I've been seeing the forums for a while looking at the systems of other parts of the world and wondering why I haven't seen any posts about Puerto Rico. So here it goes.

Puerto Rico is an island in the caribbean, more than 4 mil hab. Heavy population concentration on the metro area. The car rules here, but the government, realizing there was no more space to expand the roads stared looking at mass public transport alternatives.

Up to now public transport consists of two, government managed bus companies, and mini buses that are supervised by a government commission.
AMA and Metrobus are the government agencies.

Tren Urbano (Urban Train) is a heavy rail system, with 16 stations; there are elevated, underground and aboveground portions. Now it consists of only one line with plans to expand it to other areas but not concrete plans yet as to where and if it would be a heavy or light system, or the kind of stations to use.

The construction stared in 1997, and it ended at the summer of 2004. It had many many delays due to changes in the orders of construction and there have been a lot of controversy because of the way the contracts had been awarded.

The rolling stock, turnstiles and systems are made by Siemens. Ask me whatever I forgot to mention.

Some pics from external sites:


http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/rcv99/san-juan-map.gif

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/rcv99/Ro_Piedras_Station.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/rcv99/Tren_Urbanobay.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/rcv99/Carolina.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/rcv99/16.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/rcv99/15.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/rcv99/14.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/rcv99/13.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/rcv99/12.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/rcv99/10.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/rcv99/9.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/rcv99/8.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/rcv99/7.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/rcv99/6.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/rcv99/5.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/rcv99/4.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/rcv99/3.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/rcv99/2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/rcv99/1.jpg

wow. I never knew Puerto Rico had something like this.

Who paid for it?

great looking subway thanks for sharing the pictures.

The US obviously paid for it. But why not? It also pays for highways to be built in poor parts of the mainland. ;)

That's awesome! I've never been to P.R. and didn't realize how urban it is. How many people live in The San Juan Area?

about 1.5 million I believe. Definitely more than a million.

san juans population is 445,000, the metro is over 1.4 million. its good that something like that is there, its a very crowded country and even though it is small it takes a long time to get around anywhere because of those mountains and congested roads(traffic is really bad, per capita Puerto Ricans have more cars then most other countries including the US). the system costs about 2 billion dollars and the US pays about 40%. no one should argue with this since the US keeps PR as a protectorate even though i doubt it needs that status. i hope this system works because i dont think alot of people are willing to give up the safety of their cars because of the increased violence happening over there with the drug lords and gangs.

Thanks for sharing, i don't think i have seen any pictures of the system before.

Very nice system and stations but trains are not so beautiful...
:(

Looks very nice.

^ heheheh,... I knew they had a metro opening in san juan but I was unaware that it opened

when was the opening date?

..

It stared running on the weekends from 10 am to 6pm I think. Now is running from 6am to 9pm, still free, trains get to the station like every 12 mins now, they are using 4 cars and the platforms can fit up to 6. On may 23rd they are gonna start integrating the bus system to it and later the mini buses. At the beggining it was meant to be Tren Urbano, but thanks God someone realized that one line, and people not used to use the public transportation does not make a good match. Then they formed ATI ... in english Integrated Transport Alternative... the thing was that they focused on completing the system and when it was done, well it hit them that the Integrated part was missing... They think it's gonna take them like tree months to get it to how it is supossed to work. Now they are staring orientations and giving maps, all the busses are ready for the farecards. The fare is $1.50 with one free transfer. The buses are used by about 40 mil persons anually, but they are only on the metro area. The third picture says Carolina tunnel, there are two tunnels that go south, but are not completted, those are for a future expansion. The stations are huge... on the newspaper it was reported that there were not enough seats on the stations... the Department of Transportation had to explain that there were to be a trains every 4 mins and because of that not many seats were needed, and well; it works on time, if on the screen says the next train is in one minute and it does get there on one minute you can see some amazed people. So we are sort of getting used to it.

