a 4.5 billion bridge over the Panama Canal

Panama-David.

That is the name of the most important railway project in the Central American country. A 450 kilometer long route that aims to connect the country by train, crossing its width at speeds of up to 180 km/h. A route that also includes routes for the transfer of goods and that has a critical step over the most famous canal in the country. And to verify that everything is going correctly, Panama has trusted Renfe.

Panama-David. It is “the flagship project” of the Panamanian Government. So, in fact, It is how the state website itself defines to the Panama-David railway line. The project aims to connect the entire country by crossing its width with a high-speed train line that can travel at 180 km/h.

This railway line, which will employ more than 50,000 Panamanians, according to official information, will have 14 stations and the capacity to transport goods on rails at a maximum of 100 km/h. The plans included starting the works this year and, for this, Renfe will be key.

The approval. And Renfe will be in charge of approving the technical reports that have already been developed by AECOM (Architecture, Engineering, Construction, Operations and Management), the American company to which Panama commissioned the evaluation of the project in 2024.

Now Renfe will have to certify that the project, according to the bases designed by this company, are viable. The feasibility of the planned train stations and workshops will be studied, among other aspects, but it is a bridge that is really worrying. A bridge that will cross the Panama Canal.

The Bridge. At one end of the line, the fifth bridge over the Panama Canal has been planned. This bridge will be in charge of carrying the line to the border with Costa Rica, where the project ends. It is estimated that building this new step would cost about 4.5 billion dollars.

From the little that is known, it has been published that the bridge would be parallel to the Centennial Bridgethe second to be built in this enclave and which was designed to relieve traffic from the Bridge of the Americas, the first to be built over the Canal.

Why Renfe? They explain in the local newspaper The Press that the Panamanian Government has chosen Renfe because of the prestige that the company has when evaluating technical railway projects. The assignment falls on Renfe International Projectsthe division of the company that is responsible for offering service or advice outside our borders.

In Panama they highlight that Renfe will be key to understanding if the preliminary report is viable and if the bridge can be built as planned. The company will also analyze future expansion possibilities and technical concepts such as work to be carried out underwater or evacuation routes.

All of this will allow, according to the National Railway Society (SNF) of Panama, “to reduce technical and operational risks, and strengthen informed decision-making to guarantee the viability, efficiency and sustainability of the railway project.”

another assignment. As we said, Renfe International Projects is the company in charge of carrying out railway work outside our borders. Last year it had a turnover of 20 million euros (the Panamanian project will bring in more than 300,000 dollars, according to local media) and its star project is the AVE to Mecca.

In addition, the company is also interested in operating on the French high speed and look for your place in Italy but it is also present in Latvia, Estonia and the Czech Republic.

Photo | André Marques and Paulo3082

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