Draft:Alstom MOVIA 346

The Alstom MOVIA 346, known as the BM2/BM21 (Bucharest Metro 2nd generation) is a family of metros designed for the Bucharest Metro, with 44 six-car trainsets commissioned initially by ADtranz, later Bombardier Transportation, to replace the vast majority of the old and technologically obsolete Astra IVA fleet.

As of Alstom's acquisition of Bombardier Transportation in 2021, all of the MOVIA Intellectual Property now belongs to Alstom, including the MOVIA 346.

History
In the 1990s, Metrorex (then the Regia de Exploatare a Metroului Bucurestean), had to find ways to modernize its fleet, which consisted strictly of technologically obsolete and maintenance heavy Astra IVA married pairs in order to improve the quality of the service.

Attempts were made by modernizing 21 married pairs using Swiss funds and Secheron equipment in a competition between Electroputere Craiova, FAUR and UMB-REC. None of the 21 married pairs made into revenue service and the project was deemed a failure. Any attempts of modernizing Astra IVA pairs were abandoned as Metrorex shifted the attention towards buying new trainsets.

After obtaining a loan from the European Investment Bank, Metrorex would then launch a tender for 18 new trainsets for service on line M2. The bidders were as follows:


 * ADtranz Sweden AB, proposing an export variant of the SL C20, part of the Vagn 2000 brand;
 * Bombardier Transportation Germany GmbH, in form of the former DWA Ammendorf;
 * Alstom;
 * CAF- Siemens Joint-Venture.

In June 1999, Metrorex awarded ADtranz the contract for the cost of $110 million. This also included the CITYFLO 350 ATC system made by ADtranz Signal Italy, alongside maintenance and personnel preparation costs. The final design would be presented to Metrorex that same year.

Production of the new trainsets began in 2001, two years after the contract was signed, most likely due to ADtranz's restructuring and folding into Bombardier Transportation. As a result, the Bucharest Metro order would use up multiple Bombardier Transportation plants, mainly former DWA and ADtranz plants, and the trains would fall under the Bombardier MOVIA family.

The corrugated stainless steel would be manufactured at the Bombardier's plant in Görlitz, the bogies at Bombardier's plant in Siegen and the MITRAC traction equipment at Bombardier's plant in Västerås, with the prototype's final assembly and testing taking place at the former ADtranz works in Kalmar, where the C20s were manufactured.

The series production would be taken care of by Electroputere Craiova, which was tasked with the assembly and final commissioning of the trainsets.

The first trainset, number 1001-2001 "Dalia" was delivered in Bucharest by road on February 27th, 2002. After making 20.000km during testing, prototype 1001-2001 "Dalia" entered revenue service in December 2002, followed by two other trainsets, assembled by Electroputere Craiova. The order was completed in 2003, with the delivery of the remaining 14 trainsets. In 2005, after the CITYFLO 350 ATC system became fully operational, the MOVIA 346 trainsets displaced all of the Astra IVA fleet on line M2.

In January 2005, Metrorex placed an order with Bombardier Transportation for 20 new six-car trainsets, with an option for an additional six units, which was exercised in January 2007, meant to replace the Astra IVA fleet on lines M1 and M3 alongside offering additional service on line M2.

Bombardier offered an updated version of the existing MOVIA 346 trainsets, which would be known as the BM21 (Bucharest Metro 2nd generation, revision 1). These came with a visual passenger information system in form of LED Matrix displays and additional support poles for passengers to grab onto. Technically they're almost identical except that the BM21 only requires one collector shoe to touch the third rail to supply electricity. The order was also funded by the European Investment Bank.

The first BM21s would be delivered in late 2006, with deliveries continuing till May 2008 with the delivery of unit 1126-2126 "Sofia". These entered service on lines M1 and M2, with service on line M3 later in July 2009.

Later the MOVIA 346 fleet on line M2 would be displaced by the then new CAF Inneo BM3 trainsets starting in 2014, which were ordered for improving service on line M2 as well as displacing the remaining, non-refurbished Astra IVA sets. By 2016 with the last BM3 delivered, common revenue service for the MOVIA 346 sets on line M2 ended, and since then only served rarely, usually in the case of CAF trains being down for maintenance.

In September 2020, with the grand opening of line M5, Metrorex borrowed 13 BM2 sets from lines M1 and M3 to service the new line. This is due to the original contract for line M5 trainsets being cancelled due to corruption allegations between Metrorex and the winner of the tender, Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles. These will continue to service line M5 until the full delivery of 13 six-car Alstom Metropolis BM4 trainsets later in 2024.

