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Lima–Chosica Train Plan Moves Forward as Machu Picchu Collision Prompts Safety Scrutiny

A phased pilot advances under a new state–city agreement while a fatal Cusco crash focuses regulators on rail operations.

Overview

  • The Municipality of Lima and the Transport Ministry signed a framework pact on December 29 to activate the Lima–Chosica service, ceding in-use control of 19 locomotives and 90 passenger cars sourced from Caltrain to the MTC.
  • ProInversión will negotiate an addendum to the Ferrocarril Central concession to incorporate passenger service, and the ATU plans integration with urban transit, including a Line 1 interchange at Presbítero Maestro.
  • Initial operations are planned as a peak-hour pilot in early 2026 with single-direction runs by time band and a projected capacity of about 12,800 daily passengers, with phased additions of up to 14 stops after technical reviews.
  • Oversight reports have questioned the trains’ provenance and condition, with disputes over whether they were donated or involved municipal expenditures and references to age and mechanical deficiencies in prior reviews.
  • A separate head-on crash on the OllantaytamboMachu Picchu line killed Inca Rail driver Roberto Cárdenas and injured dozens, triggering emergency deployments, a temporary service suspension, high-level visits, and investigations by transport authorities and prosecutors.