This investment, described by TMB sources as “mid-life” maintenance, aims to update the units that have already completed 20 years of service. The trains were originally manufactured by the Basque company CAF.
These actions are called mid-life and are carried out when the trains are already a few years old to bring them up to date.
The planned reforms are of an “strategic and operational” nature and include accessibility improvements, such as replacing the current gray seats with red ones and modifying the space for wheelchairs. The fire detection system will also be renewed in 10 trains, a new “hermetic seal” system for the driver's cabin will be introduced, and the flooring and interior lighting will be replaced with LED.
The work will be carried out on a maximum of three trains simultaneously to avoid affecting the service. The tender stipulates that the first remodeled unit must be completed one year after the contract signing, around the spring of 2027. Interested companies can submit their offers until January 31.
This tender follows the failed competition for the manufacture of 39 new trains (22 for L9 and 17 for other lines) which was declared deserted at the end of December, as the sole bid presented by Alstom was deemed “inadequate” by TMB. The metropolitan company has not yet set a date for the new tender but assures that it is working to minimize the delay.
