First standard gauge train left Spain!

Tuesday 21th December 2010 was an historical day for European railways, as the first standard gauge train left Spain using partly a new standard gauge line and partly some old lines converted to double gauge (1435 and 1668, that is, standard and 5ft6in). Traffic is really limited for now (one or two trains per day) as the line only serve a part of Barcelona's sea port, and nearly no industry, but it is hoped that this short, 100 miles standard gauge line will be followed by other converted railways to the rest of the country. Until now freight trains have to stop for half a day to tranship goods or to change bogies, on very small yars that cannot be expanded and running at nearly full capacity, that's why only 4% of Portugal-Spain-Rest of Europe freight traffic is transported by railway, the rest goung by road.

http://www.ferrovie.it/forum/viewtopic. ... 29#p996129

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxwEhemHnpU

wow , only 4% of freight by rail . lets hope the standard gauge bits into the road share considerably .

As I said, actual traffic is symbolic because the line has just opened and goes nowhere but the port. But there are already some factories reclaiming a standard gauge line to ease export, and this may help for future conversions.

There were until now two couples of small yards where bogies are changed and goods transhipped: Port Bou-Cerbère and Irun-Hendaye, now there is also one intermodal terminal with dual gauge track in Barcelona's Port.