CHILEAN State Railways (EFE) has awarded three contracts to provide construction and consultancy services for commuter projects in Santiago. They form part of Chile’s strategy to improve regional connectivity by upgrading lines for commuter services to Melipilla and Batuco on the periphery of the capital.
China Railway International Group has been awarded a contract worth a total of $US 100.63m to electrify both lines. The Melipilla project includes two connection points to the national grid, with a total capacity of 25MVA, six traction substations, and a load distribution centre to manage the system's electrical flow. The Batuco scheme includes two electrical connections from Quilicura, with a capacity of 15MVA, and two traction substations that will directly power the trains.
Separately, French consultancy Systra has been awarded two contracts, the values of which have not been disclosed:
Alameda - Melipilla
Systra will provide detailed track and electrification design for the 61km line connecting Santiago’s Alameda terminus with Melipilla, serving 11 stations and providing an estimated end-to-end journey time of 48 minutes. EFE says the new commuter service will benefit over one million residents in the western metropolitan region.
The contract covers track verification, incorporation of temporary diversions and comprehensive BIM modelling, with a strong emphasis on technical and economic optimisation in coordination with EFE and works contractor Sacyr.
Santiago - Batuco
Systra will provide technical works inspection (ITO) and project management support to supervise compliance with civil works requirements. The Batuco service, catering for an estimated 590,000 inhabitants, will serve eight stations and provide an end-to-end journey time of 24 minutes. Core works will be delivered through a consortium led by Applus Ingelog, with Systra and Consultrans providing rail and logistics consulting expertise, respectively.
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