Let me add that the gallon of regular gas here now is $2.12

Anything else, or no one interested in this thread? :(

June 6 - San Juan -- Bayamón - Sagrado Corazón - regular revenue service.
Any new pics?
How many cars are in the trainset now? 2 or 4?Very nice system and stations but trains are not so beautiful...What's wrong with the cars?

June 6 - San Juan -- Bayamón - Sagrado Corazón - regular revenue service.
Any new pics?
How many cars are in the trainset now? 2 or 4?What's wrong with the cars?

Nothing wrong but they look so old, like a design from the 80's...
:(
But they are new! Why that? :?
:runaway:

Were the trains bought used? I personally have nothing against them, I think they look fine. The stations are a bit bland, but nice. You should understand that they strictly adhered to a budget for this project, and practicality was much more important than aesthetics. They have built an eficient and practical system, and should be proud of this accomplishment.

i think it looks quite nice, actually. the stations are handsome in an efficient way. the rolling stock looks like the stock in dc/miami/baltimore ... if i remember correctly.

Puerto Rico is NOT a country. It has been a U.S. Territory since 1897. It's population have been American Citizens since 1917. san juans population is 445,000, the metro is over 1.4 million. its good that something like that is there, its a very crowded country and even though it is small it takes a long time to get around anywhere because of those mountains and congested roads(traffic is really bad, per capita Puerto Ricans have more cars then most other countries including the US). the system costs about 2 billion dollars and the US pays about 40%. no one should argue with this since the US keeps PR as a protectorate even though i doubt it needs that status. i hope this system works because i dont think alot of people are willing to give up the safety of their cars because of the increased violence happening over there with the drug lords and gangs.

USED??? Everything is brand spanking NEW. I've never heard of a public transportation system in the U.S. ever purchasing used equipment.Were the trains bought used? I personally have nothing against them, I think they look fine. The stations are a bit bland, but nice. You should understand that they strictly adhered to a budget for this project, and practicality was much more important than aesthetics. They have built an eficient and practical system, and should be proud of this accomplishment.

The New York Times reported this past week that there is very low ridership and that a significant culture change will need to take place in the habits of a city still dominated by the private car.

However, it looks very nice and clean cut.

A Hesitant Puerto Rico Tries Commuting by Train

By ARIANA GREEN
Published: November 19, 2005

SAN JUAN, P.R. - Carlos Medina rides the subway only when he visits New York. Here, where he lives, he spends untold hours in his car.

Mr. Medina does become frustrated by the traffic jams, potholes and recklessness he encounters daily on Puerto Rican roads. But a gleaming new alternative - a commuter train that started running last December after years of planning and expense - has yet to win over him or, for that matter, most other commuters.

They built it, but not everybody came. Puerto Rico is a car-loving place, and the Tren Urbano has had trouble attracting a large ridership.
"I'm not going to use the train until it actually takes me to all the places I want to go," the 34-year-old Mr. Medina said while shopping at Plaza las Américas, the island's major mall, which, though always packed, does not have a train station.

For now, Puerto Rico's Tren Urbano, or urban train, consists of a single, 10.7-mile line with 16 stations through parts of San Juan and its suburbs. There are plans to build three more lines within a decade, possibly starting in the next two years. But in a metropolitan area of 1.1 million people, the train is selling only about 24,000 rides a day, a figure that has transportation officials worried about achieving their goal of 80,000 riders daily by June and 115,000 by 2015.

Puerto Rico is, after all, a car-loving place: there are an estimated three million cars on this island of four million people. The island has one of the highest rates of car ownership in the world and the greatest density of cars per mile of metropolitan-area highway, says Benjamin Colucci, an engineering professor at the University of Puerto Rico who is a consultant on the project. A drive that takes 10 minutes in San Juan at night can take 90 during the day, when cars weave and honk through congested streets.

