The world’s first Alstom Citadis X05 Light Rail Vehicle (LRV) has entered the testing and commissioning phase for the Sydney Light Rail project, marking a significant milestone in the delivery of the network.

The CBD and South East Light Rail is a new 7.4-mile light rail network for Sydney, currently under construction. When the network is fully operational, the LRV’s will operate in a couple set, which will have a capacity of up to 450 people, equivalent to up to nine standard buses. The network will have a capacity to move up to 13,500 passengers per hour, which will ensure less congestion on Sydney’s roads and more reliable travel times for commuters.

Passengers have been placed at the heart of the development of this new vehicle, with the emphasis on on-board mobility and comfort. The LRVs include double-doors for improved access and passenger flows, large balcony style windows, multi-purpose areas, ambient LED lighting, and the highest levels of customer safety, including CCTV monitoring, emergency intercoms, and the latest wayfinding aids for passenger information and real time travel information.

The impact to the environment will be minimized through increased energy efficiency achieved by the use of electrical braking, permanent magnet motors, LED lights, sensor-based air-conditioning, and the use of water-based paints and non-hazardous materials for construction. Each vehicle is 99% recyclable at the end of its 30-year lifespan.

Initially the LRV’s will be tested and commissioned at night on a completed part of the network in Sydney’s eastern Suburbs. Testing and Commissioning of the entire fleet of 60 LRV’s with continue into 2019.