PANAMA: The first three metro cars to augment the Panamá City metro Line 1 fleet arrived in the city on April 26 from Alstom’s Santa Perpetua plant in Spain.
Alstom is supplying 70 Metropolis cars under a contract awarded in 2015. Five six-car trainsets will augment the current fleet, with the remaining 40 cars being used to lengthen the existing sets from three cars to five.
Alstom’s €130m share of the €145m contract awarded to an Alstom-led consortium including Thales, Sofratesa, CIM and TSO also includes the supply of onboard and lineside Urbalis 400 CBTC signalling equipment, power supply upgrades and depot enlargement.
Thales and Sofratesa are supplying telecoms and auxiliary systems, including Automatic Train Stop, while TSO and CIM is supplying depot equipment including additional track and catenary.
Inaugurated in April 2014, the 16 km Line 1 has exceeded initial ridership forecasts, and is now carrying 275 000 passengers per day.