The urban train took longer than expected to build and has cost $2.25 billion in federal and local spending so far. Building the three additional lines, in the cities of Caguas and Carolina and in the historic Old San Juan section here, will cost an estimated $1.7 billion. The price of yearly maintenance, now $100 million, is expected to be $180 million after expansion.

Consultants from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Puerto Rico helped design the heavy rail train, which has the potential for greater capacity than light rail systems like those in Baltimore and Denver. The elegant stations were planned in consultation with the surrounding neighborhoods, partly to encourage residents to become riders.

Each station - modern, spacious and squeaky clean - has a public art project: perhaps a hanging sculpture made of steel cables, a ceiling mosaic of a tropical forest or a mural depicting stars and planets.

Gabriel Alcaraz, Puerto Rico's new transportation secretary, says the stations, which cost $15 million to $83 million, are too grandiose. Mr. Alcaraz and Gov. Aníbal Acevedo-Vilá, who took office in January and is facing a budget crisis, want future stations to be smaller, identical and cheaper.

But Carlos Pesquera, who was transportation secretary when he oversaw construction starting in 1993, said the stations needed to be large to accommodate six-car trains. And many people, even those who do not ride the train, admire the stylish stations.

"I like that the stations now are fancy," said Lydia Marco, 18, a waitress and student who said she wished the train route extended to Old San Juan, where she works. "I would like to see more beautiful stuff like that built here. It's something new for Puerto Rico that makes us proud of our cities."

Puerto Rico has never before had much of a public transportation system; its buses are known for being late and not serving enough locations. But the urban train is now being scrutinized as a model, especially in the Caribbean and South America, said Professor Colucci, who has given seminars about it in the Dominican Republic, Panama and Venezuela.

Still, officials here say Puerto Ricans themselves need to get used to the train, and that will apparently take some doing.

For one thing, the owners of públicos - private vans and cars that transport commuters for a fare - see the train as competition instead of a partner to work in tandem with, Professor Colucci said.

"We need públicos always arriving at a certain time to meet people when they get off the train," he said. "If no público is there, then the person doesn't have a link to get to a final destination."

The Metropolitan Bus Authority, which could encourage train ridership by picking up passengers where rail routes end, is also competing with the train at present, Professor Colucci said, although the length of bus line overlapping with train route is to disappear eventually.

Fred Salvucci, a former transportation secretary in Massachusetts who is a consultant to Puerto Rico through M.I.T., said more incentives were needed to increase train ridership. The fare, $1.50, is six times that for the bus - too high for Puerto Rico, he said, where the average annual income is $12,031.

But a few government agencies are buying train passes for their workers, and at least one private employer, HF Mortgage Bankers in San Juan, is doing the same.

Further, the transportation department recently introduced new price packages: an unlimited three-month pass for $90 and a one-month for $45. The offer is being advertised in newspapers and on the radio, and a $1.5 million campaign is planned for billboards and television.

Mr. Alcaraz, the transportation secretary, said it was only a matter of time before Puerto Ricans not only rode the train en masse but also planned their lives around it.

"In parts of the world where trains have existed for a long time, people have chosen where to live and work based on the transportation available," he said. "People in Puerto Rico will learn to do the same."

Looks good, too bad the ridership is low.

Here are some more photos. I'll revive this thread! ;)

http://static.flickr.com/22/27878326_93a3f966b5_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/22/27878327_842efdeede_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/21/27878328_067aa1e93d_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/22/27878584_e18e298b89_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/21/27878585_fc1ed3e07c_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/21/27878586_37b8828290_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/23/27878587_c182407c14_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/21/27878588_447aa1ce0c_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/21/27878589_82c2b59260_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/21/27878861_c054ea07be_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/21/27879891_f23a1d2e71_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/22/27879889_3796377392_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/22/27879890_8cda198909_o.jpg

