Projects for standard gauge in Spain going north and south 03/04/24
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The Spanish Ministry of Transport (MITMA) recently assigned contracts for the implementation of the standard gauge (1435mm) in key rail freight locations. The projects concern the area of Valladolid in the north and the Bobadilla-Algeciras railway in the south.
The Bobadilla-Algeciras line is a starting point for both the TEN-T Atlantic and Mediterranean corridors. Algeciras is Spain’s largest port and these initiatives aim at creating a connection to Spain’s standard gauge network. Valladolid is already equipped with the 1435mm gauge along the line that runs from Madrid to Leon. Spain’s plan for the city is to turn it into a rail freight hub along the Atlantic Corridor.
Bringing the standard gauge to Algeciras
Spain allocated 52.8 million euros to adapt the infrastructure to accommodate standard gauge traffic between Bobadilla and Ronda. The initiative involves the replacement of all track elements, ballast, sleepers, and rail, with better-quality ones, MITMA stated. Moreover, the overpasses along the line will be adapted to make room for the equipment necessary for the electrification process. This contract has been awarded to a Temporary Business Union made up of electrical equipment supplier Tecsa and construction engineering company Dragados.
Creating a 1435mm gauge railway between Algeciras and Bobadilla would connect Spain’s largest port to the country’s standard gauge network. Bobadilla is in fact crossed by the standard gauge line connecting Malaga to Córdoba and then Madrid. Along the Algeciras-Bobadilla axis, actions have also been carried out on the Algeciras-Almoraima and San Pablo-Ronda sections. For the San Pablo-Almoraima, the first phase was completed and the contracts for the second one were awarded to Comsa in December.
Making Valladolid a rail freight hub
MITMA also awarded a contract for 29 million euros to build a standard gauge second track on a 7-kilometre stretch between the station, the northern junction and the future Eastern Variant. The Eastern Variant will be a standard gauge line solely dedicated to rail freight traffic. The actions included in the contract assigned by MITMA entail the construction of the platform, the assembly of the track and its electrification. This initiative is part of Spain’s plan to turn Valladolid into a rail freight hub along the TEN-T Atlantic Corridor. The contract was assigned to a consortium that includes Comsa, Comsa Instalaciones y Sistemas Industriales, specialised in railway construction, and Inmeva Infraestructura, which focusses on electric infrastructure.
In yellow the new line planned in Valladolid. Image: © Spanish Minstry of Transport