Medellín Metro Receives New High-Tech Rail Reprofiling Machine

A high-technology rail profiling machine arrived at Puerto Antioquia on October 10, 2024, to reinforce maintenance operations for the Metro de Medellín. The specialized vehicle is intended to improve service quality and support the system’s capacity expansion efforts.

Manufactured in the United States and brought from Taiwan, the equipment is owned by the company Harsco. The machine will be deployed for a period of 120 days to perform major maintenance on the rail infrastructure of both Line A and Line B.

Technical Scope and Objectives

The primary objective of the deployment is to intervene in 60 kilometers of rail and 71 switches. The rail profiling machine is designed to profile and parameterize the tracks, ensuring that trains operate normally and safely.

This specific vehicle possesses double the capacity of the rail profiling machine currently owned by the Metro de Medellín. While the new machine provides temporary reinforcement, the company’s own equipment will continue to operate nightly.

Maintaining the rail infrastructure in optimal condition is critical for the system’s operational efficiency. Proper rail profiling reduces vibrations and minimizes the impact on trains, which extends the lifespan of the equipment and lowers overall maintenance costs.

Operational Logistics and Collaboration

To avoid disrupting regular commercial service, maintenance work is conducted during the night when operations are suspended. The Metro de Medellín performs maintenance activities 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

The project involves an international collaboration to coordinate the vehicle’s activities. Specialized personnel from the Metro de Medellín are leading the efforts, supported by experts from Harsco and contractor personnel from Taiwan, Brazil, and Argentina.

Infrastructure Context and Future Expansion

The need for reinforced maintenance follows 29 years of commercial operation. The Metro de Medellín has seen an increase in load and the number of users over nearly three decades, which has contributed to the deterioration of the rails.

The organization invests more than $100 billion annually in preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance to comply with international regulations and ensure service efficiency.

This temporary reinforcement is part of a broader strategy to increase the system’s capacity. As part of an expansion project, the Metro de Medellín plans to acquire 13 additional trains and purchase a rail profiling vehicle similar to the one currently provided by Harsco.