According to Madrid Metro, Sbase has paid around €28m for the cars and an additional €4.6m for spare parts and technical support. The first vehicles are due to be shipped to Argentina by the end of the year.

The vehicles will be converted from 1445mm gauge to standard gauge and will be equipped with new signalling, train radio, and CCTV systems for operation in the Argentine capital. They will also undergo a full internal and external refurbishment before entering service, with renewal of some major components.

The 29m-long three-car 6000 series trains were built by CAF in 1998 and were last used on Line 9, where they operated in pairs.

Madrid Metro has already sold 36 series 5000 vehicles to Sbase, which were supplied in two batches in 2011 and 2012.

Sbase is currently investing in new and secondhand rolling stock with the aim of replacing the oldest trains and increasing the fleet size by around 200 vehicles.

An in-depth feature on the Buenos Aires metro will appear in the August issue of IRJ.