Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. announced today that Fuji Electric Corp. of America, a wholly-owned subsidiary, was selected to manufacture linear door and auxiliary power supply (APS) systems for the new WMATA 7000-series subway cars. This order is in connection with a project, which WMATA awarded Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc., an American-based subsidiary of Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., to manufacture an initial order of 364 subway cars. The contract allows for a total of 748 subway cars when WMATA exercises options included in its agreement with Kawasaki Rail Car. Fuji Electric will start delivering the equipment in the summer of 2011, for an initial order of 364 cars.
Overview of the Products
(1) Linear Door System:Objective
Order for 2,184 door systems for 364 subway cars
Linear door systems are used to open and close the sliding passenger doors of rail cars. Fuji Electric’s linear door systems are electronically controlled to achieve a high level of precise control over door movement. The system offers reduced maintenance, higher reliability, and improved safety compared to other conventional driving systems for sliding doors.
(2) APS System:
Order for 364 units (82.4kVA; 750VDC/230VAC, 120VAC; and 37.5VDC)
APS systems convert the electricity supplied by an overhead catenary or third rail*1 into appropriate voltages to feed power to the air conditioning, lighting and other systems in rail cars. Fuji Electric’s power electronics technologies draw on its many years of expertise in the field of power conversion related to inverters and battery chargers.
Production of the Products:
Since the Buy America Act*2 applies to the production of the linear door and APS systems that have been ordered for this project, Fuji Electric Corp. of America will carry out production in cooperation with TOYO DENKI USA, INC., a U.S.-based subsidiary of TOYO ELECTRIC MFG. CO. LTD., with which Fuji Electric has established a business partnership*3 in the field of electrical equipment for railway cars.
Along with this project and other contracts for orders already concluded in the North American market, Fuji Electric is accelerating its efforts to participate in new overseas projects by aggressively seeking orders in projects being planned around the world. The targets include the projects for upgrading urban transit systems and constructing new high-speed railway lines connecting major cities.
Notes:
*1 The third rail is a method of providing electric power to passenger trains through the installation of an additional rail running alongside the train.
*2 The Buy America Act is a provision of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act that requires preference to be given to American companies in mass-transit-related procurements.
*3 For more information, please see the following press release regarding collaboration with Toyo Electric Corporation in the overseas market (in Japanese):
