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COSTA RICA |
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Freight Train To Caldera To Cost us$140
Million
A plan to revive the freight train service
between Cartago and Puntarenas comes with a
price tag of us$140 million dollars
according to estimates by the Instituto
Costarricense de Ferrocarriles (Incofer),
following a feasibility study done by the
Spanish consortium, Iberinsa-Ineco.
The study reveals that it would take us$92
million dollars to repair the current
tracks, purchase new equipment including
rail cars and maintenance to the system.
This amount is required to be invested in
the first seven years, with the rest
required over the next 18 years.
The study also recommends that the state
railway enter into a partnership with
private enterprise to finance the service.
The private companies can finance the work,
in return obtain lower tariffs for the
movement of their products by rail.
The train would run the 131 kilometres
between Paraíso de Cartago and the port city
of Caldera in Puntarenas.
The study also touched on the type of train
to be used, suggesting that an electric
train may be suitable, depending on the type
of freight to be hauled. The report says
that a diesel locomotive is much cheaper in
the beginning, but costlier in the long
term.
Freight service from the Caldera port could
benefit many different industries. Grain,
steel and fertilizers are the main import
products through Caldera.
For the freight train to be financially
viable it requires a demand of at least 2
million tons each year.
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