A formation of passengers from Trenes Argentinos, called the “White March”, arrived in Mendoza today and was received by thousands of people with flags, t-shirts, posters and songs at the Palmira station, some 40 kilometers from the provincial capital, which was the prelude to the start-up from April of the service that will unite, after 30 years, the province with Buenos Aires.
Today’s was the second test, the first was on December 7, before the branch line that will link Buenos Aires and Mendoza begins in April at an estimated cost of $3,500, per section up to $11,000 for cabin services, estimated those responsible from the Palmyra station.
Regarding the frequency, the authorities announced that for the moment the formation, one a week is expected, will leave on Friday from Retiro and return from Mendoza on Sunday afternoon, whose journey is stipulated with an initial duration of about 20 hours.
From very early on, the inhabitants of Palmira sensed that today would not be another day, streets blocked by the police, fences, people from outside the district walking through the streets, some with flags, others with songs, with their families or alone, everyone They walked with a single objective, to get to the train station to receive the train and also see President Alberto Fernández.
“It’s a good thing, a train hasn’t been seen here for a long time, it’s a benefit for everyone that it happens again, more people will be seen, maybe it will bring more tourism to the area,” said Ricardo González (45), a neighbor who came to participate in the arrival of the train to his town.
A little further from the stage, a group of residents gathered in a sector of the station decided to participate and gave their testimony to Télam: “It is the return of progress, most of the important countries depend a lot on the train,” said Facundo Peralta (22 ), who is accompanied by his grandfather, Pablo Peralta, 86.
The older man recalled: «I saw him leave, and I was very sorry, I don’t forget it anymore, and now I am receiving it. In the surroundings of the station before it was full of businesses, there were hotels », he concluded visibly moved.
The day in full sun and very hot was dyed with the colors of the national flag that were mixed with the posters, the t-shirts, the songs that did not stop throughout the event and the faces of the people was the letter of introduction for some tears hearing the sound of the train as it enters the station; “There is!” or “Finally!” were some of the exclamations.
In this context and given the imminent arrival of the formation at the station that also brought President Alberto Fernández, everything served to find a good location, the roofs of the freight cars, the huge water tanks eight meters high that had in the station, every space was occupied by the public.
It was there that a man, Gabriel Flores, approached and without further ado told Télam: “I am the grandson and son of a railway worker, I live 60 kilometers from here, I took the time to come today, because this moment is everything, it is for the province, for the country”.
The authorities anticipate that the train will reach the Gutiérrez station, in the town of Maipú, much closer to the center of Mendoza, but that will be later. Regarding the latter, the person in charge of Trenes Argentinos in Mendoza, Jorge Giménez, said that “the section between San Martin and Palmira is ready, and that is what matters for the train to be in Mendoza.”
In the afternoon he said he was present, around 2:00 p.m., the president spoke and those present were silent, which was later broken when Alberto Fernández said: “San Martin returns to Mendoza, this time as a train.”
Present today, in addition to the President, were the Minister of Economy, Sergio Massa; the governor of Mendoza, Rodolfo Suarez, among other national and provincial officials.
On July 22, the train reconnected the districts of Laboulaye, General Lavalle, Vicuña Mackenna, in the province of Córdoba, and Justo Daract with the Retiro terminal, and on December 7, 2022, the first group of test passengers arrived. to Mendoza and this Wednesday the 22nd, the second and last test of the return of the passenger train to the province arrived.
Telam Agency
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