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Published: March 5th, 2008
A high-speed railway system is finally coming to America. And with America I mean Argentina and not the USA.
The newly elected President, Christina Kirchner, has decided to build a 710 km (440 mile) long high-speed railway system in Argentina for a total cost of $1.35 billion.
The French company Alstom has signed the contract to build the first high-speed railway system in America. Philippe Mellier, President of Alstom Transport, says that “the Buenos Aires-Rosario-Cordoba line constitutes the largest very high speed rail project since the KTX project in Korea. It represents an essential component in the economic development of Argentina.”
The high-speed railway system is planned to link Argentina’s two major cities, Buenos Aires and Cordoba. The journey is estimated to take 3 hours instead of the 14 hours it normally takes today. Eight double deck trains, capable of speeds of up to 320kph, with a capacity of 500 passengers each, will be used.
Image credit: http://www.railway-technology.com
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Thats over 3 million dollars a mile nearly 2 million a kilometer.
I really like trains but at that expense I can sorta see why they aren’t used much.
I hope things go as planned or better {no costs over runs etcetera} and that it pays for itself making it look like a very very wise investment.
What an excellent investment in infrastructure. This is exactly the kind of development forward looking countries should be working on. Thanks for the links too, fascinating reading.
The idea would be nice, if we (i’m argentinian) wouldn’t be an undeveloped country. Isolated high tech solutions are no solutions at all. Here is the point:
1. In the 1990’s Argentina had 36000 km of railways (see picture of railroads at
http://www.proyecto-sur.com.ar/infosur/grafica/imagenes03/mapa1.jpg )
2. Today Argentina it has only 8000 km active, due mainly to the lack of inversion. As a consequence many small villages lack propper connection to main cities for economical exchange (food, supplies, markets).
3. Most of still working rails work as fast as 50 km/h !!! These extremely slow trains transport not 5 hundred passengers (as the TGV), but 2 million every day.
4. In is generally accepted for specialist that at the cost of this single TGV all existing railways (used and those abanoned) can be repaired, and 120 km/h trains would be operable.
The TGV is only business for a few, a big loan for the country (since the oney is provided by a french bank), and creates technological dependence. In summary, is not the great solution it falsely claims to be.
For those who speak (or read) spanish read more @ http://proyecto-sur.com.ar/infosur/Infosur02/02_Una_bala_perdida_Pino_Solanas.html
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