Egyptian National Railways (ENR) has awarded Alstom a five-year 100 million euro contract to supply and maintain the
signalling equipment for the 240km line running south along the Nile from Beni Suef to Asyut.

Deliveries will start in 2016, and the new signalling is due to be operational by January 2019.

Alstom will supply Smartlock electronic ‘interlockings’ to replace the existing electro-mechanical equipment, along with trackside equipment, power supplies and telecoms.

The modernisation will increase the number of trains that can operate on the route by more than 80%; the project is being financed by the World Bank as part of the Ministry of Transport’s initiative to bring signalling systems across the ENR network up to international safety standards.