German industrial giant Siemens has secured a contract from state-run Egyptian National Railways (ENR) to modernize 260km of railway networks in Egypt with advanced technology for signaling, level-crossings and communications. In a press statement, Siemens announced that the upgrades are part of a national strategic plan to develop and modernize the Egyptian railway system and are expected to improve safety standards. It will also allow the railway’s maximum speed to be raised from 140km/h to 160km/h and boost throughput of passenger trains and freight services. The modernization will be implemented on rail corridors between Benha and Port Said to the northeast and Zagazig and Abu Kebir north of Cairo. These routes will see their mechanical interlocking systems replaced with Siemens-produced electronic systems that can be centrally controlled. Brand new communications infrastructure and level-crossing technology will also be introduced along the routes, which will include 21 stations. The routes will be commissioned in 2020, the statement read. Egypt’s rail network carries approximately 500 million passengers and six million tonnes of freight on a yearly basis, Joerg Scheifler, Senior Executive Vice President, Mobility, Siemens Middle East said. “A capable, robust transport network…
