Welcome to the Panama Metro

Computer-generated picture depicting a small boy before the Panama Metro sometime in the future when the transportation project is operating. This is how one of the stations will look like. Picture courtesy of Metro de Panamá.

If are a regular reader of Lingua Franca, you probably know that I’ve followed the Panama Metro like a laser beam.  I want to know everything that happens with this landmark public transportation project.  It will be the next big thing in Panama after the expansion of the Panama Canal.

Recently, watching the news, I found out that a real scale model of a subway car was going to be exhibited at the XXI version of EXPOCOMER 2013 organized by the Panama Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama.  EXPOCOMER is the largest commercial fair in Latin America.  More than 36 countries show their products to potential customers for three days.  According to a representative of EXPOCOMER, Panama´s economy was injected with $35 million during the event (hotel reservations, restaurants, taxi fares, shopping, tourist tours, souvenirs sales and so on and so forth and such like) and more than $80 million were generated in sales for same period.  Each passing year the numbers grow like mushrooms in a forest.

At midday on Saturday, April 20, 2013 I dashed over to EXPOCOMER to see how the Metro car looked like.  The real scale model represented one half of the real size of car, measuring about 9 meters long by 2.7 meters wide.  I was jumping out of my skin to shoot my pictures of this baby.

Before I insert the pictures taken, I would like to include a brief description of this mega-project for your ready reference.

EL METRO DE PANAMÁ

The first subway in Panama will have 19 trains hauling three passenger coaches each with a capacity to transport safely and reliably, initially up to 15,000 passengers per hour in each direction.  The mass transportation system is designed to carry up to 40,000 users per hour in each direction when it’s in full operation. The first of three branches is built on the route with the most demand for public transportation within the metropolis.

The first phase of Metro Line 1 will have 19 trains with a total of 57 cars, with a maximum capacity of 250 people per car, at a rate of 8 persons per square meter.  At full capacity Line 1 of the Panama Metro will have a fleet of 42 trains of 5 cars per train, which will allow the system to meet the transportation demand for that moment.  The first Panama Metro trains will be arriving about June 2013.

The Panama Metro is a mass transportation public project which consists of twelve stations; seven will be underground and five above ground.  The planned route is 14 kilometers long and should be completed in a time frame of about 23 minutes.  The designers of the system claim that there will be a train crossing the route every three minutes carrying a total of 15,000 passengers in each direction, (e.g., North and South).

The mega-project of Line One of the Panama Metro was awarded to Odebrecht of Brazil and Spanish FCC (Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas).  The trains were designed by the prestigious French corporation Alstom, focused on the business of manufacturing trains.

The above-ground or viaduct of the subway initiates at the Los Andes shopping center and concludes at Plaza Agora, where the trains descends into a tunnel until it reaches its destination at the Albrook Grand Terminal.  This raised section is 5.12 kilometers long with five passenger stations in strategic locations with a high flow of users.

The under-ground part of the subway begins from Plaza Agora, continues through Fernández de Córdoba Avenue, Justo Arosemena Avenue, Plaza 5 de Mayo and the DIJ.  This part of the subway is 6.7 kilometers long.  There is an extra stretch of 1.88 kilometers until the infrastructure reaches Albrook Station  where it connects with a main transportation terminal through a special walkway.

The average speed of the subway will be 80 kilometers per hour.  Transportation service will be from 5:00 a.m. through 11:00 p.m. every day of the year.  It is estimated that the Panama Metro will begin its operations during the first quarter of 2014.  The project has a total cost of $1.5 billion which is significant for a small country like Panama with limited financial resources.  Work has already begun on feasibility studies for a second line which will be carried out by the next administration.

Passenger Stations of the Panama Metro:

1.  Los Andes
2. Pan de Azúcar
3. San Miguelito
4. Pueblo Nuevo
5. Doce de Octubre
6. Vía Fernández de Córdoba
7. Vía Argentina
8. Iglesia del Carmen
9. Hospital Santo Tomás
10. Lotería Nacional de Beneficiencia
11. Plaza 5 de Mayo
12. Albrook Terminal

PICTURE GALLERY

Snapshot of the white tent which housed the real scale model of a subway car on exhibition at EXPOCOMER. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Snapshot of the Panama subway exhibited at the XXI version of EXPOCOMER in Panama City, Panama. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Snapshot of the driver’s cabin depicting a small computer screen a several operating buttons. Everything is computerized in this mass public transportation project. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

A close up picture of the dashboard of the subway. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

