European Railroad Discussion > A Train in Spain

In May 1998 I rode this sweet little thing from Madrid to Merida. Passenger units like this diesel-hydraulic carried names and Leslie A-200 style cow horns (Honk! Honk!), the equipment was immaculate, and the crews were some of the friendliest I’ve ever encountered. Yes, that’s a Roman aqueduct in the background. Viva RENFE!  



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/22/21 11:55 by kurtarmbruster.

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Ah, but does it remain on the plain?  A tour guide in Spain told me I didn't have to believe everything I heard on Broadway after it started to rain on the Costa del Sol.  Gerry

Is there still an international Talgo service? I've always been fascinated with the technique to "squeeze" the wheels to fit the guage change.

DaleR

dbrcnw Wrote:
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> Is there still an international Talgo service?
>
> DaleR
Sadly not, the tren hotel from Spain to France was summarily withdrawn on the opening of the high speed line from the French / Spanish border to Barcelona in December 2013

Nice to see a Spanish station master. Note the small interlocking plant beside the station, and the station clock.

dbrcnw Wrote:
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> Is there still an international Talgo service?
> I've always been fascinated with the technique to
> "squeeze" the wheels to fit the guage change.
>
> DaleR

There is interntional Talgo service, but as the other poster stated, no longer to/from Spain. But Russian Railways did (pre-pandemic) offer a twice-weekly Talgo service Berlin - Moscow that involved a gauge change at the Polish/Belarusian border.

And there are of course numerous domestic Spanish services that utilitze both the Iberian and standard gauge networks by means of gauge changing...

In December 2022 it is planned to offer through Montreux - Interlaken service with special MOB trainsets using variable gauge wheelsets [ using a different design than Talgo's ] which will be "squeezed", or vv, at Zweisimmen.

I was a fan of "The Third Rail" approach myself.

SZ