Central & South America
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NewsANTT updates new project rules
BRAZIL: National Land Transport Agency ANTT has published updated draft regulations for applications seeking approval to establish and operate new railway projects, including marshalling yards and ancillary facilities. Announced at the start of September, Resolution 5987 follows the promulgation and coming into force of the 2021 ...
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Metro Report International
Cochabamba’s Mi Tren light rail services launched
BOLIVIA: President Luis Arce inaugurated two Mi Tren light rail routes in the city of Cochabamba on September 13. The Red Line runs 5·3 km from Estación Central southeast along Avenida Petrolera to UMSS Facultad de Agronomía, with four intermediate stops. The initial 14·9 km section ...
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Metro Report International
Buenos Aires metro train overhaul
ARGENTINA: Buenos Aires metro operator EMOVA has awarded Alstom a contract to overhaul five five-car trains over 19 months.
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In depth
Brazil: making more use of urban railways
Better utilisation of under-used main line railways is seen as key to developing cost-effective urban and suburban rail networks that can relieve road congestion in Brazil’s fast-growing cities. Benjámin Zelki investigates.
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News
Vale orders passenger stock from China as EFVM service restarts
BRAZIL: Mining group Vale reinstated regular passenger services on the 1 000 mm gauge Estrado de Ferro Vitória a Minas between Cariacica near Vitória and the steel city of Belo Horizonte. The start of services on July 25 follows completion of repairs and maintenance work on ...
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Metro Report International
São Paulo metro Line 6 financing secured
BRAZIL: São Paulo metro Line 6 PPP consortium Concessionária Linha Universidade has closed a R$6·9bn financing deal with development bank BNDES. The consortium of Acciona (47%), Societe Generale (39·7%), Stoa (12·3%) and Transdev (1%) said the R$18bn public-private infrastructure project to build the 15·3 km line ...
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News
MRS Logística to invest R$11bn under early concession renewal deal
BRAZIL: MRS Logística has signed an agreement to extend its concession to operate freight services on its 1 643 km broad and mixed gauge network in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and São Paulo. The company’s concession will run for 30 years beyond ...
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Metro Report International
Rio de Janeiro tramway extension contract
BRAZIL: Alstom has been awarded a contract to build a 700 m extension of Rio de Janeiro’s VLT Carioca tramway to the Terminal Gentileza bus interchange, which is under construction in the port area as part of a bus rapid transit scheme. The double-track extension will ...
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Metro Report International
Bogotá metro train mock-up unveiled
COLOMBIA: CRRC Changchun has unveiled a mock-up of the 30 driverless trainsets it is to supply for Bogotá metro Line 1. The six-car trainsets will be 145 m long and 2 900 mm wide and will be able to carry up to 1 800 passengers. ...
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News
Taking pantograph monitoring to the Americas
INTERNATIONAL: Ricardo and PantoInspect have formed a strategic alliance to supply PanMon pantograph monitoring technology in the Americas, building on its use in Europe, Australia and Africa. PanMon uses high-definition cameras and lasers above or adjacent to the track to scan passing pantographs at 3 000 ...
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News
Gas locomotive collaboration agreement
ARGENTINA: Ferrocarriles Argentinos Sociedad del Estado and OptiFuel Systems are to plan the repowering of 400 diesel locomotives to run on 100% compressed natural gas and/or renewable natural gas, with the aim of meeting decarbonisation goals. US low-emissions technology company OptiFuel is developing modular kits for ...
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Metro Report International
Central bank to roll out national contactless transport payment system
COSTA RICA: The SINPE-TP national electronic payment system for public transport is being rolled out on trains and buses by central bank BCCR, which estimates that contactless payments for public transport could reduce cash payments nationwide by 25%. Announcing a contract to provide BCCR with a ...
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News
MRS Logística to invest R$10bn after early concession renewal
BRAZIL: The Federal Audit Court has approved the early renewal of MRS Logística’s concession to operate freight services on its 1 643 km broad and mixed gauge network serving the states of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and São Paulo. This paves the way for MRS ...
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News
Peru’s ‘Señor Tren’ joins Railroad Development Corp
INTERNATIONAL: Railway investment and management company Railroad Development Corp has appointed Dr Juan de Dios Olaechea as Managing Director, International Business Development, with initial target markets of Latin America and worldwide mining-related opportunities.
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Metro Report International
Panamá metro contracts awarded
PANAMA: Metro de Panamá has awarded the TCP Rail joint venture of TSO and CIM two contracts for extension works and infrastructure maintenance. A US$13·9m contract covers the design, supply and installation of track and rigid catenary for a 2·2 km elevated extension of Line 1 ...
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Metro Report International
Tram network planned in northern Rio
BRAZIL: The Rio de Janeiro state government is to call tenders this year for the construction of a 23 km tram network serving the city’s northern suburbs including Nova Iguaçu, Belford Roxo and Pavuna. There would be interchanges with Metro Line 2 and Supervia suburban railway ...
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News
IDB Invest structures Ferrocarril Central financing package
URUGUAY: Inter-American Development Bank Group’s private sector arm IDB Invest has structured a US$250m financing package for the Ferrocarril Central PPP project to rehabilitate the 273 km north-south main line between Montevideo and Paso de los Toros. The fixed rate B-bond is the largest B-bond structured ...
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Metro Report International
São Paulo train door order
BRAZIL: Wabtec has announced its largest South American train door order, covering the supply of 2 304 doors for 36 eight-car Series 8900 Metropolis trains which Alstom is building for São Paulo suburban lines 8 (Diamante) and 9 (Esmeralda). The EMUs were ordered in July 2021 ...
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Metro Report International
San Diego LRVs find new home in Argentina
ARGENTINA: Mendoza’s Metrotranvía has taken delivery of the first three of up to 39 Siemens SD100 light rail vehicles which have been donated to the city by the US city of San Diego’s operator MTS. The LRVs forming MTS’s second generation fleet have been in service since ...
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News
Battery trains ordered for tourist services in Argentina
ARGENTINA: Governor of Jujuy province Gerardo Morales has signed a contract for CRRC Tangshan to supply battery-powered ‘new-energy light rail’ trainsets for use on a tourist service between Volcán and Tilcara. The two-car articulated trains will have lithium batteries charged using solar power, a maximum speed ...
