Tren Urbano

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Tren Urbano
Locale San Juan
Guaynabo
Bayamón
Transit type Rapid transit
Began operation December 17, 2004
System length 10.7 mi (17.2 km)
No. of lines 1
No. of stations 16
Daily ridership 40,000 (avg. weekday)
Operator(s) Department of Transportation (DTOP), Siemens

The Tren Urbano — or Urban Train in English — is a 10.7 mile (17.2 km) fully automated metro system that serves the metropolitan area of San Juan, Puerto Rico, which includes the municipalities of San Juan, Bayamón, and Guaynabo. It is electrified by third rail at 750 V, d.c. As of 2007, the Tren Urbano consists of 16 stations on one single line.

The Tren Urbano complements other forms of public transportation on the island such as the public bus system, taxis, water ferries and shuttles. The entire mass transportation system has been dubbed the “Alternativa de Transporte Integrado” (Integrated Transportation Alternative) or “ATI”.

The Tren Urbano, Caribbean's first rapid transit system[1], has now has been joined by the new Santo Domingo Metro.

Contents

[edit] History

In the late 19th century while the island was under Spanish rule, regional rail systems started to be built in Puerto Rico. The railroad continued to be in use for the most part of the first half of the 20th century and played a key role in the transportation of people and goods throughout the island. The railroad systems of the period also played a vital role in the sugarcane industry.

ATI Logo on Train.
ATI Logo on Train.

From 1901 to 1946 San Juan had a street tramway network (“Trolley” de San Juan) operated by the Porto Rico Railway, Light and Power Company [2] with more than 32 km (20 miles) of tracks and ran between San Juan and Santurce. During its heyday, it was the most modern electric streetcar system in Puerto Rico, rivaling New York and Toronto and transported nearly 10 million passengers a year. Today there are plans to bring back the tram to the heart of San Juan to complement the Tren Urbano.

During the 1950s, an industrial boom, due in part to development programs such as Operation Bootstrap, led to the downfall of agriculture as the principal industry on the island. During this decade automobiles became more widely available. Newer, and more efficient roads and highways along with the closure of sugarcane mills displaced the need for rail transportation. It was not long that it was realized that an alternative means of mass transportation was needed in addition to the public bus system to alleviate the severe traffic situation that was being created, especially in the San Juan metropolitan area.

[edit] Return of rail transit

In 1967 proposals were made for the construction of a rapid rail transit system to serve the city of San Juan. It was not until 1989 that Puerto Rico’s Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) officially proposed the construction of a new rail system. The train system was dubbed the “Tren Urbano”, Spanish for “Urban Train”. In 1993,

San Juan's Tren Urbano – Phase I Service Route and Stations. Image courtesy of the Government of Puerto Rico.
San Juan's Tren Urbano – Phase I Service Route and Stations. Image courtesy of the Government of Puerto Rico.

the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) selected the Tren Urbano as one of the Turnkey Demonstration Projects under the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991. During 1996 and 1997, seven design-build contracts were awarded for different segments of the Tren Urbano Phase 1 system.

ATI Multi System Map
ATI Multi System Map

A number of companies shared the tasks for building the Tren Urbano including Siemens AG which was granted a concession to design and build the line and its rolling stock, and to operate it for the first five years. The company won a contract which was a “first” for North America in the scope of the work which it involved, and which was awarded in July 1996.

The construction project was plagued by delays, contractual disputes between the government and companies involved in the undertaking, as well as investigations into possible mismanagement of funds. The project cost has been estimated around USD $2.25 billion. The rail system was officially inaugurated on December 17, 2004. After this date, free service was offered on weekends until April, 2005 when weekdays were added to the free service. Popularity grew quickly and by the end of the free period 40,000 people were using the train on a daily basis. By late 2005, ridership had fallen to 24,000, less than one-third of the 80,000 projection (and well below the projection of 110,000 for 2010).[3]

Paid fare service started on June 6, 2005. In 2006, a 7.5% increase in ridership over 2005 has been reported. A customer service center is located in the Martínez Nadal Station. Ironicaly, the Tren Urbano goes mostly through suburban areas. There is no service to Old San Juan, Santurce, or the Airport, which helps to explain low ridership. However, some question the viability of this system given the death of an island-wide system. At present, there is no reliable inter-island public transportation, such as buses with a regular schedule.

[edit] Route

Tren Urbano at Deportivo Station.
Tren Urbano at Deportivo Station.

Tren Urbano is currently made up of one rapid transit route. It contains 16 stations, ten of which are elevated, four at grade or in open cuttings, and two underground. The stations in the system are:

Each of the 16 stations boasts unique artwork and architectural style.

A maintenance depot and operations control center is located halfway along the route, between Martínez Nadal station and Torrimar station.

This section is linked from List of rapid transit systems

[edit] Fares

Tren Urbano farecard
Tren Urbano farecard

A single trip costs $1.50 ($0.75 if you transfer from an AMA bus) including a 2 hour bus transfer period. If you exit the station and wish to get back on the train the full fare must be re-paid; there is no train to train transfer period. Students and Seniors (60-74 years old) pay 75 cents per trip. Senior citizens older than 75 and children under 6 ride for free. Several unlimited passes are also available. A stored-value multi-use farecard may be used for travel on buses as well as on trains. The value on the card is automatically deducted each time it is used. It is a system similar to the Metrocard system used in New York City.

Carolina Tunnel (1 of 2) at Río Piedras underground station.
Carolina Tunnel (1 of 2) at Río Piedras underground station.

[edit] Future plans

At present there are proposals to extend the rail system service to other municipalities such as Carolina, (two tunnels, each 1,282 ft [42 meters] in length south of the Río Piedras Station are already built for this purpose [4]) and extending the Phase I route to the San Juan district of Santurce through another underground segment below the Ponce de León Avenue. Other proposals include extending the rail system to Old San Juan and the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport.

Already approved is a a new “light intercity rail system” from San Juan to Caguas. The new line will include 2 stops in Caguas that will connect the Tren Urbano in San Juan with the Cupey or Centro Médico Station. Work will begin in early 2008 and is expected to end late 2009 or early 2010.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Puerto Rican capital of San Juan will have the first rapid transit system in the Caribbean
  2. ^ Canadian Transit Interests Outside Canada
  3. ^ Tren Urbano PR another way low transit ridership forecast, TOLLROADSNews, November 20, 2005, accessed April 13, 2007.
  4. ^ American Underground-Construction Association

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Currently operating heavy rail rapid transit systems in the United States