Alstom’s Citadis Spirit, a 100% low-floor light rail vehicle designed for North America, began dynamic testing on the O-Train Confederation Line in Ottawa. Ottawa’s future light rail vehicles will be tested both at the Belfast Yard Storage and Maintenance Facility (Belfast Yard), as well as along approximately four mile of test track.

During this phase of the project, the trains will undergo various tests, including dynamic testing at speeds of approximately 50 mph up to approximately 62 mph. The dynamic tests that will take place on the test track will focus on traction and braking performance, train behavior, and the comfort and performance of the bogies.

Static testing will take place at Belfast Yard and will validate function performance, including HVAC, doors, lighting, passenger information, and on board data systems. This phase of testing will run through to the end of March 2017, during which more than 50 test procedures will be completed. Upon completion of this first series of tests, more than a dozen tests will be conducted on a multiple unit train, i.e. two trains coupled together.

“The commencement of dynamic testing marks the first 100% low floor vehicle to enter validation testing in Ontario and brings the Citadis Spirit one step closer to the start of commercial service in the City of Ottawa. This rigorous testing of the trains will ensure smooth and safe operation for both the operators and passengers alike,” said Angelo Guercioni, managing director for Alstom, Canada.

Alstom is supplying 34 Citadis Spirit light rail vehicles for the O-Train Confederation Line, and will maintain both the vehicles and the line’s infrastructure for a period of 30 years. This first phase of the O-Train Confederation Line comprises 13 stations along an approximate 7.8 mile route. The O-Train Confederation Line is expected to begin full revenue service in 2018.

Thanks to its modular design, the Citadis Spirit provides for a very flexible manufacturing process. The Citadis Spirit is being assembled by a local workforce at Belfast Yard, creating over 100 jobs in the Ottawa area, with the support of an established supply chain of over 60 Canadian suppliers to meet the 25% Canadian content requirement. In addition to vehicle assembly in the Ottawa area, the Alstom manufacturing facility in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec is assembling the bogies for the Citadis Spirit.