European Railroad Discussion > Northwest Spain

Back from my trip to N.W. Spain - Santiago de Compostela. Now with pictures. First, in the station yard at Santiago was a nice surprise - A Spanish version of an ALCO PA - all stuffed and mounted. I assume they were produced in the 1950s by ALCO or in Spain under license?? The pictures from my cellphone come either upside down or sideways. Sorry. Can someone help?

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#4 Shows the ALCO tri-mount truck
#5 Santiage de Compostela station
#6 Typical RENFE train departing the station.

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The trains that operate at this time between Madrid-Chamartin and Santiago de Compostela are an interesting mix of diesel and electric; normal passenger speeds and high speed. For example, We departed Santiago on the Talgo train set of 11 cars. Up front was an electric unit, followed by a diesel unit, and then the passenger cars. From Santiago to Ourense (50 miles?) we used electric on a new high speed line at 200 kmh. Then from Ourense to Zamora (160 miles?) we were back to diesel operation, operating through mountains at 110 kmh top speed. Again from Zamora to Madrid on high speed line we operated on a high speed line at 250 kmh.

This kind of operation will change in a couple of years when the high speed line between Zamora and Ourense is completed in two years?

From Ourense to Sarria was a nice 50 mile RDC ride. A nice operation in a comfortable RDC.

#7 is RDC interior.
#8 is RDC at Ourense.
#9 is RDC at Sarria.

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#10 is the station at Sarria.
#11 is a diesel freight train in the country side near Sarria.

In general I was impressed with Spain's train service. Well run. On time. Friendly personnel. Good equipment. Stations and station personnel helpful. The major stations had a lot of security personnel present; baggage was screened, as well as purses, etc. inspected.

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Before posting the pictures download them from your phone to a computer, use a photo editing program to rotate them appropriately, and then upload them to TO from the computer, making sure they're the right size for TO posting. You can use the "preview" option on TO to make sure everything went through right before actually posting.

Here

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