Brazil's MRS LogÃstica has released a 35km-long section of the Pombal–GuaÃba branch with four stations equipped with SIACO communications-based train control (CBTC) for complete operation.
The 35km-long line is the pilot section for a five-phase programme to install CBTC across the entire MRS network.
The current section is a part of contract awarded to a consortium consisting of Alstom, EADS and Accenture-Atan in 2006 to equip a roughly 200km-long line linking Rio de Janeiro, GuaÃba and Barra Mansa with CBTC operation by mid-2009.
The rest of the 1,674km-long line will be equipped with CBTC by the end of 2010.
