Argentina signs four agreements with China for 3,876 million to reactivate railway lines

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The president of Argentina, Alberto Fernández, has signed four agreements with China this Friday worth 4,695 million dollars (3,876 million euros) for the reactivation of three cargo rail lines and the acquisition of material passenger rail transport vehicle in 13 Argentine provinces. As reported by the presidency in a statement, the works to be carried out will generate more than 28,000 jobs throughout the country and will benefit the provinces of Santa Fe, San Luis, Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Mendoza, Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán, Chaco , Corrientes, Río Negro, La Pampa and Neuquén.

Fernández, who was accompanied by the Minister of Transportation, Mario Meoni, and by the president of Trenes Argentinos Operations, Martín Marinucci, received the representatives of the Chinese companies Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC), China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), CRRC Corporation Limited and Yutong. The meeting was also attended by the Argentine authorities of the Railway Infrastructure Administration, the Railway Operator and Belgrano Cargas y Logística.

The first agreement contemplates the rehabilitation of the Belgrano Cargas railway for an investment of 816 million dollars (673.6 million euros), of which 65% will be used for railway works and 35% for the acquisition of equipment for training and locomotives. The project, according to the Government, will generate 6,202 jobs and will intervene along 911 kilometers in the provinces of Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán, Córdoba, San Luis, Santa Fe, Buenos Aires and Catamarca.

Secondly, the Nortapatagónica train will be set up, whose investment will reach 784 million dollars (647.1 million euros) for the recovery of the existing Galván, Empalme Aguará, Cipolletti and Contralmirante Cordero track.

The works, which are part of the memorandum of understanding reached between the Infrastructure Administration and CMEC, will benefit the provinces of Buenos Aires, La Pampa, Río Negro, Neuqén along 660 kilometers, and will generate 5,420 jobs. On the other hand, the San Martín line of Trenes Argentinos Cargas will be reactivated, with an investment of 2,603 ​​million dollars (2,148.5 million euros), which will be used for equipment, signaling and works, goods and services in two differentiated stages. The project foresees the rehabilitation of railway corridors, and the acquisition of infrastructure to guarantee the correct signaling in each place.

The agreement between the Argentine authorities and the Chinese CRCC will reach 1,813 kilometers in length in the provinces of Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, San Luis, Córdoba and Mendoza. The jobs will generate a total of 16,830 direct jobs. Finally, the agreement between the railway operator and the CRRC company contemplates the acquisition of rolling stock for around 490 million dollars (404 million euros). Within this framework, the Belgrano Sur line will have access to 111 cars, in addition to spare parts, tools, and technical assistance and training; while the Sarmiento line will have five electrical formations made up of 45 cars.

The Tren de la Costa, of the Miter line, will acquire 10 electrical trainings (made up of 20 cars) and spare parts, while the regional and local services will receive 30 self-propelled diesel trainings (90 cars). All lines will access rails and track devices, with technology for railway operations. These improvements will benefit the Metropolitan Area of ​​Buenos Aires.