CAF has filed a claim with insurers after a new driverless metro train for Santiago worth $US 7.3m was written off in a shipping accident during delivery from Spain.
THE first two of 37 five-car trains being supplied by CAF for the expansion of the Santiago metro network was unloaded at the Chilean port of Valparaíso on April 6 following its long sea voyage from Bilbao.
Chilean State Railways' latest three-year development plan continues the country's ambitious investments in infrastructure to boost suburban passenger services. Ian Thomson-Newman reports from Santiago on how the railway is aiming to achieve its growth target.
CHILEAN commuter rail operator Valparaíso Regional Metro (Merval) officially launched its new fleet of Alstom X'Trapolis Modular EMUs on December 1, when the first trains entered passenger service on the 43km Valparaíso - Limache line.
CAF has presented the first of 185 metro cars for Santiago to Chilean minister for transport and telecommunications Mr Andrés Gómes-Lobo and Santiago Metro president Mr Rodrigo Azócar at its Bessain plant in northern Spain.
CHILEAN State Railways (EFE) has received a new self-propelled measurement vehicle from Mermec, Italy, which will monitor the condition of the railway network and help its engineers to optimise maintenance and renewal work.
TORRENTIAL rains in the Andean foothills in Chile´s Atacama region might put an end to rail transport on the 155km line from the copper smelter at Potrerillos, 2880m above sea level, down to the wharf on the coast at Barquito.
REHABILITATION is underway of the 62km line linking Tacna in southern Perú, with Arica in northern Chile, and the passenger service should be restored in July with two round trips per day using a refurbished railbus.
Last month President Michelle Bachelet of Chile announced ambitious plans to develop public transport in the country's main cities, with a focus on Santiago. Ian Thomson Newman outlines the objectives of the plan.
THE Chilean government has announced a $US 4.2bn urban public transport investment plan, of which some 45% is slated to be financed by concessionaires.