http://www.fenmore.com/TrenUrbano/Images/ChopperTour/Img_0999.jpg

http://img88.exs.cx/img88/6539/00003832as.jpg

http://img88.exs.cx/img88/5968/00003901ny.jpg

http://img88.exs.cx/img88/8877/00003915cc.jpg

Now, these next pics are all mine. :D

Torrimar Station
http://img60.imageshack.us/img60/1943/phto00036da.jpg

Martínez Nadal Station
http://img60.imageshack.us/img60/7568/phto00024uc.jpg

Cupey Station
http://img60.imageshack.us/img60/4087/phto00096hg.jpg
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/4329/phto00107bt.jpg
http://img60.imageshack.us/img60/653/phto00110jc.jpg
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/1218/phto00244mf.jpg

Universidad Station
http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/5042/phto00307bf.jpg
http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/2028/phto00365bc.jpg
http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/2194/phto00389nj.jpg
http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/3769/phto00398af.jpg
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/2992/phto00404fd.jpg

Hato Rey Station and its surroundings
http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/720/phto00417xl.jpg
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/8896/phto00426lw.jpg
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/1483/phto00434iu.jpg
http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/8843/phto00440ag.jpg

Piñero Station and its surroundings
http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/3783/phto00178dm.jpg
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/5586/phto00018zi.jpg



There'll be more pictures later. Until next time! :hi:

Definitly looks nice. Has the ridership gone up since November? 24,000 is low if they wanted 80,000, but at the same time, its higher than many other american systems.

I like it. More photos at http://flickr.com/groups/trenurbano/pool/

Info On station art: http://www.artepublico.puertorico.pr/english/ambitos/tren_urbano/index.htm

map from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/44/Tren_Urbano_Route.jpg
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/2346/trenurbanoroute8jl.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

@ jamesinclair : I don't know but I'll post that info as soon as I find out. :okay:

@ Jayayess1190 : Thanks for the links and the map. ;)

A great Tren Urbano page! Great source for information on the future urban rail lines in the San Juan Metro Area: http://www.joelvillarini.com/trenurbano/. Its creator is forumer jvillari. :okay:

^^Oh thanks! Good web site!!
:okay:
I met Joel in Barcelona, he is a friend of mine.
:happy:

wow. I never knew Puerto Rico had something like this.

Who paid for it?
The US obviously paid for it. But why not? It also pays for highways to be built in poor parts of the mainland. ;)
It didn't pay for ALL of it. :nono: Besides, after drafting Puerto Ricans off to serve proudly (and die) in three wars and as voluntaries in countless others, and NOT giving them any political representation, it's the least the US could do.

It didn't pay for ALL of it. :nono: Besides, after drafting Puerto Ricans off to serve proudly (and die) in three wars and as voluntaries in countless others, and NOT giving them any political representation, it's the least the US could do.

True, but at least you don't have to pay income tax.

Nice Pics, by the way.

^They don't pay income tax?

Didn't the PRicans choose not to join as a state though?

^They don't pay income tax?

Didn't the PRicans choose not to join as a state though?

They don't pay federal income tax, I don't know about local taxes...

Yes, they voted to remain as a Commonwealth.

They don't pay federal income tax, I don't know about local taxes...

Yes, they voted to remain as a Commonwealth.
Local taxes in Puerto Rico are higher than in all of the states, and yes, there is a local income tax. That's because the local government has grown so much since the 1970's, having now more than 120 agencies and over 300,000 employees. It really sucks. Federal employees in Puerto Rico do pay federal income taxes, however.

Puerto Rico would have to really streamline its government in order to become either a state or an independent county, a change we definitely need. Becoming a state would give us say in U.S. national affairs, while becoming independent would give us complete control over our own affairs. Both choices are good in their own way. But first we need to make government smaller and drastically cut taxes (keeping money for important things like expanding the Tren Urbano ;) ).

