QCOSTARICA – As was planned, this Monday, December 14, the second batch of 4 new trains purchased by the Costa Rican Institute of Railways (Incofer) left China for Costa Rica.
The information, confirmed by the Incofer, indicates that the trains would arrive at Puerto Caldera (Puntarenas) at the end of next January.
The first shipment of 4 units, made in the first days of November, is about to reach the country, the Caldera Port Society (SPC) confirming their arrival on December 16, on the Guang An Cheng, which left the port of Qingdao, China on November 8.
The Incofer assured that the plan is to put the new units into operation in April 2021.
The initial plan was for the first units to arrive in the country in September, but the impacts caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus resulted in a delay of 2 months.
In total, there are 8 train units. Each of these has a length of 38 meters and a capacity of 372 passengers. Each train will be made up of 2 Diesel Mutiple Units (DMUs) each.
The Chinese company, located in the city of Qingdao, manufactured the trains according to the technical specifications defined by the Incofer in the contracting process. The purchase also includes the equipment for a workshop, maintenance, training, after-sales service and spare parts.
According to images shared by Incofer, the exterior of the equipment is blue, with white and red tones. In addition, in China, some specifications were defined for the interior and the operability of the units:
- There will be 36 seats per car.
- The engines will be 90% less polluting.
- The 8 new trains will have a capacity of 372 passengers per train, that is, more than double the current capacity, with a length of 38 meters.
- They will have air conditioning, preferential seats and space for 2 wheelchairs per unit, a passenger information system that includes information visualization through LED screens and sound warnings, as well as double polycarbonate and glass windows for greater resistance to impacts.
