Emepa Alerce

The Alerce is an Argentine railcar produced by the Emepa Group in Chascomús, Buenos Aires Province.[1] As of 2015, the units are produced for the General Belgrano Railway's narrow gauge network and are currently used on commuter rail services, though a broad gauge variant is currently in the works. They are designed to be easily converted into Electric Multiple Units, though only diesel variants have been produced to date. The Alerce's namesake is the common name of Fitzroya cupressoides, a coniferous tree native to Argentina and Chile.

Emepa Alerce
An Alerce pictured in 2015
ManufacturerEmepa Group
Built atChascomús
Constructed2015
Entered service2015 (2015)
Number built20
Formation2 cars per trainset
Capacity120 per car
Operator(s)Trenes Argentinos
Line(s) served
Specifications
Doors2 per side
Track gauge1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in),
5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)

Overview

The first prototype of the Alerce began circulating the Belgrano Norte Line on test runs in 2012 from Boulogne Sur Mer to Retiro Belgrano railway station and the National Government then decided to purchase 20 trains from Emepa for use on the line.[2] Each train has a capacity for 240 passengers and feature intelligent doors, air conditioning, security cameras, disabled access and Wi-Fi.[3]

The Alerce's engine is located between the two carriages on its own articulated bogie with an access corridor between the two carriages.[4] The trains use 90% of its parts from Argentine origin, with the remaining 10% being specialised parts imported from abroad, such as the German brakes and Austrian intelligent doors.[5] The trains are also designed to be easily converted into Electric Multiple Units should the lines they run on be electrified.[6]

In June 2015 it was announced that Emepa would produce a broad gauge variant of the Alerce for use on local service on the General Roca Railway.[7]

Usage
An Alerce stopped at Ciudad Universitaria station in the Belgrano neighbourhood (August 2015)

The narrow gauge variant of the Alerce is currently used for differential services on the Belgrano Norte Line commuter rail service in Buenos Aires. The service stops at Retiro Belgrano railway station, the University of Buenos Aires' Ciudad Universitaria campus, Aristóbulo del Valle and Del Viso with prices ranging from AR$ 1.50-17 with a SUBE card and AR$3–34 without a SUBE card. The journey time between Retiro and Del Viso is 65 minutes.[8] Unlike the rest of the line operated by Ferrovías, the service is operated by the state-owned Trenes Argentinos.[9] The service was also going to have a stop at Aeroparque Jorge Newbery airport, however this station was cancelled with the Ministry of the Interior and Transport citing the station causing a possible increase in security concerns at the airport as the reason for its cancellation.[10]

The broad gauge variant of the Alerce will be used on the General Roca Railway between Constitución railway station and Dolores on a rural service which will stop at all stations between the two termini.[11]

In April 2018, Emepa provided the two last Alerce vehicles (from a total of 20) that had been commissioned to be used in the regional services Tren de las Sierras (Córdoba Province) and Salta – Gral. Güemes (Salta Province).[12] In 2020, two coaches else commissioned to Emepa were added to the Salta Service.[13][14]

See also

References
  1. "Randazzo presentó "Alerce", el primer tren 0 km nacional", Diario Popular, 25 Mar 2015
  2. Alerce Sobre Rieles - Universidad Nacional San Martin, 26 March 2015
  3. Nuevo servicio diferencial entre Retiro y Del Viso Archived 2015-07-21 at the Wayback Machine - Trenes Argentinos, 13 July 2015.
  4. "Servicio diferencial en el Belgrano Norte", Rieles, 13 Jul 2015
  5. "Randazzo presentó un nuevo tren de fabricación nacional", Télam, 25 Mar 2015
  6. Servicio diferencial en la Línea Belgrano Norte con coches motores "Alerce" - Cronica Ferroviaria, 26 March 2015.
  7. Inaugurarán el 30 de junio la Ferroautomotora de Chascomús - EnElSubte, 22 June 2015.
  8. "Ferrovías: nuevo servicio", MDV, 13 Jul 2015
  9. Diferencial del Belgrano Norte: será operado por el Estado - EnElSubte, 8 July 2015.
  10. Cancelaron estación Aeroparque por recomendación de ANAC y AUSA - EnElSubte, 10 July 2015
  11. Inaugurarán el 30 de junio la Ferroautomotora de Chascomús - EnElSubte, 22 June 2015.
  12. EMEPA entregó 20 coches con motores “alerces” on Notitrans, 9 Apr 2018
  13. Llega un nuevo coche motor cero kilómetro para el servicio Salta - Güemes on Government of Argentina, 13 Nov 2020
  14. El servicio de tren Salta-Güemes contará con un nuevo coche motor on El Tribuno, 13 Nov 2020
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