Alstom

Alstom has lowered its forecast again due to problems with Coradia Max commuter trains, causing the stock to lose around a quarter of its value in the first minutes of trading on the Paris exchange. The group now expects an operating margin of about 1 percent and an outflow of €1.5 billion in cash, instead of the previously expected inflow. According to preliminary figures, Alstom reported a loss for the first half; the margin was minus 4 percent. CEO Martin Sion announced cost savings and debt reduction with the aim of achieving more stable results from next year. » More on faz.net

Alstom has again lowered its full-year targets due to delays in certification and delivery of the Coradia Max regional trains. Production guidance is reduced to around 4,000 carriages, adjusted operating margin for the year to about 1% (previously 6.5%), and free cash flow is now expected to be an outflow of €1.5 billion. In the first half, project issues caused a cash outflow of €1.25 billion and an adjusted EBIT margin of around minus 4%. The stock fell on the Paris exchange by up to 30% at times and has lost roughly half its value since the start of the year. » More on n-tv.de

Virgin revealed a mock-up of its cross-Channel train, saying interiors and onboard services will draw on its airline, cruise and hotel brands. The group has ordered 12 trains from Alstom and aims to launch London-to-continent services in 2030, positioning itself as the first competitor to Eurostar in the Channel tunnel market. Track access in the UK is secured until at least 2040 and Virgin will maintain the fleet at Temple Mills depot, with plans to integrate rail services with Virgin Atlantic routes. The move faces competition from other entrants such as Trenitalia, which is also expanding cross-Channel high-speed services. » More on theguardian.com

The delivery of the 34 new double-deck regional trains for the Expresskreuz Bremen–Lower Saxony has been delayed for the seventh time; deliveries are now due to begin in 2028. Alstom cites material shortages and unforeseen challenges in the production and approval process as reasons. DB Regio has been tasked with preparing a replacement plan, and LNVG says it will aim to avoid timetable cancellations despite the delays. » More on finanzen.net

Alstom converted an S‑Bahn of class 423 for Remote Train Operation (RTO) and in demo runs between Hennigsdorf and Berlin showed how a driver can operate trains remotely from a control console. The solution currently uses public 5G networks, is designed for depot speeds up to 30 km/h and is expected to make personnel organization about 25% more efficient. Technical limitations remain (safety driver on board, limited bandwidth for video transmission) and the FRMCS/GSM‑R successor is not yet standardized. » More on heise.de