A digital indicator of the different stations of the subway. As soon as the train reaches a particular station, a light will show the arrival of the train on the wall. Very easy to find yourself around if you are a newcomer to the subway. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Snapshot of one of the beautiful guides posing for the camera. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Snapshot of three enthusiastic guests at the subway posing for the camera. Their friendly smiles is contagious. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Snapshot of Yours Truly taking a picture of the subway car through a large mirror on one of walls of the structure. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

To end this fascinating tour to the Panama Metro, I thought it would be interesting to insert a YouTube video of the project.  Even though the video is in Spanish, I’m sure you will understand the concept of the transportation project.  Please stay tuned, there will be more pictures about this project in the future.  You can bet on it. Keep your eyes open.  Good Day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3BTs71TtvY

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The Panama Metro is Up to Speed

It was recently announced by an the subway’s official spokesman, that the project is progressing as scheduled.  He claimed the structure is 72 percent finished and should be ready, either by year’s end or early next year.  This project will be the flagship of president Ricardo Martinelli’s administration.

Below are several pictures taken on the morning of Sunday, March 3, 2013.   I can hardly wait to see this public work finished.  It will place Panama City as one of the most modern cities in Latin America.  Our GDP grew 10.7 percent last year, one of the highest in the world.  Unemployment is only 4 percent, which is often called “structured unemployment”.  People are looking for jobs and jobs are looking for people, but they have not met yet.  A four percent unemployment is considered by economists as full employment for the reason I just mentioned.

Snapshot of the subway at the intersection of the Transisthmian Highway and Via Ricardo J. Alfaro in Panama City, Panama. It is the first line of a total of three planned for the upcoming years. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

 

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Monitoring the Progress of Panama’s Subway

If you have been a regular follower of my blog, you probably know that President Ricardo Martinelli and his staff are getting up to speed to finish the huge public work of the Panama subway during the second half of 2013 or early 2014, shortly before his term is over. It would be the first subway in Panama and Central America.

The 13.7 kilometers subway line, which will have 17 stations, will replace some bus routes that have been in operation in the city for more than 40 years.  The subway line will connect downtown Panama City with suburbs in the north of the city.  Two more branches are in the pipeline to connect Panama City with suburbs east and west of the metropolis.  These two projects will be completed by future administrations.

A total of 1.5 billion U.S. dollars will be invested in the subway Line 1 in Panama City.  This first transit line is planned for completion in 2014 and will travel 14 kilometers through the high traffic areas of the city.  There will be 17 metro stops both above ground and below ground and there will be an aiding metro bus system throughout the city.

This enormous project will drastically change the transportation culture of Panama City.  Major traffic disruption throughout the busy areas of Panama City will occur during the construction process but in the hopes for a better future of Panama’s transportation.

Below are several pictures shot on the morning of Sunday, March 3, 2013.  A huge red rectangle at the construction site captured my attention.  Here we go.

Snapshot of a complex structure used to support the huge columns of concrete while they are still wet. This construction site is situated at the intersection of Via Transístmica and Via Ricardo J. Alfaro in Panama City, Panama. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

This overpass leads to the International Tocumen Airport. It is one of the busiest transit areas of Panama City connecting the metropolis to the north in the Special District of San Miguelito. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

If you are interested in construction sites, tomorrow I will continue inserting more pictures of this important public project which is the flagship of Ricardo Martinelli’s administration.  Stay tuned and Good Day.

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Cost of Driving a Car in Panama

Snapshot of a 2011 automobile license plate of my vehicle. You have to buy one of these every year, or else, you can’t drive. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

I own a 2006 pretty good Toyota Corolla.  I acquired it second-hand about three years ago and it has resulted in a darned good deal.  It looks almost as new.

In order to drive through the streets of Panama City to do my things; I have to change a license plate every year, just like the one in the picture.  The cost of obtaining this piece metal is:

• Transportation Tax:  $26.00
• Certificate of Debt Clearance (Paz y Salvo):  $1.00
• Cost of two stickers:  $2.00 (One dollar each)
• Total:  $29.00

Every year the license plate and stickers change color.  The upper side of the metal plate indicates the color code.  In 2011, the color was blue.  The ribbon is blue and the stickers also have the same color.  Last year 2012, the color changed to orange.

One sticker is adhered to the windshield of the automobile and another one is placed on the bottom right hand corner of the license plate.  If a cop detects you don’t have these identifiers, your automobile will be detained, sent to a police corral,  and you will be fined.

In order to get the clearance for a yearly license plate, your vehicle must be inspected and approved by a government authorized car shop.  This inspection has a cost of roughly $12.00.  Transit authorities want to make sure you’re driving a safe automobile.  I have no problem with that.

In addition to the yearly inspection, the vehicle must be insured by a reputable insurance company.  I insured my Toyota Corolla with the National Union Fire Insurance Company which covers damages to third-party property, bodily injuries, and medical costs related to an accident.  I paid $121.26 for my car insurance for one year.

