Subways first power test a success

Panama’s subway, the first in Central America, should be up and running by March or April 2014, [in good time for an official opening before the May election].

The news comes from Roberto Roy executive secretary of Panama Metro, who said Saturday August 24 that two more trains will arrive on Monday to join the eight that are already here. The full complement of 19 is expected to be complete by year end.

A test of the electrical system of storage yards and workshops of the subway system, project managers conducted the first test with one of the trains that have arrived in the country on Wednesday, August 21, at 11:00 pm The the exercise was to connect the subway power lines to the system in the Albrook area.
"We applied 1,500 volts direct current (dc) to the catenary (top cable carrying energy) which was transmitted to the test train through the pantograph (device that connects the train with the catenary wires)" he said in a release.
One of the eight trains that are already in the country was moved at a "reduced rate" within the area of the yards over a distance of approximately 100 to 200 meters and then returned to the shop.
The purpose, Roy said, was "to test the energization" of the entire area of yards and workshops and the first train, powered by the catenary, and also to test the auxiliary systems including lighting, signage, controls onboard computer and , air conditioning). "All worked properly," he said.
The drive system, was tested with its own engines, ie.,  it was no longer pushed.