Bombardier Transportation received the Tell award for the most significant technology project in Switzerland in recognition of its product development for Bombardier TWINDEXX Swiss Express intercity trains and the Bombardier MITRAC propulsion and control system.
The award, presented by Switzerland Trade and Investment Promotion Services, is named after the Swiss folk hero William Tell.
The Tell Awards annually recognize the most significant foreign investment projects from the Americas region into Switzerland during the previous year. Bombardier is the largest Canadian investor in the country and among its top 20 technology companies, employing 900 people at three sites, in Zurich, Villeneuve and Winterthur. In June 2010, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) placed the largest vehicle order in its history with Bombardier for 59 TWINDEXX double deck intercity trains, including options for more than 100 additional TWINDEXX trains.
TWINDEXX Swiss Express trains offer more capacity, higher speed in curves, better comfort and lower life cycle costs. The 59 trains ordered by SBB consist of a total of 436 fully air-conditioned carriages with more than 36,000 seats. They offer spacious interior compartments, wide doors for entry and exit, wireless Internet access, restaurant and family compartments, as well as electronic customer information and emergency call systems, and CCTV. The train concept was developed by Bombardier Transportation’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) for double deck technology in Görlitz, Germany.