CHILE: On January 5 the government granted environmental approval for construction of a 3·2 km double-track tunnel and underground station to be built to serve Santiago’s Central-Alameda complex as part of the Alameda – Melipilla suburban rail scheme.
The 61 route-km Santiago – Melipilla line was closed to passengers in 1987, and its reconstruction is being taken forward under the national ‘Chile on Rails’ investment programme.
The US$250m station project covers the construction of a double-track terminus for Santiago – Melipilla suburban trains plus 3 km of underground 1 676 mm gauge alignment.
The underground station will cover an area of 1 453 m2 and will be 30·5 m below ground. As part of the works, the area Estación Central station is to be redeveloped. The station box will be located beneath the existing Central station and is to be linked by underground walkway to the adjacent Alameda station on Santiago metro Line 1.
EFE also plans to build a surface station called Central 2 on the new alignment; this would be located approximately 3·2 km southwest of Alameda, near Plaza El Triángulo.
