Spanish High Speed Line

Alan Jun 5, 2001

  1. Alan

    Alan Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    RENFE have announced details of the Madrid-Barcelona high speed line trains.

    Sixteen trains formed of two power cars and twelve trailers, will have wheelsets which can change gauge at points where standard gauge high speed line meets the 1668mm classic network.

    Delivery is due to start at the end of 2003 and will be carried out at the rate of two trains per month.

    A prototype power car and train has been through a series of tests in recent months in Spain and reached 359km/h early this year, breaking the Spanish record.

    The new line is expected to be in service in 2004 and will cut the 650 km Madrid-Barcelone journey time from 6 - 6 1/2 hours to 2 1/2 hours :eek:

    That is some reduction [​IMG]
     
  2. eddelozier

    eddelozier TrainBoard Member

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    Ah Suchs!!! I was a year and a half too early with my trip to Spain. Dec. 1999
    That 6-6 1/2 hr trip to Barcelona from Madrid was too long to fit my schedule. Now it sounds you can go out and back in one day.

    Will the train be similiar to the Talgo "T200" that I took south, Cordoba to Malaga?
    The Talgo also changed track gauge somwhere in route? It was a strange feeling hearing all the action under the car as it slowing rolled forward during the change over.

    ...Eddie
     
  3. Alan

    Alan Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Not sure of the type of trains yet, but they are to be built by Talgo and Adtrans.
     
  4. John Whitby

    John Whitby E-Mail Bounces

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    Alan,
    Is this the high speed line known as GIF ? I see in the latest "Today's Railways" magazine that two British Class 37 diesels are going over to Spain to assist with the construction.
    Best wishes,
    John.
     
  5. Ben

    Ben E-Mail Bounces

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    We are quite rapidly getting to the stage, with the spreading of high speed rail links through various countries, where rail travel will be (and already is in some instances) a feasible alternative to air travel for business and leisure journeys in Europe, not just for rail enthusiasts who don't mind how long their journey takes (within reason) but for everyone.

    I hope to visit Spain for a holiday next year and it could well be that my rail journey (I am afraid of flying as well as being a hardbitten rail protagonist and enthusiast) will not take all that much longer than the rest of my family's journey to the aerodrome, waiting, flying, waiting for bags at the other end and car journey to our eventual destination.

    I can get to within about two miles of our destination by narrow gauge dmu on the Denia to Alicante line; I would cover the remaining distance, slowly, by Shanks' pony.

    The trouble at the moment is that the cost is not competitive; it is an expensive luxury.

    Perhaps fares will come down in the future.

    Ben
     
  6. John Whitby

    John Whitby E-Mail Bounces

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    I totally agree Ben,
    I find flying and all the associated waiting around at airports particularly boring and tedious. Unfortuneately because of distance and price, air travel is sometimes the only option if you want to visit a particular place. Now that I have retired and time is not as important I would like to make more use of the train for European journeys if only they could make the fares more competitive.
    Take care,
    John.
     
  7. Chris

    Chris New Member

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    Hello,

    Not sure of the type of trains yet, but they are to be built by Talgo and Adtrans.[/QUOTE]

    Actually, four types of trains have been ordered so far for this line :
    - long distance trains for a 350km/h top speed to Talgo/Adtranz (Talgo 350, 16 trainsets)) ans Siemens (ICE 3, 16 trainsets too),
    - "regional" high speed trains, for 250-270 km/h to Alstom
    - variable gauge trains for 220-240 km/h to Talgo (Talgo XXI).

    Note that the Talgos 350s are not fitted with the variable gauge system, as the space requiered for the wheel to move is occupied by a second braking disk. This is Talgo XXIs (which have variable gauge power units, eliminating long manoeuvres at the gauge-changing points) have been ordered. However, this arrangement could change in the medium term, as Talgo aims to develop variable gauge power units for 270 km/h (the Talgo XXI trainsets are currently able to reach such a speed, but not their power units).

    Regards,

    Chris
     
  8. Chris

    Chris New Member

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    <blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by John Whitby:
    Alan,
    Is this the high speed line known as GIF ?
    <hr></blockquote>

    Hi John,

    GIF is actually the infrastructure management entity in Spain, as is RFF in France or Railtrack in the UK.

    Cheers,

    Chris
     
  9. John Whitby

    John Whitby E-Mail Bounces

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    "GIF is actually the infrastructure management entity in Spain, as is RFF in France or Railtrack in the UK"

    Thanks for the info Christian.
     
  10. Alan

    Alan Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thank you for the information, Chris, and a warm welcome to Trainboard [​IMG]
     

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