Not everybody has to renovate their license plate on the same month.  That would create a line too large to handle.  Instead you get your new plate on the anniversary when the car was originally sold by the car dealer.  In my case, I have to renovate my plate on the month of August of every year.  This month is indicated in the small sticker on the license plate.  If you look closely at the image above, you will see the letters AGO which means “Agosto“, or August in English.

Summarizing, the cost of driving an automobile in Panama is:

• Municipality of Panama Taxes:  $29.00
• Vehicle inspection cost:  $12.00
• Yearly car insurance:  $121.26
• Total Cost:  $162.26

I’m sure you’ll agree with me, this is a real bargain.  That’s why our streets are permanently overcrowded with cars and traffic jams (tranques) are our daily nightmare.  Good Day.

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Moonlight Rails

Snapshot of tram rails formerly used in Panama City at the turn of the century. Only nostalgia remains of this romantic era of the construction of the Panama Canal. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R./Michael Moore

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Panama, “The Beautiful”

Credit: Wikipedia Encyclopedia

Being a Panamanian citizen, I had the golden opportunity to read the best book ever written about the Panama Canal.  I’m referring to the book dubbed, “The Path Between the Seas” brilliantly authored by prolific writer David McCullough.

The book details people, places, and events involved in building the Panama Canal, one of the most magnificent human endeavors in the history of humanity only comparable to the construction of the great pyramids of Egypt. The title refers to the connection between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans that the opening of the canal created in 1914.  The international waterway will be 100 years old in 2014.

David McCullough, 79,  is an American author, narrator, historian, and lecturer. He is a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States’ highest civilian award.

He is also the author of the following best sellers:  The Johnstown Flood, Truman, 1776, John Adams, Mornings on Horseback, The Great Bridge, and The Greater Journey.  McCullough’s two Pulitzer Prize-winning books, Truman and John Adams, have been adapted by HBO into a TV film and a mini-series.

In 1977, McCullough traveled to the White House to advise Jimmy Carter and the United States Senate on the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, which would give Panama control of the Canal. Carter later said that the treaties, which were agreed upon to hand over ownership of the Canal to Panama, would not have passed, had it not been for the book.

McCullough has been called a “master of the art of narrative history.” The New York Times critic John Leonard wrote that McCullough was “incapable of writing a page of bad prose.” His works have been published in ten languages, over nine million copies have been printed, and all of his books are still in print.

Below is an excerpt of what McCullough wrote about Panama in his book, “The Path Between the Seas:  The Creation of the Panama Canal (1870-1914):

“Most of the passengers got out for a look, and the overwhelming green of the landscape, the intensity and infinite variety of green under a cobalt-blue sky, caught them unaware.  Like so many before, they had come to Panama with little thought of being stirred by such landscapes.

That the place could be so breathtakingly beautiful struck them as a singular revelation.  ‘La plus belle région du monde’, de Lesseps exclaimed in a letter to Charles.

On the morning of may 4,1904 at the Canal company headquarters in Panama City Lieutenant Brooke formally received the French company’s assets for the United States and American control began. It is undoubted that the Americans benefited from the French experience, whereby many of the original problems were avoided and surmounted. Under the direction of the Isthmian Canal Commission, work progressed at a furious pace and after ten years of construction on a monumental scale , the canal was completed. It is fitting that the first vessel to pass through the Canal was the old French Craneboat ‘La Valley’ still in service for the Americans.

By August 15, 1914 the Canal was officially opened by the passing of the SS Ancon. At the time, no single effort in American history had exacted such a price in dollars or in human life. The American expenditures from 1904 to 1914 totaled $352,000,000, far more than the cost of anything built by the United States Government up to that time.  Together the French and American expenditures totaled $639,000,000. It took 34 years from the initial effort in 1880 to actually open the Canal in 1914. It is estimated that over 80,000 persons took part in the construction and that over 30,000 lives were lost in both French and American.

If you travel to Panama, you will hear the following expression often in the lips of its proud citizens; “Panamá, Puente del Mundo, Corazón del Universo.  (Panama, Bridge of the World, Heart of the Universe).

If you enjoy reading about history, or are related to Panama in any way, shape or form, this book should be part of your library.  It’s part of my Kindle e-books collection.  (Omar has a bright smile on his face.)  Good Day.

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Laying the Rails of Panama’s Subway System

Photograph of a crew of the Panama subway laying the rails of a landmark public work project under the administration of Ricardo Martinelli. Credit: El Metro de Panamá

The modernization of Panama’s transportation system is progressing within schedule.  The Metro Bus project is almost finished and the Diablos Rojos are slowly fading away into the sunset.  The subway system should be finished sometime in 2014, the last year of president Ricardo Martinelli’s administration.

