Metro de Medellín has decided to modernise its fleet of 42 first-generation trains. Manufactured by MAN and Siemens AG, they are close to the end of their 30-year service life. In 2016, Ineco carried out a viability study of the project, and is now in charge of supervising the work, which will involve complete internal and external refurbishment of the trains at half the cost of buying new rolling stock, according to Metro de Medellín.

The modernisation includes replacing the powertrain with a state-of-the-art DC/AC system, changing the existing auxiliary power supply and air production systems for new equipment with greater energy efficiency, installing air conditioning units in the cabin and updating the trains to a more modern and contemporary design (interior and exterior), as well as other improvements that will provide these trains with an additional 20 years of service life. In mid-2018, Metro de Medellín also took delivery of 38 new trains manufactured by the Spanish company CAF, all supervised by Ineco.

We begin by marking an historic anniversary: 50 years since the founding of Ineco (1968-2018), half a century during which we are proud to have had the opportunity to contribute to the structuring of the country through our involvement in the design and construction of major road and rail routes, port and airport development, urban transport and intermodal transport in Spain as a whole. It has unquestionably been a decisive period for the history of Spain and its infrastructure, and also for our growth and consolidation as a high-performance, flexible and technologically advanced public works engineering firm, which enables us to act as a trusted consultant in the eyes of our shareholders and as a valuable partner in the foreign market.

In addition to this celebration, I would also like to add the positive close to the year, promising portfolio prospects and our eager anticipation to support two of the Ministry of Public Works’ major projects this year, namely the Innovation Plan and the Internationalisation Plan, programmes that will begin in February and will certainly provide a great boost to our technological and innovative capacity and open up new opportunities for collaboration with Spanish partners in order to continue with our expansion abroad. Both initiatives have enabled us to join forces and work together with other companies and institutions in the Public Works Group, and they will also soon be joined by the Sustainability Plan.

The 50 years since the founding of Ineco have unquestionably been a decisive period for the history of Spain and its infrastructure

As unity makes strength, this issue also celebrates the connection of the high-speed lines in the north of Spain with those in the south and east, our work with Acciona to improve Costa Rica’s infrastructure and the joint effort of all of Europe to give a final push for the implementation of BIM.

We thank Tomás Elejalde, general manager of Metro de Medellín, for giving us a full interview. And lastly, I would like to mention the exemplary efforts of our technical staff to make the advancement of high-speed rail a reality, as our readers will be able to see in the reports on the Central High-Speed Line in Madrid, the extension of the Basque Y in Guipúzcoa and the traffic control works on the line between Makkah and Madinah, a project that has successfully passed the first test of the entire 450 kilometres.

What is the key to successfully managing the operations of a complex network that includes metro trains, buses and now also trams, in addition to Metrocable?   

The most important aspect is having a team that is flexible enough to understand that they are part of a multimodal network, while at the same time, having the specific technical training required to address the specific aspects of each mode of transport. This refers to operations and maintenance because customer service is completely integrated. The goal is for users to experience a sense of continuity in their journeys regardless of the transfers they make; this is why all of the staff who come into contact with users have the same training and work under the same service parameters.

Coordinated operation is possible because we have a main control centre that provides us with a complete overview of the operations of the different lines. Because it is an interconnected system, what happens on one of them can have repercussions on others. The operation of all of the lines is controlled from the same point, and this enables us to make comprehensive decisions in real time.

‘Metro Culture’ can be defined as the building of a civic culture framed by respect and solidarity

How important has intermodal integration been in this stage?

The different modes of transport that make up our system are integrated at the physical, operational and fare levels. The physical level is important because it ensures that users experience a sense of continuity in their journeys, no matter how many transfers they have to make. Operational integration, which consists of a single company operating the four modes of transport, makes it possible for timetables and standards of service to be the same, and also makes it easier to have a complete overview of the operation of the system, which facilitates decision making in real time. Fare integration is achieved thanks to the Civica card, a contactless payment method that allows users to travel on the different modes of transport with a single payment.

