LAST MONTH was due to see the completion of track and overhead renewals on São Paulo suburban Line C, as part of a R$450m upgrading which is expected to be finished by the end of this year. CPTM’s 24 km cross-city line links Osasco in the west of the conurbation with the southern suburb of Jurubatuba, and will have 15 stations. The last of six new stations, at Vila Olímpia, was completed earlier this year.

Upgrading work on the line was authorised in 1998 (RG 10.99 p618). As well as the track and 35 km of overhead wiring, the project includes renewal of the signalling, communications, and the control centre at Presidente Altino, which is shared with Line B. Siemens is supplying 10 new EMUs, of which seven have already been delivered.

CPTM President Oliver Hossepian says that when the full service is launched in April 2002, Line C will have a train every 3min, and carry 150000 passengers a day.

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