The Acciona-Odebrecht construction consortium has chosen Siemens to electrify the Metro Line 1 in Ecuador's capital of Quito, one of the highest metro systems worldwide. Line 1 will provide direct routes from north (El Labrador) and south (Quitumbe) of the city into the downtown area and historical city center. The line is scheduled to begin passenger service in summer 2019.
The city's first metro line will run over 20 kilometers through the capital of Ecuador and operate at an elevation of more than 2,800 meters above sea level. Siemens will be responsible for the complete electrification of the new double-track Metro Line 1 that will connect the northern and southern parts of the city with 15 stations.
The scope of the project includes approximately 46 kilometers of rigid catenary, 6 kilometers of flexible catenary, 11 traction power supply stations, 29 auxiliary power supply stations, and the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system for monitoring and controlling the traction power supply.
The new rail system is expected to transport more than 350,000 passengers a day when completed. The mass transit system is expected to reduce CO2 emissions in the city by up to 30,000 tons a year.