Central & South America rail industry news
Latest rail industry news from the Central and South America, including operations, infrastructure, rolling stock and policy.
Extension of Tren Maya to Belize and Guatemala proposed as rail freight investment ramps up
MEXICO: President Claudia Sheinbaum has set out plans to extend Mexico’s 1 477 km Tren Maya network to Belize and Guatemala, adding approximately 300 km of new lines.
Incoming Uruguayan government commits to Montevideo light rail
URUGUAY: The national government elected in the autumn is to ‘carry to an end’ Montevideo’s proposed tram-train project by the end of its term.
Uruguay: A railway at a standstill
While freight trains are now running over Uruguay’s renovated Ferrocarril Central main line, the rest of the network has almost no traffic, undermining promises of investment made in recent years. Marcelo Benoit reports.
Colombia: Bogotá finally chooses rail
In the 2000s the capital of Colombia was famous for its TransMilenio bus rapid transit network, but as that became overcrowded, authorities made a decision to develop metro and tram-train routes, reports Marcelo Benoit.
Brazil: Salvador turns to the tram
Having dismantled a suburban railway and aborted a monorail scheme, the Brazilian city of Salvador is now developing a tram network using second-hand trams and track assets from Cuiabá. Ana Cláudia Nascimento, CEO of state transport operator CTB, explains the plans to Benjámin Zelki.
Chilean freight operator orders Wabtec locos
CHILE: Rail logistics company Transap has ordered four Wabtec C30ACi diesel locomotives as part of its fleet renewal plans.
Campina Grande light rail plan agreed
Government accelerates environmental licensing of major projects
Brazilian government to assess flood-hit Malha Sul network
FIOL-FICO integration proposed
Teresina suburban rail renewal makes progress
Trains ordered to increase Medellín metro capacity
Santiago orders driverless metro trains
Transnordestina funding deal agreed
Autonomous track geometry measurement supports iron ore railway
First phase of Brazil’s FICO railway nearly one-third complete
Ministry backs EF118 rail scheme in Rio state
Lima to launch commuter rail service with withdrawn Caltrain fleet
Agreement to complete Rio de Janeiro’s unfinished Gávea metro interchange
Alstom to equip Chilean network with low-cost ATP and traffic management tool
Belo Horizonte metro Line 2 construction starts
Ferrocarril Central financing secured
Production of Chilean DMUs underway in Brazil
55 companies represented in Brazilian pavilion at InnoTrans