ABB goes underground

ABB has won a contract from Bombardier Transportation worth $56m to supply AC traction motors for new trains that will run on the London Underground.

The 190 new trains are part of Metronet Rail’s $30bn program to upgrade nine of the 12 lines in London’s underground rail network – one of the busiest in the world which carries nearly one billion passengers annually. The seven- and eight-car trains will run on the network's sub-surface lines, namely the District, Circle, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City lines. The first new train will enter service on the Metropolitan line in 2009.

A traction motor is typically used to power the driving wheels of a railroad locomotive, a tram or an electric train like a subway or light rail vehicle. There is usually one traction motor on each driven axle.

The motors are based on Bombardier’s design and will be integrated into the propulsion and control system which is being manufactured by Bombardier in