The government in Buenos Aires has approved USD 278 million in funding for the purchase of 200 new suburban EMU cars for the Roca Line. The 237km Roca Line suburban network encompasses eight branches.
The Ministry of Transport says the new rolling stock will be manufactured in China by CRRC Qingdao Sifang and will feature air conditioning and automatic braking, among other improvements.
“We are making very important investments in the entire railway system, with new viaducts, electrification, automatic braking for trains, renewal of track and communication and signalling systems. The new rolling stock is one more part of the change we are taking forward in the metropolitan trains”, says minister of transport, Guillermo Dietrich.
The Roca line, which is used by more than 600 thousand passengers every day, will incorporate 200 new electric cars to renew and increase its fleet. In addition to the new rolling stock, the purchase includes spare parts, software and personnel training, plus technological improvements for the entire fleet of the Roca Line.
The new vehicles will extend the existing trains from seven to eight cars, as well as completely replacing 20 trains that are more than 30 years old.
Following the investment, services will operate with 62 eight-car trains with air conditioning, intelligent closing doors, pneumatic suspension, and energy saving features.
On the other hand, an investment of USD 500 million is underway in the La Plata branch with financing from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) that allowed the electrification of the branch and the renewal of stations, as well as the construction of a new deposit for trains in Tolosa, also a new electrical substation, a viaduct and a low level passage, integral replacement of tracks, signaling and communications.
Share on:
