Alstom wins British high-speed rail link contract

Alstom SA, as part of a joint venture, has won a contract worth $187 million to build a section of high-speed rail for Eurostar trains that will cut travel times from London to Brussels and Paris. The consortium, to be led by Alstom includes Britain's Carillion and France's Travaux du Sud-Ouest, won the contract for the 25-mile stretch of high-speed track from London's St. Pancras station to Ebbsfleet, Kent. St. Pancras station is slated to replace Waterloo station as the London terminus for Eurostar trains in 2007. The rail link, which will enable travelers to get from London to Paris in 2 hours and 20 minutes and 2 hours to Brussels, is set for completion in 2007.