New trains arrive in San Antonio for the Nos and Rancagua-Estación Central services
Two X’Trapolis Modular trains made by Alstom for the Nos service have arrived, alongside a second lot of four trains ordered from CRRC by EFE, which will renew the Rancagua-Estación Central service fleet.
Two new electric trains acquired by EFE Trenes de Chile to bolster the Nos-Estación Central service arrived in San Antonio this week. Four more trains, which will modernize the Rancagua-Estación Central route, are also currently being unloaded.
EFE President Pedro Pablo Errázuriz spoke about their arrival, saying, “today, we’re celebrating twice over, for the arrival in Chile of the second group of trains that will renew the Rancagua service fleet and for the arrival of two of the six trains that will bolster the Nos service. These trains represent a major step forward in terms of modernity and operational capacity, with state-of-the-art equipment. They will be at the service of our passengers very soon.”
“We are continuing to make steady progress with our Chile Sobre Rieles (Chile on Rails) plan, which aims to make trains a fundamental part of our country’s public transport system,” Mr. Errázuriz emphasized.
The Nos service will benefit from two of the six X’Trapolis Modular trains ordered from the Alstom company. These state-of-the-art electric trains will join the 16 others currently in use on the line, which runs through five municipalities between Santiago and San Bernardo.
The units were brought to Chile by the Tombarra vessel, which set sail from Spain’s Santander docks on November 26. The ship transported the four carriages that make up the two trains.
The new trains, licensed in France and put together in Bilbao, Spain, are able to transport more than 500 passengers at a speed of 120 kilometers (74.5 miles) per hour, similar to the 16 that are already in service in Santiago. They also have air-conditioning and noise-reduction systems, and are able to save up to 25% energy while operating.
The Nos-Estación Central route, on which the two new X’Trapolis Modular trains will operate, is part of the public transport network. It has 10 stops over its 20.8-kilometer (13 mile) route and can be traveled in about 20 minutes.
New Rancagua Fleet
Four new trains that will operate on the Rancagua-Estación Central service are also currently being unloaded. They were transported on the Chipol Taihu ship, which left Chinese territory last November with the 12 carriages that will make up these new trains.
The trains complete a total of six new ones – two of which are already being tested in Chile – that will renew the Rancagua-Estación Central service fleet. They were made by CRRC-Sifang in the Chinese city of Qingdao, and have similar characteristics to those already operating on the Biotren service in the Biobío Region.
These modern units are capable of carrying around 800 passengers and circulating at a maximum speed of 140 kilometers (87 miles) per hour. They have anti-crash safety devices and anti-climber systems to protect the passengers and crew.
They also meet universal access standards, and have differentiated seating for senior citizens, passenger information screens, air conditioning, WIFI, security cameras and a driver intercom.
The Rancagua-Estación Central route, on which the six new CRRC-Sifang trains will circulate, is 81.8 kilometers (51 miles) long, has 10 stations and can be traveled in one hour and 10 minutes.
The purchase of this railway equipment joins the commissioning of 15 new trains for southern Chile, alongside six new units for the Rancagua-Estación Central service, two of which are already being tested and four of which will arrive shortly.