Don't be put off by the mandatory reservations Richard. Spain is a beautiful country with a fascinating rail network....at least three different gauges! With a little forward planning, it would be a very worthwhile trip once we're able to travel again.
Ok, only been once so not had much experience of the country. Definitely one I want to do though. Thanks for your input, much appreciated. May ask for more info as and when I decide to go, if that's ok? Probably link in with a trip to Portugal as want to do 1400s again!
Planned to have a multi-system electric loco, not a bi-mode i'm afraid.
Electrification of the first part of the Algeciras line, from Antequera as far as Ronda, has been announced.
Very interesting. I wonder whether provision will be made for dual gauge track at the same time? Between Bobadilla and Ronda the line serves a very sparsely-populated rural area, but Ronda itself - as well as being a major tourist destination in its own right - has expanded exponentially in recent years with the constuction of vast new housing estates on its periphery.
Here in Portugal, four from the five daily services between Porto and Pocinho, along the Douro valley are booked for class 1400s, as mentioned. Only the 1525 ex-Porto and last one back off Pocinho in the evening are units, with even this turn meant to go over to 1400s soon. There are currently five 1400s for the three diagrams, 1408, 1424, 1436, 1438, 1455, but the full pool is meant to be eight locos for five diagrams. 1408 is temporarily in the pool in place of 1415, whilst 1413 is also on emergency train duty and will return to Porto sometime soon. 1429 & 1461 are both under overhaul at Barreiro and will join the Porto fleet - 1461 is almost ready, 1429 might be June/July.
Thanks for that, really helpful. Appreciate it.
Did I write Seinäjoki-Vaasa? Apologies Seinäjoki-Jyväskylä I meant, but these are all Dm12 now. I think the last diesel hauled trains I did in Finland were the Rovaniemi sleeper and Hanko-Karjaa.
Only the evening runs are functioning now. They are all Intercity now, one of the few loco-hauled services.
The sleeper that crosses the straits of Messina is also shunted on and off the ferry using a diesel locomotive at each side, although that is getting pretty niche
Thanks for info, really useful.
Yes indeed.....two different centre-cab D145.2000s in each direction - one onto the ferry and one off again, using old withdrawn UIC-X carriages as reach wagons to avoid the loco having to stand on the linkspan. Curiously, the locos used for ferry shunting at Villa San Giovanni on the mainland side are allocated to Messina depot in Sicily, rather than Reggio Calabria, so they have to go over on the ferry for maintenance and exams. However fuelling and light servicing are undertaken on the mainland.The sleeper that crosses the straits of Messina is also shunted on and off the ferry using a diesel locomotive at each side, although that is getting pretty niche
Have seen one come off the ferry, having come from mainland, was used to drag the train off without the barrier coach.
I think I’ve seen that too. Will see if I can find a photo tonight when I get home.
Vaasa-Seinäjoki is electrified. Vaasa to Vaskiluoto (the harbour) is not and doesn't see any traffic.
Incorrect. See my post further back up the page
Sorry to ask but to clarify is the Algeciras line loco hauled or is it bi-mode unit?
No, there are no Media Distancia loco-hauled services anymore. The only MD services through Benalúa/Sant Gabriel are the València-Murcia/Cartagena DMUs (599, 3 cars long), which run twice a day (in the full timetables there's a third run and one runs through from València to Zaragoza via Teruel, but atm it's just one to Murcia and another to Cartagena). From Alacant-Terminal you have the 449 EMU's to Ciudad Real (3 a day, only 2 running atm), and 470 (1 a day plus a Fri/Sun extra) to València, apart from the already mentioned Murcia services.
This is a political decision after the local press complained that they often broke down, and yeah, it's single-track from Humanes (15-20 miles from Madrid) all the way to Badajoz.
It depends, the IC towards Madrid (2 a day, only one running currently) is always a Talgo VI+diesel locomotive, running semi-fast and into the high-speed line from Antequera. The MD (stopping) service to Antequera is a DMU. It's 3 tpd (2 in the reduced timetable)
The Siena-Grosseto line has not seen loco-hauled services in a regular timetable since 2014, when the service was cut back. The loco-hauled services on the line were stopped with the withdrawal of most direct trains between Florence and Grosseto via Siena. Those services were cut back to Siena and the Siena-Grosseto portions were replaced by railcars and multiple units, operated by the Minuetto Diesels (ALn 501/502), ALn 668s and ALn 663s. From time to time ATR 220tr Pesa Atribo 'Swing' units make an appearance. Sadly, new 'Blues' trains based on the Hitachi Rock but with bi-mode capabilities will be replacing the wonderful D445s on the Siena-Empoli-Florence service. Heritage D445s are often used on the Asciano-Monte Antico line as 'treni storici' (historic trains) pulling Centoporte coaches.
There are 100% loco hauled MD services through San Gabriel. I live right next to the tunnel entrance in San Gabby. In fact there are more loco hauled services than 599 operated services throughout the day. The operate a combination of Cuidad Real/Zaragoza/Barcelona/Valencia to Cartegena/Murcia services.
