Bombardier trains on Metro tracks

TEN electric trains went into use on the city's No 9 Metro line in Songjiang District this morning, the Xinmin Evening News said today.

The trains, which can be spotted by the blue strip along the side of cars, will run along the first phase of the line, which links the university town in Songjiang with Caohejing Industrial Park in Xuhui District.

The line is expected to be put into use by the end of this year, said the report.

Four of the six carriages, which are all Bombardier A-model trains, have their own engines, said the report.

Engineers have finished tests on eight trains, while the rest will be done by the end of this month.

Tests of signal systems will be finished by early next month; then will come a trial operation in early December.

The first phase of Line 9 stretches 29.14 kilometers from Songjiang District to Guilin Road. Eight of its 12 stations are underground.

The line is expected to shave traveling time from Songjiang to the downtown Xuhui to about 30 minutes.