Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
Camagüey, Mar 13th. - The railway sector is progressing in the repair work of four bridges in poor condition on the well-known northern line, with the aim of reestablishing traffic on that route, where passage between Santa Clara is already permitted, in Villa Clara, and Florencia, in Ciego de Ávila, after the discharge of two of the above mentioned structures.
Upon confirmation to the Cuban News Agency, Adalberto Giral Rodríguez, director of the Empresa de Ferrocarriles Centro-Este, based in this city, explained that the bridges are located at kilometers (km) 117 and 122, respectively, and as part of the executions a total of 115 crossbeams were placed.
There would be only one remaining in the first phase, the 111,900 km, whose actions are continuing at a good pace; of 215 sleepers have been installed so far, and the rest are secured, so that the tasks will be completed on time, according to the timetable, said the manager.
There is a guarantee of all the hardwood sleepers that will be required for the works, which are provided progressively by the Ciego de Ávila Forestry Company, he said.
This railway is of great importance for the transport of passengers and freight between the provinces of Villa Clara, Sancti Spíritus, Ciego de Ávila and Camagüey, and has been affected for more than two and a half years due to the deterioration of several sections.
The transport sector has designed the rehabilitation work in two phases, the first to be completed on 31 January of this month (it started in January), and the second in July, when they expect the train movement to resume in full, between Santa Clara and Nuevitas, reported Giral Rodríguez.
These tasks are carried out by workers from the Base Business Units (UEB) of Roads and Bridges in the different territories, and in the case of the section that includes Florence to Esmeralda, Camagüey, the aforementioned company based in Morón, while those required from Esmeralda to Nuevitas will be executed by the entity of Agramonte's province.
The conditions of the interval Santa Clara-Esmeralda also enable the movement of trains, clarified, not so in that it leads to Nuevitas, because the bridge known as Máximo (by the river of the same name which is in the area), located in the km 287.37, is the fourth in poor condition, and repairs will be carried out during the second quarter designed (April-May-June).
This part has been worked on, the director said, the four cast iron piles were bent, 307 wooden sleepers were placed, and the piles would need to be cut to level, as well as being laid down and the welding operations planned in the second quarter of the plan, after completion of the first stage, since the above mentioned tasks require two high-lift cranes, which have not finished their service in those places.
Specialists in the field indicate that the stretch from Esmeralda to Nuevitas has 601 sleepers in total, and of the 294 still to be laid, 286 are the most deteriorated.
The repair of the sections with greater involvement of the northern line will allow not only to resume the trips of the much-demanded train Santa Clara-Nuevitas, but also other local itineraries that satisfy transport demands in a considerable number of villages and rural communities of the different provinces included.
In order to provide greater comfort to the cars that will form the said passenger, the Railway Company Central-East prepares the preparation of these wagons, through an agreement with a self-employment entity.
At the same time, at UEB Morón, a machine is being set up to ensure that sufficient equipment of this type will be available to restore service on the Santa Clara-Nuevitas train. (Source: ACN) (Photos: Escambray)
