NJ TRANSIT Board Approves Diesel Locomotive Purchase

33 Engines to Replace 28 Older Models

NEWARK, NJ September 21, 2001 -- With service demand increasing each day, NJ TRANSIT’s Board of Directors is taking steps to ensure that the Corporation is using state-of-the-art equipment to transport its more than 110,000 rail customers. Today, the Board awarded a $175.3 million contract with Alstom Transportation Inc. of Hornell, NY to purchase 33 diesel locomotives.

Artist's rendering

The new engines would replace 28 GP40 diesel locomotives currently used on nine of NJ TRANSIT's 12 rail lines. The GP40 locomotives were built between 1966 and 1970 and remanufactured between 1987 and 1991.

"This transportation investment will improve the reliability of rail service throughout the State of New Jersey," said NJ TRANSIT Board Chairman and State Transportation Commissioner James Weinstein. "NJ TRANSIT must have the latest equipment to continue serving today’s customers while planning for tomorrow’s growth."

"These new locomotives will have extra power to pull more rail cars than today’s diesel locomotive fleet," said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director Jeffrey A. Warsh. "This purchase will allow seating capacity on some of our diesel-operated trains to increase by as many as 300 customers. As a result, these 33 engines are as critical to our rail customers as 33 new rail cars."

The new diesel locomotives would be capable of pulling up to ten single-level rail cars and up to eight bi-level cars -- which NJ TRANSIT plans to purchase in the future. The GP40 locomotives are limited to seven single-level cars and four bi-level cars. The new engines will have added power for heating and air conditioning, lighting and other customer amenities. They will also incorporate the latest federal safety standards.

NJ TRANSIT expects to receive a prototype of the new diesel locomotive in spring 2004 with delivery of all 33 expected by the end of 2004. As part of the contract, NJ TRANSIT will have the option of purchasing five additional diesel locomotives to meet additional ridership growth.

NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing bus, rail and light rail services for 384,000 daily commuters on 240 bus routes, two light rail lines and 12 commuter rail lines. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 162 rail stations, 26 light rail stations and more than 17,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.

ALSTOM To Provide Passenger Locomotives To NJ TRANSIT

NEWARK, NJ September 24, 2001 -- The Board of Directors of New Jersey Transit Corp. voted on September 21 to award to ALSTOM a $175M contract for the design and manufacture of a fleet of 33 new 4,000 horsepower diesel-electric passenger locomotives.

The award includes spare parts and an option for an additional five locomotives.

Prima

The design of the locomotives, which will be based on ALSTOM's proven PRIMA(TM) technology, will be carried out by ALSTOM in collaboration with the Electro-Motive Division (EMD) of General Motors. The locomotives will be manufactured in ALSTOM's facility in Hornell, N.Y. and will employ the state-of-the-art ALSTOM IGBT AC Traction drive system operating successfully in locomotives in the US and around the world, and the proven EMD 16 cylinder 710 engine.

Michael Moreau, president of ALSTOM's transport sector, said: ``ALSTOM is very pleased to have this opportunity to continue to serve the needs of New Jersey Transit and Northeast commuters. For this order, we are adapting the proven ALSTOM PRIMA(TM) locomotive to meet current and future US performance, reliability and regulatory requirements. This award is a major accomplishment in the strategy of ALSTOM to provide a full range of products and services to the US passenger rail business.''

ALSTOM is currently providing new Comet V passenger rail coaches for the expanding NJT fleet under a separate contract.

NJ Transit is the third-largest provider of bus, rail and light-rail transit in the U.S., linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.

ALSTOM is the global specialist in energy and transport infrastructure. The Company serves the energy market through its activities in the fields of power generation, power transmission and distribution, power conversion and electrical contracting and the transport market through its activities in rail and marine. Following the sale of its electrical contracting activity, finalised on July 20, 2001, ALSTOM has annual sales in excess of $20 billion and employs 120,000 people in over 70 countries.

The Company is listed on the Paris, London and New York stock exchanges (NYSE:ALS - news). In the US, ALSTOM employs more than 7,000 people and has annual sales exceeding $4 billion