The event was attended by Mr Jean-Pierre Masseret, chairman of Lorraine Regional Council, Mr Alain Autruffe, French National Railways (SNCF) director for Lorraine, and Mr Jérôme Wallut, Alstom Transport France managing director.
The 160km/h four-car regional trains are due to enter service early next year on the Nancy – Pont St Vincent – Contrexéville and Saint-Dié – Epinal lines. Each 72m-long set seats 219 passengers and is equipped with a passenger counting system, bicycle storage, and a door recognition system for visually impaired passengers.
The dual-voltage 25kV ac/1.5kV dc trains are equipped with MAN D2876 340kW diesel engines for operation on non-electrified lines.
The €75m contract is entirely financed by the regional government of Lorraine, which was one of 12 regions to place a joint order for a total of 182 Régiolis sets in 2009. The first trains for the region of Aquitaine have already been delivered and Alsace, Aquitaine, Lower Normandy and Picardy will receive their first sets before the end of the year.
The trains are being assembled at Alstom's Reichshoffen plant in Alsace. Around 100 trains in various configurations will be delivered by the end of next year.
Alstom says Régiolis has already completed 250,000km of test operation and the certification process is due to be completed next month, when the French Railway Safety Board (EPSF) is expected to grant an Authorisation to Place into Service.