What would you highlight about your expansion plan? 

The Metro de Medellín Expansion Plan is one of the five plans that make up the 2006-2030 Confidence in the Future Master Plan, which was drafted taking into account the existing plans of the 10 municipalities of the Aburrá Valley Metropolitan Area. This makes it possible to articulate the 19 projected transport corridors in the same way that the city/region is projecting its development. In addition, the inclusion of the Expansion Plan in the Master Plan ensures that the new lines that are being developed have the human, physical and technological resources needed for proper implementation.

Metro de Medellín is a multimodal system that currently has two metro lines, four Metrocable lines, two BRT lines and one tram line

Another important aspect is that the 19 corridors defined in the Expansion Plan have been designed to cover current and projected demand, but the technology to be used has not been established a priori. This decision is made on the basis of a multi-criteria matrix which makes it possible to technically determine whether it is more suitable to build a tramway, Metrocable, BRT or heavy metro, or even adopt new technologies, in that particular corridor.

Lastly, I would like to highlight that the Master Plan is revised every five years in order to adapt to the dynamics of population growth and the way in which the inhabitants appropriate the territory. Last year, we made an adjustment that incorporated new criteria for the revision, among them linkage to the human mobility system and the structuring system –environment, landscape and public space– so that it can contribute more effectively to the sustainability of the city/region.

The intention is for users to experience a sense of continuity in their journeys regardless of the transfers they make

The Expansion Plan is accompanied by identification of possible funding resources, for which a Business Plan has been formulated to identify funding sources through non-fare resources which include businesses associated with transportation and the possible application of the value of the land generated by our system in each one of the planned corridors.

How many patents do you currently have and which one would you highlight?

Four patents have been granted to Metro. The first one was obtained in October 2015 after two years of research, which culminated in the creation of a Vehicle Traffic Monitoring System at the point of connection and operation between the cable, car, station and support clamp, in a cable car transport system. As the name indicates, the development is used to monitor the movement of vehicles. The second patent was granted in December 2015 for the Hub for the acquisition of railway vehicles and acquisition method, which optimises vehicle performance. Also in December 2015 and after 24 months of research, the company was awarded a patent for Diagnovision, a system and method for the inspection of the geometric parameters of railway vehicle wheels.

Fare integration is achieved thanks to the Civica card, a contactless payment method that allows users to travel on the different modes of transport with a single payment

Lastly, in February 2016, Metro de Medellín received the patent for Diagnodefect, a device used for the automated inspection of the roundness of rolling stock wheels on rail tracks. Rather than highlighting one of them in particular, I would like to emphasise the collaborative work work with universities and local industry that underlies each one.

From the beginning, Metro de Medellín has added a social and even educational dimension to urban transport which has been called ‘Metro Culture’. Can you explain what this is and who it is aimed at?

‘Metro Culture’ is effectively an educational and cultural initiative of Metro de Medellín which can be defined as the building of a civic culture based on respect for oneself, respect for others and respect for the public and calls for peaceful coexistence, good behaviour, solidarity and compliance with the basic rules of use of the system and the city’s spaces.

The Expansion Plan is accompanied by a Business Plan which makes it possible to identify funding sources through non-fare resources

Its target audience includes all of the company’s stakeholders because ‘Metro Culture’ is an integral part of the strategic guidance. This means that when interacting with Metro de Medellín, all of the different stakeholders are impacted by it. Users, for example, receive ongoing training in the proper use of the system and the patterns of behaviour that must be observed in it, while enjoying opportunities that bring them into contact with the arts, music and literature during their journeys. Communities in the areas of influence are also participants in educational actions, as well as recreational and cultural activities. The Human Talent area endeavours to ensure that culture of the organisation, and with all stakeholders, also preserves the principles of ‘Metro Culture’.

