Government studies the creation of 16 regional train tracks

Regarding the bullet train project, state governments throughout Brazil study the deployment of additional 16 medium-speed transportation tracks for passenger trains – the so-called regional trains. The vehicles run at speeds up to 250 km/h (maximum) and travel on paths ranging from 100 to 400 kilometers, in average. Today, the country has 28,000 km of railroads – most of them poorly used for freight transportation.

Besides that, only two passenger transportation tracks are operating: Vitória (ES) to Belo Horizonte (MG); and São Luís (MA) to Paraopebas (PA). They transport few passengers, are slow (average speed between MG and ES is 50 km/h) and incur losses. According to Afonso Carneiro Filho, responsible for the studies at the Ministry of Transports, seven foreign companies, all of them potential competitors for the bullet train project, shall go to Brasília next week to present technologies that may be adapted for using these tracks.

The idea is using the existing rails and making minor repairs to start the operation of new trains carrying passengers. Most of these trains provide technology for running at speeds above 200 km/h even on old rails. The operation of the tracks would be granted, or companies would be created in partnership with state and local governments for the operation.

To this date, there are no cost estimations, as each section will have its own project. One obstacle for such implementation is the fact that the main tracks are currently being used for freight transportation and the concessionaires may impose restrictions for train utilization by passengers.

São Paulo

Part of the projects addresses new train tracks, such as in São Paulo. According to STM (Secretariat of Metropolitan Transports), the purpose is providing four connections between the capital (São Paulo) and the cities of Campinas, São José dos Campos, Sorocaba and Santos.

In case the bullet train project succeeds, Campinas and São José dos Campos would be serviced by a railroad connection. And the state government will start immediately the investments for the tracks to Sorocaba and Santos, with expected start of the works in two years.

This month, the state government shall complete the feasibility studies for two projects: Caxias do Sul to Bento Gonçalves (RS) and Londrina to Maringá (PR). The project in RS is aimed at using a rail section that is currently used only by one touristic train to provide a passenger transportation connection between the two most important cities in the Serra Gaúcha region. Folha obtained the information that there is a great interest from large international manufacturers to sell this type of trains in the country. The Spanish company Talgo, which is attending the bidding process for the bullet train, but does not have partners yet, is interested in selling its regional trains.

In Brazil, bus transportation is the only option in this market. In the interstate and intercity bus lines, the estimation of the industry is that more than 1.6 billion passengers are transported by buses every year, most of them in very short intercity travels, such as São Paulo to Guarulhos, which would not be serviced by regional trains.