By the time he leaves office, the first phase of the subway system should be completed.  The bidding process for the second phase connecting Panama City to the East will be also ready.  And the blueprint for the third and last phase of a monorail connecting the metropolis to the West, will be in the drawing board.

During his recent visit to Japan, Mr. Martinelli had serious conversations with the Prime Minister of Japan regarding this important transportation system.  Japan promised to fully cooperate with Panama in building a monorail from the cities of Chorrera and Arraijan to Panama City.

A modern mass transportation system will be a legacy of Ricardo Martinelli.  Panama is rapidly becoming the most modern city in Central America.  Good Day.

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The Subway in Panama is Moving Forward

Snapshot of the construction of a subway in Panama City on Sunday, May 30, 2012. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

The construction of a subway in Panama began on Monday, February 14, 2011 which by the way, is Valentine’s Day in Panama.  It has an allotted budget of $1.6 billion and should be finished sometime in 2014.  Year 2014 marks the end of the administration of President Ricardo Martinelli, who made the subway, one of his main campaign promises.

The system will open with an initial capacity of 15,000 passengers an hour in each direction, with more being added over a period of several years to peak at 40,000 passengers.  When it is accomplished, trains will travel a 8.7-mile line in 23 minutes with stops at 13 stations, some above ground and others below.  It will run between the Special District of San Miguelito and Albrook’s bus terminal.

The picture above displayed the support beams being built on May 30, 2012, about four months ago.  Last Sunday, September 8, 2012, I drove over to the Transisthmian Highway to take pictures of the level of progress made on this iconic mega-project.

Below you will find several pictures which depict the most recent work in progress.  As you can see, the structure above ground is now finished and the rails will soon be laid out. Here we go.

Snapshot of the construction of a subway in Panama City, Panama as of September 8, 2012. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

I will be monitoring the progress of this public construction project and will share with you the improvements made until it is inaugurated sometime in 2014.  I’m proud that Panama is moving forward becoming the most modern city in Central America.  Good Day.

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The British Wharf

The British Wharf or Muelle Inglés in Spanish, has been with us for a very long time.  When I first came to Panama City in 1962 from the banana plantations of Bocas del Toro, the dock was already there.  In fact, there were only two wharves in the bay, (e.g., The British and the Fiscal Wharf).

When the Cinta Costera was built under the administration of Martin Torrijos Espino (2004-2009), the Fiscal Wharf was demolished and its services were transferred to the nearby British Wharf.

Very little is known about this pier, except that in the morning of February 23, 1915, a group of 53 policemen and four officers departed from this dock  in Panama City on board the steamship “Veraguas” under the command of General Manuel Quintero Villarreal and the Governor of the Province of Panama, Rodolfo Estripeau.

After 44 hours of sailing, General Quintero and his men arrived at former Rabo de Puerco (today known as Puerto Armuelles).  Other than this brief historic passage of the dock linked to the Guerra de Coto with Costa Rica, the rest of the history of the pier, has been devoured by the passing of time.

Under the administration of Ricardo Martinelli Berrocal, the British Wharf was totally restored to serve the growing needs of the city dwellers.  Panama was growing very fast and the installations were literally falling apart.  The maritime authorities selected an elegant design with bright colors for the new building which enhances the overall beauty of the city.

The dock serves the needs of the adjacent seafood market which is visited by thousands of consumers every day, specially during Easter Week when Roman Catholics include fish in their meals as part of their religious faith.

Below are several pictures of the restored British Wharf.  Here we go.

Snapshot of the Muelle Inglés before it was restored by the administration of Ricardo Martinelli. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Snapshot of the entrance of the new building of British Wharf with a modern design and bright colors. Many Panamanians use these facilities to travel by boat to the islands of the Archpiélago de las Perlas and the Province of Darién. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Take notice of the modern design of the modern building recently restored to serve the needs of the seafood market and the passengers who travels to the islands of the bay and the Province of Darién. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

If you love lines in a photograph, this picture is for you. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Snapshot of the waiting room where passengers wait for their vessels to leave for the islands of the bay or the ports of Darién. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

If you happen to know more about this historic dock, I would appreciate if you would share this information with us.  Capturing history is vital in keeping the traditions and cultural background of our countries.  Good Day.

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A Metro Bus in Panama City Making Its Rounds

Snapshot of a Metro Bus making its rounds at the bus stop of Plaza Cinco de Mayo. The impressing building to your left is the former railroad station built by the U.S. Panama Canal Commission during the construction of the Panama Canal. From here you could take a train to Colon City on the Atlantic Side. Today it is a museum operated by the Panama Government. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

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