provence, Le Creusot, La Rochelle, Ornans, Tarbes, and Villeurbanne in France, and Barcelona in Spain.
The network has 28 Citadis X05 trams, each with a capacity of 209 passengers. Each tram is 32m long with five modules making up a single unit. The livery is inspired by the traditional Qatari boat, the Dhow, with a pearl, Qatar's historical symbol, on the side of the rolling stock.
The vehicles are fully low floor to enable easier access for all passengers and include passenger information and security systems both at station level and on-board. They are eco-friendly being 98% recyclable and equipped with a full electrical braking system and LED lighting.
Tamer Salama, Alstom's Managing Director of Qatar and UAE, said “We are proud to deliver the first catenary-free tramway in the country and a system that will provide efficiency, availability, and easier maintenance. Alstom is committed to Qatar's economic growth and development, and will continue to support the National Vision 2030, through the enhancement of infrastructure and the supply of sustainable solutions such as the Lusail Tramway.”
“As Qatar welcomes the World Cup this year, we are proud to deliver the first catenary-free tramway in the country and a system that will provide efficiency, availability, and easier maintenance. Alstom is committed to Qatar's economic growth and development, and will continue to support the National Vision 2030, through the enhancement of infrastructure and the supply of sustainable solutions such as the Lusail Tramway.”
How could an article the title of which includes “catenary free tramway” not include any information as to what type of power supply will be used? Having checked the internet I see that it uses APS which is a kind of third rail supply located centrally between the running rails. The Alstom trams in Dubai which use this system employ on board brushes to prevent sand from obstructing the contact points. I hope this system continues to work as effectively as overhead wires.