Buenos Aires, Feb 20 (IANS): Argentina will receive Chinese-built trains next year as part of a push to modernize its ageing metropolitan railway network that links the capital Buenos Aires with its main suburbs, a minister said.

A video conference was held Tuesday when Argentinean Interior and Transportation Minister Florencio Randazzo and the Chinese side confirmed that the engineering work is well under way, reported Xinhua.

The railroad cars will be delivered in 13 months, as stipulated by the contract, the authorities said, citing the executives from CSR Qingdao Sifang Locomotive & Rolling Stock Co.

"We want you to tell Argentina's president that we have already begun to work very hard on the construction of the cars and we are going to fulfil what we signed," the Chinese executives said.

The contract for the rail cars, which are to be built with the latest technology in comfortability, speed and safety, came as a result of the tragic railway accident that killed 51 passengers in Buenos Aires Feb 22, 2012.

The tragedy forced the government to intervene in the railway service sector where private companies had been the major players, and ordered the renewal of all rail cars.