First TA light rail trains roll off production line

Tel Aviv light rail car Photo: PR
Tel Aviv light rail car Photo: PR

The trains will be Chinese company CRRC's first sale to Western markets.

The first train for the Tel Aviv light rail came off the assembly line of Chinese company CRRC in Changchun, China this week. The ceremony was attended by representatives of NTA - Metropolitan Mass Transit System, which is responsible for the light rail project on behalf of the Israeli government. This is the first time in which a light train manufactured completely in China is entering a market of a developed country.

One of the NTA representatives, VP systems and technology Eli Kalifa, said at the ceremony, "According to the very good experience we have had so far, we expect CRRC to participate in our future routes." No tender has been issued yet for the future routes.

The Chinese press reported that the special features ordered for the Israeli train included an improved climate system and windows with protection against explosions and stone throwing. The trains will be painted white to match Tel Aviv's White City. A substantial proportion of the carriages are made of lightweight compound material. CRRC won a 2015 Ministry of Transport tender to supply 90 light railway carriages for the Red Line, plus a 16-year maintenance contract for both the carriages and for infrastructure.

The Tel Aviv light rail Red Line is scheduled to begin operating in October 2021.

Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on April 18, 2019

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2019

Tel Aviv light rail car Photo: PR
Tel Aviv light rail car Photo: PR
Orit Strook  credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post Finance C'ttee approves NIS 300m coalition funds distribution

The money will mainly go to Religious Zionist party minister Orit Strook's Ministry of Settlements and National Missions.

Dangoor Academy  credit: British Embassy in Tel Aviv British Embassy showcases Israeli healthcare startups

The nine startups participated in the Dangoor HealthTech Academy, a program that connects Israeli startups with the UK healthcare system.

NextVision Stabilized Systems  credit: Shlomi Yosef/Tali Bogdanovsky Next Vision shareholders make NIS 230m exit

A British hedge fund has bought a 2.5% stake in the stabilized cameras company.

Energean CEO Mathios Rigas at the Israel Business Conference   credit: Shlomi Yosef Energean's $1b gas fields sale at risk

The sale of the energy company's asset portfolio in Egypt, Italy and Croatia may fall through because of the buyer's difficulties with the Italian regulator.

Kela Technologies founders Jason Manne, Hamutal Meridor, Alon Dror and Omer Bar Ilan  credit:  Yosef Haim Alterman Defense tech co Kela raises $39m

In response to the events of October 7, Kela has developed a platform for rapid integration of commercial technologies into military systems.

Benjamin Netanyahu  credit: ‎Alex Kolomoisky, Yediot Aharonot Firing the Shin Bet chief: The hurdles

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has "lost trust" in Shin Bet head Ronen Bar. Will this be enough to overcome legal challenges to his dismissal?

Emiliano Calemzuk  credit: PR CEO and "investor group" buying out Reshet 13

CEO Emiliano Calemzuk and the other investors will hold 74% of the television channel, while Len Blavatnik’s Access Industries and WBD will remain with 26%.

Inflation  credit: Tali Bogdanovsky Unexpectedly low February CPI reading cuts inflation

While inflation in Israel in the 12 months to the end of February 2025 is lower than forecast, housing prices continue to rise.

Yitzhak Tshuva credit: Gidon Levy and Tali Bogdanovsky Competition Authority allows Delek takeover of Isracard

The Competition Authority is considered the easier of the two regulatory hurdles that the deal must overcome, the other being the Supervisor of Banks.

David Amsalem  credit  Noam Moskowitz, Knesset Spokesperson's Office Rafael to pay state NIS 444m dividend

The minister in charge of the Government Companies Authority, David Amsalem, has approved the payment by the defense company.

Barak MX air defense system  credit: IAI IAI profit jumps 55%

Israel Aerospace Industries posted a net profit of $493 million for 2024, and ended the year with an all-time high orders backlog of $25 billion.

A TSG system in tactical use  credit: PR TSG signs cooperation agreement with US defense co

The agreement includes the integration of TSG's advanced technologies into sensor-based defense systems, which will be integrated into the operational systems of US defense units.

Bria CEO Yair Adato credit: Kseniia Poliak Israeli visual generative AI co Bria raises $40m

Bria’s Visual Generative AI platform empowers businesses to create predictable, controllable, and on-brand content that aligns with their visual language.

Amnon Shashua and Aviram Ziv credit: Eyal Izhar OrCam stymied by investor dispute with Shashua

Demands by institutional investors are blocking the visual and hearing impairment device developer's recovery plan.

Work on the Green Line credit: Bar Lavi Egged wins tender to operate TA light rail Purple, Green Lines

NTA awarded the tender to Egged, which already operates the Red Line, despite government ministry opposition to one operator for the entire network.

Gabi Seroussi illustration: Gil Gibli Board chooses Seroussi as IAI chair as Erdan freezes candidacy

Israel Aerospace Industries board chose Gabi Seroussi as chair even though he did not to go through the preliminary process of the Government Companies Authority appointments review committee.

Twitter Facebook Linkedin RSS Newsletters גלובס Israel Business Conference 2018