Argentina: Battery-Powered Tram-Trains Put into Operation

Battery-powered tram-trains, manufactured by the Chinese company CRRC, have been put into operation in Argentina, this is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Two two-car trainsets are serving tourists by transporting them along a 35-kilometer narrow-gauge railway section between Volcán and Tilcara.

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The service operates at intervals of two to three hours.

The project faced significant delays, with the launch of the trains postponed by eight years due to financial difficulties, calculation errors, and other obstacles.

The first trains were produced in June and shipped to Argentina in September 2023, as part of a contract signed in 2022.

Test runs began in December of the same year. These modern trainsets are equipped with two lithium iron phosphate batteries mounted on the roofs of the cars, providing a range of up to 120 kilometers without recharging.

It takes just 25 minutes to fully recharge the batteries, which is done at two stations along the route.

Although the trains can reach a maximum speed of 70 km/h, the actual average speed is around 50 km/h.

This is because the route is designed for tourists and aims for a comfortable travel experience.

Inside the cars, there are 72 seats, and passengers can enjoy the views through panoramic windows.

It’s also worth noting that each of the two driver’s cabs is located at opposite ends of the trainset, allowing easy direction changes without turning the train around.

This project marks an important step in the development of the region’s tourism infrastructure and serves as an example of the successful integration of modern technologies in the transport industry.

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