In the photograph, the Chairman of FCC Centroamérica, Victor Alberola, with the country’s presi-
dent, Ricardo Martinelli.
The Patios and Workshops area, the future
Operations and Maintenance Centre of the
System, occupies an area of approximately
120,000 m
2
. This where the trains which
have arrived in Panama up to now are kept
and 10 more vehicles are expected to arri-
ve in Panama over the next three months to
complete the total fleet of 20 units.
The “Metropolis” type trains are being ma-
nufactured in Spain. Each train is 52 metres
long, 3.85 metres high, and have three wa-
gons with a capacity for accommodating
200 people per wagon, that is, a total of 600
per train.
The trains were built with an engine at each
end and a wagon in the centre, which will
make it possible to travel in any of the two di-
rections. Each wagon has wide doors, level
floors, comfortable seats, an isle between
each wagon, an information display, and na-
tural light to improve the passengers’ safety
and comfort.
Progress so far
Line One of the Panama Metro, which will
benefit about one million people, is now
nearly 92% complete. Work is currently fo-
cused on performing the required tests of all
equipment and systems, such as the cate-
nary suspension (the structure that supplies
energy to the trains), the railway lines (rails
and their components) as well as other com-
ponents and equipment.
Civil works are also underway at all stations,
including painting, the covering of ceilings
and walls, floor polishing, guard rails, and
windows. To date, the Albrook, 5 de Mayo
and Fernandez de Córdoba stations are at
the most advanced stage, followed by the
Via Argentina, Lotería and Santo Tomás train
stations.
Once this has been completed, work will be-
gin on replacing the slabs along Line One of
the Metro, which will be followed by lands-
caping work in the areas near the points of
access.
t h e p l a c e
