04/05/2021 17:13
Clarín.com
Zonal
Updated 04/05/2021 17:13
After positive cases of coronavirus were detected among workers of the Miter railway over the weekend, in the last hours the figure continued to increase.
Those confirmed with Covid-19 went from being 19 to 23. Thus, two thirds of the personnel in the Train Control Post area are isolated due to infections.
The situation had a direct impact on
passenger service
.
There were no trains on Sunday, and the company
adapted the entire schedule
for the business days after Easter holidays.
This Monday, with a new hourly grid, they tried to cover peak hours without generating delays.
Of the three branches that correspond to this line, the one that is
most affected is diesel
, in charge of the route
from Victoria to Capilla del Señor
, which will only operate until 14:00. The frequency between trains will be 15 or 18 minutes, as is usually habitually.
Last year, a seizure in Victoria led to the cancellation of Miter service for several days.
In recent weeks, our country suffered a notable increase in coronavirus cases that installed the arrival of the second wave of the pandemic, especially in the metropolitan area.
While the authorities add restrictions, public transport was targeted by the large number of workers and residents of the Conurbano who take trains or buses to go to the Federal Capital on a daily basis.
According to sources from
Trenes Argentinos
, a state company that has the concession of the metropolitan lines, although "the diagram that was stipulated for today is at the level of a normal day, the positive cases are worrying since there are more than half of the infected personnel" .
What does this concern mean?
That there is the possibility that
the service will be even more affected
if contagions continue to increase and, therefore, drivers, control agents or railway employees who must isolate themselves.
In Retiro they reinforced passenger controls to certify that everyone has the seat reservation application.
On the other hand, at the
Retiro
station,
police controls were added to demand circulation permits from passengers, something that gradually became extinct at many intermediate stops.
In fact, a regular passenger of the Miter branch who took the train this morning from
José León Suarez
to
Capital Federal
said that she did not suffer delays or cancellations, but that she was not asked for the reservation she had made to travel, as it does in other stations where controls continue.
There are 23 infected with Covid-19 in the train control area, where in total there are 30 workers.
“It is the neuralgic part of the operation because it determines the layout of the trains, the number of people or which route to change in case of any contingency.
It is like the control tower of the airplanes, where there are specialized personnel who are difficult to replace ”, they detail from Argentine Trains.
So far, the authorities of the Ministry of Transport are on alert.
If more positive cases appear, they should reduce the service further or even suspend it, as happened at the weekend.
Otherwise, tomorrow it would be carried out by the same provision that was taken today, with a specific schedule and with reduced hours, avoiding the suspension of the total service as it did during the weekend.
How was the schedule
Tigre branch
.
The first train leaves from Tigre, at 6:16 am;
and from Retiro, at 7:04 am.
The last train to Tigre leaves at 8:56 p.m.
and Retiro, at 20:08 pm.
Retiro - Victoria: 9:16 p.m.
Branches Miter / JL Suárez
.
The first train from JL Suárez leaves at 6 am;
from Retiro to JL Suárez, at 7 am;
from Retiro to Bmé.
Miter, at 7:36 am.
and from Bmé.
Miter to Retiro, at 8:22 am.
The last service from JL Suárez to Retiro leaves at 8:00 p.m.
and from Retiro to JL Suárez, at 9 pm.
The services of the Bmé branch.
Miter end without affectations.
Diesel services
Villa Ballester - Zárate
.
First train, at 07:40 hs;
Last train at 12:26 pm.
Zárate - Villa Ballester, first train, at 9:33 am;
Last train at 12:26 pm.
Victoria - Chapel of the Lord
.
First train, at 6:55 am;
Last train at 10:51 am.
Capilla del Señor - Victoria, first train, at 08:37;
Last train, at 1:23 p.m.
Look also
The Miter Train will circulate this Monday with a special diagram
The first Diego Maradona tunnel: in San Fernando they announced a tribute with a public work