Santa Fe Urban Train

The Santa Fe Urban Train (in Spanish: "Tren Urbano de Santa Fe") was a 3.7 km (2.3 mi) commuter rail serving the metropolitan area of Santa Fe city in Argentina. It had 8 stops, extending from El Molino to Don Bosco stations,[3] running on the Belgrano Railway Ramal F tracks at a speed of 40 km/h (25 mph).[4]

Santa Fe Urban Train
TecnoTren railbus that served the line
Overview
Service typeCommuter rail
StatusInactive [1]
LocaleSanta Fe
First serviceJanuary 12, 2016 (2016-01-12) [2]
Last service2019 (2019)
Former operator(s)Municipality of Santa Fe
Route
TerminiEl Molino
Don Bosco
Stops6
Distance travelled3.7 km (2.3 mi)
Average journey time15'
Service frequency30'
Line(s) usedBelgrano
On-board services
Class(es)Unique
Technical
Track gauge1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
ElectrificationNo
Operating speed40 km/h (25 mph)
Track owner(s)Government of Argentina

The Tren Urbano complemented other forms of public transportation on the city such as buses and cycling. Rolling stock were railbuses by local manufacturer TecnoTren, also used in the University train of La Plata.

The Tren Urbano was not longer active since 2019.[1] In March 2022, it was announced that the remaining rolling stock would be auctioned.[5][2]

History

The first project of an urban railway had been featured in 2010, with two routes suggested, the first connecting Guadalupe station with the port of Santa Fe and the second joining both stations, Belgrano and Mitre railways. The project also planned an estimated journey time of 30 minutes and a frequency of one service per hour. The train only would run during the day because tracks were used by freight services (currently operated by Trenes Argentinos Cargas y Logística) by night.[6]

Due to the Government of Argentina did not approve the original project, the municipal government had to change it to a shorter path running on tracks not used by freight concessionaires. That was the main condition required by the Nation to allow passenger trains running in the city.[6]

Therefore, the route was set from former Molino Franchino (a former flour mill, currently an exhibition centre named "El Molino Fábrica Cultural")[7][8] in the corner of Pedro Vittori and Boulevard Gálvez, where a bus stop already existed, remodeling it to make connections with train and cycling transport. Initial costs of the works were estimated at A$ 8 million.[9] Departing from Molino Franchino, the train will run to the north, crossing Parque Federal, Puente Negro and finishing in Esquina Encendida[10] (with a new station named "Don Bosco"), on the corner of Zeballos and Zuviría streets.[11]

Works also included the construction of the intermediate stops, segregated cycle facilities along the way, the installation of traffic lights in all the level crossings.[4][12] and the reconditioning of the existing tracks. The total costs of the works increased to over A$25 million.[13]

By July 2015, all the electronic warning devices had been installed in the 22 level crossings of the line.[14]

The service was put into operation on January 11, 2016,[15] but operation was suspended after only three days because of a motor failure. The suspension continued until July 2016, when operation resumed.[16]

Following multiple problems in operations, the two only units of Tren Urbano were put out of service and moved near El Molino station, remaining stopped there for about two years until they suddenly disappeared from that location, without further explanation from the authorities. Some time later, a local journalist revealed that the units had been taken to a warehouse operated by freight train company Belgrano Cargas y Logística.[1] The Municipality alleged that the Tren Urbano could not operate because of the increasing frequencies of Belgrano Cargas service.[17] The Tren Urbano is currently inactive.

In March 2022, the major of Santa Fe announced that the Santa Fe Urban Train rolling stock would be auctioned. According to him, the decision was taken after some studies made to evaluate train's operating conditions, which stated that it was unable to run across the city.[5][2]

References
  1. Breve crónica del tren urbano, una historia que nunca arrancó y con probable destino de epitafio by Gastón Neffen on Aire de Santa Fe, 1 July 2019
  2. La novela del tren urbano llegó a su fin, 3 March 2022 on El Litoral
  3. "Mirá dónde podés tomar el tren urbano", El Litoral, 12 January 2016
  4. "El futuro tren urbano realizará su recorrido en sólo 10 minutos". Agencia Federal de Noticias. 9 January 2015.
  5. Jatón anunció que la Municipalidad va a subastar el tren urbano on UNO Santa Fe, 3 March 2022
  6. "Con una sola oferta, el tren urbano comienza a ponerse en movimiento". El Litoral. 27 October 2014.
  7. Espacios emblemáticos: Molino Franchino at Municipality of Santa Fe (archived, 3 Nov 2013)
  8. "El Molino Fábrica Cultural" (PDF). Government of Santa Fe.
  9. "Tren urbano: se licita la señalética". Rieles. 14 October 2014.
  10. "La Esquina Encendida". Government of Santa Fe.
  11. "Tren Urbano: este lunes comienzan las obras de recuperación de las vías". UNO Santa Fe. 29 November 2014.
  12. "Licitan la construcción de las ocho paradas". Rieles. 9 December 2014.
  13. "Siguen las obras en las vías". Agencia Fe. 19 February 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. (Archive)
  14. "Tren urbano: ultiman detalles del sistema de seguridad vial". El Litoral. 18 July 2015. Archived from the original on 19 July 2016.
  15. "Se puso en marcha el Tren Urbano con 20 viajes diarios", El Litoral, 12 January 2016
  16. "Después de tres meses, volvió a funcionar el tren urbano" [After three months, the urban train has returned to operation]. El Litoral (in Spanish). 19 July 2016. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
  17. Por el aumento de frecuencias del Belgrano Cargas, guardaron el Tren Urbano on El Litoral, 28 June 2019.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Santa Fe Urban Train.
  • Tren Urbano on Santa Fe Ciudad (archived, 30 October 2019)
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