Planned route for Line F (click to enlarge)
Line F of the Buenos Aires metro network (Subte) could become the first fully automated metro line in Argentina.
The project has been approved by law 670 of the state government. It has evolved from the studies and consultation conducted in 2012 by TMB (operator of metro lines in Barcelona including the automated Line 9/10), as a preliminary audit of the overall network, to the contract signed with Systra, the French consultancy company of RATP, a few months ago.
The contract with Systra is for developing a comprehensive assessment of the operation of the network, make recommendations to optimize the existing infrastructure and improve service frequency, and collaborate in the development of specifications for bidding for the future line F. Following the delivery of the latest report, the city authority announced that it is studying to start the works of line F in 2017.
500,000 daily passengers forecasted
The line, designed to join Constitution with Facultad de Derecho, will be about 8.6 km long with 13 stations. It has a planned transport capacity of 500,000 passengers per day (the whole network currently has 1,000.000 passengers per day), making it the city’s busiest line.
The new automated metro line will operate with 15 seven-car driverless trains and CBTC, the same signaling system with which Siemens will provide Line C, whose resignaling must be completed in late 2016. Line F will operate at a frequency of 90 seconds in peak hour and all the stations will be equipped with platform screen doors. Stage one is scheduled for completion in 2017.