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On 23.10.2007, the Moroccan National Railways (Office National des Chemins de Fer, ONCF) and Alstom signed a deal, worth €74 million euro, for the delivery of twenty modern electrics. It made the ONCF launching customer of the Prima II platform. The contract also included maintenance for the first two years of service. Delivery started in the third quarter of 2009, first commercial services are planned for 2010.
The ONCF 1400 series will be used for both passenger (vmax 160 kph) and freight (vmax 120 kph) services. Initially they are built for services under 3000V DC catenary only, but taken ONCF's future plans for new high speed lines into account, the will be prepared for easy modification to run onder 25kV AC catenary too.
   In July 2009, the first ONCF 1400 was spotted outside the Alstom factories in Belfort. It has a silver and orange livery. On 04.08.2009 the first unit left Belfort. E-1401 arrived at Siemens' test center in Wegberg-Wildenrath soon after that, where it got company from many other modern electrics, including the silver painted Prima II-1 prototype. The E-1401 left Wegberg on 25.03.2010, together with Prototype No.1.
On 18.08.2009, E-1402 went to the harbour of Antwerp, to get embarked for its journey over see to Morrocco. All twenty Prima II electrics for the ONCF will go to Marrocco via Antwerp.
On 25.09.2009, unit E-1402 arrived in Casablanca, Morocco.
On 26.11.2009, the E-1403 and E-1404 were spotted in the harbour of Antwerp.
On 27.11.2009, HM King Mohammed VI inaugurated to new railway station of Fez. During that day the king could also inspect the first renovated passenger coaches and unit E-1402 was also present. |
SIEMENS
