ALSTOM Receives Elmer A. Sperry Award For Role in Creating France's World-Leading TGV High-Speed Trains.

Business Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 15, 2001

ALSTOM and its long-time customer, the French National Railroad (SNCF), have jointly received the prestigious Elmer A. Sperry Award for their collaborative role in creating one of the greatest engineering marvels in transportation history -- the TGV (Train a Grande Vitesse or High Speed Train) in France.

The award recognizes distinguished engineering contributions which, when implemented in actual service, advance the art of transportation whether by land, sea or air. It was presented to the French National Railroad and to ALSTOM last night at the American Society of Mechanical Engineer's (ASME) 2001 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, being held in New York City Nov. 11 through 16.

"We at ALSTOM are delighted to have received the Sperry Award along with our valued customer, the French National Railroad," said Michel Moreau, President of ALSTOM's Transport Sector. "There is simply no greater honor in the realm of transportation engineering. This award also recognizes the revolutionary nature of the TGV, whose success has inspired other nations, including America, to launch their own high-speed rail systems and thereby provide passengers with a fast, safe and cost-effective alternative to air and automotive travel."

ALSTOM is the world's leading developer of high-speed trains and urban transit systems, including most recently the ACELA Express , America's first high-speed trains. Launched this past December by Amtrak along the Boston-to-Washington corridor, the ACELA Express trains are proving to be a popular alternative to air travel along the congested northeastern U.S. corridor.

Between 1965 and 1981, SNCF and ALSTOM worked in different capacities on the TGV rail system, which ushered in a dynamic new era in passenger rail transportation in France and beyond. The French National Railroad conceived the initial system, while ALSTOM played a leading role in constructing the initial TGV trains as well as the even more advanced subsequent versions.

The TGV trains not only set speed records for transporting passengers, but the network was also able to run profitable trains through France's existing electrified railway system, enabling France to avoid the enormous cost and environmental impact of building new tracks and stations.

The first TGV was placed in service between Paris and southeastern France in September of 1981. It proved to be an enormous business, economic and technical success, reaching 10 million passengers in its first 10 months alone. Later-generation TGV's pushed the envelope even further, increasing revenue speed from 270 km/h (168 mpt) to 300 km/h (186 mph) at the same time increasing passenger comfort.

The Sperry Award is unique, in that it is the only transportation engineering honor selected jointly by six professional engineering societies. In addition to the ASME, they include the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; the Society of Automotive Engineers; the Society of Naval Architechts and Marine Engineers; the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics; and the American Society of Civil Engineers.

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, and power conversion 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).

In the US, ALSTOM's operations in the energy and transport fields employ more than 7000 people with annual sales exceeding $4 billion.

With more than 35 product lines and a presence in over 60 countries, ALSTOM Transport offers leading-edge products and services to four distinct types of customers: urban transit authorities and operators; intercity passenger rail operators and rolling stock owners; rail freight operators; and mainline railway infrastructure owners.