Innovation has always been one of your major commitments, what are your most innovative projects?

Without a doubt, Metrocable. Our Metrocable lines represent innovation in processes, as well as social innovation. Since cable cars are normally used in ski resorts, the operators have all of the summer months to perform major maintenance. In Medellín, because it is a public service whose malfunctions radically affect the most vulnerable communities, we have found it necessary to adapt maintenance routines in order to carry them out within no more than 10 days.

Communities in the areas of influence are also participants in educational actions, as well as recreational and cultural activities

What would you say are Metro de Medellín’s major milestones or achievements over the last 22 years of commercial operation?

As in any transport system, the beginning of the commercial operation of each new line is an important milestone. In addition to the milestones shown in the figure, there are others, even before the start of commercial operation. ‘Metro Culture’ began in 1988. Another milestone that we are very proud of occurred in 1999 when we were able, for the first time, to replace train wheels in our own workshops, instead of having to send them to Germany. This marked the beginning of a policy of import substitution and collaboration with academia and local industry.

2007 was also an important year, in which the company, Alternate Concepts Inc., an urban train operator from San Juan, Puerto Rico, became the first international client of the associated consulting business. Since then, we have carried out consulting, technical assistance and support work in the planning and execution of preliminary and operational stages of public transport systems, covering the management of operations, fare collection management, social management, communication and civic culture around sustainable mobility. Our main international clients include the cities of Panama, Lima and Rio de Janeiro. In Colombia, we have supported the cities of Bogotá, Cartagena, Bucaramanga, Ibagué, Santa Marta, Montería, Soacha, El Peñol and significant mobility policy agreements with Colombia’s Ministry of Transport.

In recent years, Medellín has won a number of awards for management and urban planning, culminating in 2016, with the highest honour possible for a city: the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize. This prestigious prize –whose only previous winners are the cities of Suzhou, New York and Bilbao– is awarded after thorough assessment of specific initiatives to transform urban environments, generating social, economic and environmental benefits that serve as a model for communities around the world.

The management of transport in the city of Medellín has much to do with this success. More than 20 years of ‘Metro Culture’ have resulted in a significant decrease in inequality and an upsurge in civic spirit and modernity. With its positive and uncompromising policy of social transport, for the past 22 years, Metro de Medellín has been the torch bearer lighting the way to new paths for this city of 2.5 million inhabitants, which used to be synonymous with danger. Medellín’s public transport network, which today boasts a metro system, Metrocable, buses and bicycles, and is accessible through a single-ticket system, has managed to unite the city’s districts and pull its people out of the ghettos. It has also helped reduce traffic congestion and noise and pollution levels. What is more, it has become an exemplary urban transport system thanks to the participation of citizens.

METROCABLE. Over the past 20 years, there has been a noticeable decrease in inequality and an upsurge in civic spirit and modernity. In the image, Line K in the direction of Santo Domingo Savio. / PHOTO_ OFFICIAL GUIDE OF MEDELLÍN (FLICKR)

In an interview with Itransporte, Tomás Elejalde, the general manager of Metro de Medellín, tells us that “Metrocable is one of our most innovative projects because, although cable car technology has existed for many years, Medellín is the first city in the world to use it for medium-capacity public transport and integrate it into a multimodal network like the one operated by Metro de Medellín.” Elejalde adds that this system was necessary due to the Medellín metropolitan area’s geographic characteristics and location in a narrow valley whose mountainsides are home to people with limited economic resources. “Thanks to the Metrocable lines, the inhabitants of these districts are now able to integrate with the rest of the territory rapidly, economically and safely. We currently have four in commercial operation, one under construction and another one whose construction contract has just been awarded,” he concludes.

Since 2011, Ineco has collaborated with Metro de Medellín on, among other work, upgrading its fleet, overseeing the design, manufacture, reception and commissioning of its new CAF trains, including onboard signalling equipment (ATC).