Argentine High-Speed Railway, Argentina

Passenger rail travel in Argentina is a limited commodity. Privatisation resulted in the removal of many passenger trains in one of South America's leading countries, with only a few long and slow journeys still possible on the existing network.

The principal railway network in Argentina is now undergoing major refurbishment. However, with the existing passenger services also running at infrequent intervals using old rolling stock, new momentum is needed for traffic to grow.

In May 2006, the Argentine Government announced plans to develop the first high-speed line in South America, stretching 310km from Buenos Aires to Rosario, with a further 400km of new line proposed for a 160km/h operation between Rosario and Cordoba.

Progress has been swift from the outset. A deadline of October 2006 was set for potential bidders, and construction works were due to begin within a few weeks.

THE PROJECT

The high-speed line is split into two sections. The first is a 250–300km/h high-speed route between Buenos Aires and Rosario. A second section will be available for slower 160km/h operation with diesel power between Rosario and Cordoba. The aim is to reduce journey times between the three major cities, and rail is seen as the answer.

Three European companies submit bids – Alstom (France), Siemens (Germany) and a consortium of the Spanish companies CAF and Obrascon Huarte Lain. The winning bidder will be responsible for technical studies, engineering design, construction of the railway and sourcing appropriate high-speed rolling stock.

Construction on the Buenos Aires-Rosario section is aimed to commence in March 2007 and trains to be running by 2009, at a total cost of between US$700m and US$1bn.

INFRASTRUCTURE

The Argentine government's invitation to tender was released in May 2006. Following completion, the chosen contractor will provide maintenance for the route for five years and the rolling stock for ten.

Construction is planned to start in March 2007 under the government's wishes to have the 310km route from Buenos Aires-Rosario open for passenger services in 2009. Running at 300km/h (186mph) on a double-track formation, it will represent a major leap forward in railway technology for Argentina.

The high-speed line is likely to be built alongside the existing broad-gauge heavy rail route, but this time will be to the world standard 1,435mm gauge.

In an attempt to reduce construction costs, the second part of the route between Rosario and Cordoba may be built for 160km/h (100mph) operation with diesel-powered trains on single track.

The railway is expected to be based on best practise from Europe, with particular focus on the French TGV and Spanish AVE networks. The successful contractor will provide 50% of the total project cost.

ROLLING STOCK

The successful bidder for the contract to design, build and operate the new high-speed line is also required to provide rolling stock as part of the deal. As with the railway line, the experiences of high-speed operation in France and Spain will be drawn upon for the final train specification.

The initial plan calls for seating for 450 passengers in three classes of accommodation and the use of overhead electric supply.

The trains chosen will be capable of travelling at up to 300km/h, allowing a 90-minute journey time between Buenos Aires and Rosairo. The new trains will be required before 2009 in order undergo testing and approval before the official opening that year.

SIGNALLING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Signalling and communications systems are included in the main contract, although the successful bidder will have the opportunity to sub-contract parts of the high-speed line to other companies, including Argentine contractors.

Safety will be an important part of the line's signalling system, particularly with trains travelling at such high speeds.

THE FUTURE

Initial proposals for operation of the route will see a 90-minute journey between Buenos Aires and Rosario at a two-hourly frequency. Estimates have already been made for 3 million passengers per year on the high-speed line, attracted by competitively-priced tickets specially set between current bus and air fares.

The new routes will serve more than 13 million people in the Buenos Aires, Rosario and Cordoba areas when fully complete. Further plans for high-speed lines exist already, with tentative proposals for a 400km route from Buenos Aires to Mar del Plata on the Atlantic Coast.