(17/03/2011)  The two Talgo IV compositions, which will be hauled by 319 series locomotives, also Spanish, will be joined in April by another four Talgo trains, and by two more in June. These are second hand Talgos, which have until recently been running on several Spanish lines.

Although trains are currently formed by nine cars, there will be eleven in the future since it is expected that Renfe Operadora will send two business class cars, by train.

The compositions of the Talgos that will initially run between Buenos Aires and Mar del Plata are formed by four tourist cars, one VIP car, one generator car and a cafeteria car.

Renfe has had to adapt trains in their workshops to the Argentine gauge of 1,676 mm and convert a business car into a VIP car, for which the number of seats were reduced and the train interior improved.

Technical Assistance

Argentina will pay 16.65 million euros for the six locomotives and the Talgo rolling stock hauled. Added to that amount under the contract signed with Argentina will be technical assistance, maintenance and the supply of fleet and rolling stock parts, as well as tools and machine tools.

These Talgo trains operated in Spain up to 180 km/h, but in Argentina, the general conditions of the line and infrastructure will limit the speed to 100 km/h. The 399 kilometres that separate Buenos Aires from Mar del Plata will as a result be covered in four hours.