My Weekly Tren Urbano Gallery (I):

Torrimar in the morning


http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h179/mankawabi/PHTO0016.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h179/mankawabi/PHTO0018.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h179/mankawabi/PHTO0019.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h179/mankawabi/PHTO0002.jpg


We arrive at our destination, the University!!! :cry:

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h179/mankawabi/PHTO0020.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h179/mankawabi/PHTO0022.jpg


We're finally out! Now, let's head back home... :dance:

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h179/mankawabi/PHTO0023.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h179/mankawabi/PHTO0004.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h179/mankawabi/PHTO0007.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h179/mankawabi/PHTO0009.jpg




The arrival at Torrimar (video):
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h179/mankawabi/th_PHTO0011.jpg (http://s64.photobucket.com/albums/h179/mankawabi/?action=view&current=PHTO0011.flv)





:cheers:

Nice new system!
:okay:

True, but at least you don't have to pay income tax.

Nice Pics, by the way.

But we, as US Citizens like any other, and US territory, deserve it :)

Altough the US government doesn't pay for all in Puerto Rico. We have our own economy also. All those things are built with shared founds.

Anyway, investing in Puerto Rico is investing in the United States.

and used trains?? As if we were miserables ...

Didn't know either that Puerto Rico has a metro system.
It looks really nice, especially the stations, but I quite like the trains too :)
Thanks for the pics mankawabi.

Hope the ridership will improve further.

who provided the rolling stock?

So the world has another metro logo...

http://mic-ro.com/metro/logos/san-juan.gif (http://mic-ro.com/metro/metrologos.html)

They wont extend the metro the cab companies wont ever let it happen becuase they would loose the business

Its a great system,people still getting used to it.It needs to be expanded though...

Update-time. Here are a few pics taken by me in the last couple of weeks, the last ones as recently as yesterday. Enjoy!

Train arriving to Martínez Nadal Station (down-level)
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/EktorPR/Tren%20Urbano/CIMG2454.jpg

Vegetation at each side of the platform, Martínez Nadal Station
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/EktorPR/Tren%20Urbano/CIMG2451.jpg

Loading Platform on Martínez Nadal Station
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/EktorPR/Tren%20Urbano/CIMG2456.jpg

Exterior look at Cupey Station (elevated)
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/EktorPR/Tren%20Urbano/CIMG2534.jpg

Arriving by train to Cupey Station
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/EktorPR/Tren%20Urbano/CIMG2525.jpg

Train arriving to Cupey Station
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/EktorPR/Tren%20Urbano/CIMG2528.jpg

Escalators to the Entrance of Río Piedras Station (subterranean)
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/EktorPR/Tren%20Urbano/CIMG2575.jpg

Mid-level of Río Piedras Station
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/EktorPR/Tren%20Urbano/CIMG2572.jpg

Entrance to the big "vault" where the loading platform is two floors below, Río Piedras Station
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/EktorPR/Tren%20Urbano/CIMG2573.jpg

Loading platform area, Río Piedras Station
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/EktorPR/Tren%20Urbano/CIMG2576.jpg

Another view of the loading area, Río Piedras Station
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/EktorPR/Tren%20Urbano/CIMG2577.jpg

One of the three entrances to Universidad Station (subterranean)
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/EktorPR/Tren%20Urbano/CIMG2461.jpg

Loading platform, Universidad Station
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/EktorPR/Tren%20Urbano/CIMG2457.jpg

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/EktorPR/Tren%20Urbano/CIMG2459.jpg

Loading Platform, Bayamón Station (elevated)
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/EktorPR/Tren%20Urbano/CIMG2441.jpg

Rail work at Bayamón Station
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/EktorPR/Tren%20Urbano/CIMG2440.jpg

And that's all for now. I'll be trying to capture pictures of the "Hato Rey area" stations in a couple of weeks, although you can find some in the Caribbean Forum "Tren Urbano de San Juan" thread. Have a good one!

Very nice. The stations somewhat remind me of the Washington Metro.

I had the same thoughts Rotten when it was being built

Hopefully it becomes more sucessfull when talking about Daily Ridership!!!!is a good looking system