Grand Paris Express: ETF wins contract for Vitry-sur-Seine operations centre (SMI)

If there is one rail project that needs no introduction, it is the Grand Paris Express! With the creation of a 200 km network of lines around the capital, equivalent to the current metro network, the Grand Paris Express will serve the Greater Paris area by 2030. This project for fully automated ring lines will mark the history of transport in the Île-de-France region. ETF’s involvement in this project is entirely natural and follows in the footsteps of the first railway companies – such as Montcocol (ETF) – which participated in the creation of the Paris metro in 1900.

The Société du Grand Paris, the project owner of the Grand Paris Express, has chosen ETF for the ‘railway tracks, overhead contact system and equipment’ contract for the Vitry-sur-Seine (94) operations centre.

This operations centre will serve as an infrastructure maintenance site (SMI) and will be responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the rails, tracks, catenary systems, platform doors and passenger information systems on line 15. It will consist of 5 km of concrete tracks, including the tunnel connection to line 15 South, three double junction crossings, nine connections and two single communications.

For the catenary section, the tracks will be electrified by a 2.8 km overhead profile and the workshop will be equipped with a retractable overhead contact profile.

ETF has set itself apart on this project by proposing a variant that modifies the type of sleepers for the running track. This method significantly reduces the overall cost of the entire project.

In addition to the track and catenary construction work, ETF will also carry out:

• A summary of the detailed design studies for the tunnel,
• Management of rail traffic,
• Testing up to phase 3 of the works,
• Integrated logistical support.

This is the start of an exciting challenge for the ETF teams, who will be working on this project for around 65 months!