BELO Horizonte Metro (Metro BH) signed a contract with Alstom on October 9 for the supply of a new signalling system and Operational Control Centre (CCO) for the network in Belo Horizonte, in the state of Minas Gerais.
Alstom will replace the signalling on the 28.1km Line 1 between Eldorado and Vilarinho, as well as the planed 1.6km extension to Novo Eldorado station. The São Gabriel yard will also be modernised, improving operation and maintenance efficiency. Completion of the Line 1 resignalling project, including the extension to Novo Eldorado, is scheduled for 2026.
Alstom will also install signalling on the 10.5km Line 2, which will have seven stations and run from Nova Suiça to Barreiro. Work on the line is due to be completed by 2027, with operation beginning by 2028.
Alstom will implement Automatic Train Operation (ATO), which will allow Metro BH to offer a more efficient service from the start of operations on the Line 2. Alstom will also install 48 automatic train control (ATC) units onboard 24 new trains that will be acquired in the future, alongside the modernisation of the existing Line 1 fleet. The value of the contract was not disclosed.
Operation of the Belo Horizonte metro was auctioned to the private sector on the São Paulo Stock exchange in December 2022, with Metro BH winning a 30-year concession with a bid of Reais 25.75m ($US 5.1m).