Design and features
The MOVIA 346 is the only known export variant of the Vagn 2000 concept by ADtranz. Though throughout the years, Metrorex would keep iterating the Vagn 2000 design for future train orders, such as the CAF Inneo BM3 and Alstom Metropolis BM4 ordered in 2011 and 2020 respectively.

Technical Specifications
The Alstom MOVIA 346 trainsets are made of six permanently connected cars, split into two semi trains in a R1+MP1+M1+M2+MP2+R2 fixed formation, with R meaning Trailer Car (ro. Remorcă), MP being Power Car with Shunting Pantograph (ro. Motor Pantograf) and M being Power Car (Motor). This modular design allows for simpler maintenance and potential expansion if required. The TCMS linking the two semi trains ensures synchronized operation and communication across the entire trainset.

Each trainset is comprised of two trailer cars and four power cars, with the trailer cars placed at the end of the trainset. The placement of power cars in the middle of the trainset offers better weight distribution and lower wear on track components, while the trailer cars are dedicated to driver controls, train borne ATC equipment and the auxiliary components. This provides a clear separation of functionality and simplifies maintenance and troubleshooting.

The trainsets are much more energy efficient than the complete six-car Astra IVA trainsets comprised of three married pairs. The 16 asynchronous traction motors rated at 125kW AC, each mounted on eight bogies, powered by eight MITRAC TC1410 Traction Inverters using the latest IGBT power devices, proved to be 50% more energy efficient than the Astra IVA, while also being more powerful despite that it's only 66% motorized, compared to a full Astra IVA trainset at 100%.

Roster
Much like the SL C20, all MOVIA 346 trainsets would be baptized by Metrorex, with the BM2s named after flowers and the BM21s after European capitals. The roster is as follows:

BM2:
 * 1001-2001 "Dalia" (Dahlia, the prototype assembled by ex-ADtranz Kalmar, Sweden)
 * 1002-2002 "Narcisa" (Narcissus)
 * 1003-2003 "Camelia" (Camellia japonica)
 * 1004-2004 "Zambila" (Dutch hyacinth)
 * 1105-2105 "Violeta" (African violets)
 * 1006-2006 "Margareta" (Ox-eye daisy, coincidentally shared with C20 unit 2004)
 * 1007-2007 "Bujorul" (Peony)
 * 1008-2008 "Crizantema" (Chrysanthemum)
 * 1009-2009 "Crăita" (Marigold)
 * 1010-2010 "Crinul" (Lilium)
 * 1011-2011 "Iasomia" (Jasmine)
 * 1012-2012 "Frezia" (Freesia)
 * 1013-2013 "Irisul" (Iris)
 * 1014-2014 "Nufărul" ([Nuphar]])
 * 1015-2015 "Nalba" (Alcea rosea)
 * 1016-2016 "Magnolia" (Magnolia)
 * 1017-2017 "Liliacul" (Lilacs)
 * 1018-2018 "Gladiola" (Gladiolus)

BM21:
 * 1101-2101 "Europa" (Europe)
 * 1102-2102 "Bucuresti" (Bucharest)
 * 1103-2103 "Stockholm"
 * 1104-2104 "Berlin"
 * 1105-2105 "Londra" (London)
 * 1106-2106 "Paris"
 * 1107-2107 "Roma" (Rome)
 * 1108-2108 "Madrid"
 * 1109-2109 "Luxemburg" (Louxembourg)
 * 1110-2110 "Bruxelles" (Brussels)
 * 1111-2111 "Viena" (Vienna)
 * 1112-2112 "Atena" (Athens)
 * 1113-2113 "Copenhaga"
 * 1114-2114 "Budapesta" (Budapest)
 * 1115-2115 "Praga" (Prague)
 * 1116-2116 "Varsovia" (Warsaw)
 * 1117-2117 "Haga" (The Hague, the governmental capital of The Netherlands)
 * 1118-2118 "Helsinki"
 * 1119-2119 "Lisabona" (Lisbon)
 * 1120-2120 "Bratislava"
 * 1121-2121 "Dublin"
 * 1122-2122 "Nicosia"
 * 1123-2123 "Talin"
 * 1124-2124 "Riga"
 * 1125-2125 "Vilnius"
 * 1126-2126 "Sofia"