Transportation and Telecommunications Ministry and EFE announce the tender award for 6 new trains for the Chillán-Alameda service

The state-owned railway company EFE has made significant progress towards renewing the Chillán-Alameda service. It has awarded to the Chinese consortium CRRC Sifang the contract to build six new trains that will form part of the extensive overhaul of this railway section. The route connects the Metropolitan and Ñuble regions and will become operative in 2023.

The announcement was made by Transportation Minister Gloria Hutt and EFE President Pedro Pablo Errázuriz, who travelled with regional officials between Santiago and Chillán to announce the details of the procurement process for the modern equipment.

The tender process for the new trains entails US$70 million in investment and includes the manufacture of the trains, maintenance of the locomotives and the complete outfitting of the maintenance workshop.

Minister Hutt said, “with these six new trains we will be able to considerably improve the service standard. The trains will have easy access at floor level, with no stairs to climb onboard and with spaces for people in wheelchairs. They will also be equipped with cafeterias, reclining seats, Wi-Fi, onboard entertainment systems and information screens that will improve passenger comfort. The project includes significant improvements to rail infrastructure, the automation of level crossings, bridges and the modernization of stations.”

EFE Group President Pedro Pablo Errázuriz said that the awarded contract “fulfilled a presidential commitment to strengthening interregional transportation, especially in the country’s central regions, where mobility between cities such as Chillán, Talca, Rancagua and Santiago has become increasingly necessary. With this project we will achieve significant savings in journey time, with express services of 2 hours and 22 minutes to Talca and 3 hours and 40 minutes to Chillán.”

Mr. Errázuriz emphasized, “the new trains are designed to increase the service availability on this section, providing new users with world-class service, of the highest quality and safety standard, along with refurbished stations, greater onboard comfort and a first rate infrastructure.”

Some of the most important features of the new trains include safety devices for the protection of passengers and crew, as well as protective elements, such as double-glazed windows, made of glass and polycarbonate, that provide greater resistance and thermal and acoustic insulation. 

A number of other elements will also improve the travel experience. These include onboard entertainment systems, online information of the status of each trip and equipment that will provide more space between seats as well as larger luggage areas.

The trains will be designed to be 100 per cent inclusive, with spaces for people with reduced mobility, floor level entry access, better information and more services for the users.

One important feature of the new trains is that they are bimodal, that is, they can automatically change their power supply from electricity to diesel in case of flaws or breakdowns, making them more reliable.

The tender process also includes the purchase of an instruction simulator for coaching and virtual training train operators and supervisors, a railway tractor to move trains to workshops and various spare parts.

With the conclusion of the tender award process, the manufacture of the equipment is expected to begin over the next few months at the Qingdao plant in China. The trains will be shipped to Chile in 2022 and are scheduled to enter into operation in 2023.

At present, CRRC-Sifang is completing the manufacture of 12 trains that will renew the fleet in the Biobío and La Araucanía regions. The first batch of finished equipment is set to be shipped from the port of Qingdao to Chile.

The acquisition of these new trains, along with the renewal of Metrotren Rancagua railcars (6 new trains) and the purchase of 3 new narrow-gauge railcars for the Talca-Constitución service, will provide EFE with an entirely renewed fleet.