Page 82 - 360.revista de Alta Velocidad - Nº 5

Piqueras, Anibal. Saura, Joan. Paños, Francisco.

Table 5. Operational services in the Oviedo - Leon section.

Source: Adif (freight operations), Renfe (passenger operations)

Daily Daily
Mediumdistance/ Daily freight trains Longdistance Total
N. Section regional from Monday to passenger km
passenger Friday (average) services services/day
services
42
8
126
76
1.1 Oviedo - Pola de (38/direction) (21/direction) (4/direction) (63/direction) 31
Lena
Pola de Lena 22 42 8 72
1.2 - Puente Los 12
Fierros (11/direction) (21/direction) (4/direction (36/direction)
Puente Los Fie- 8 42 8 58
1.3 71
rros - La Robla (4/direction) (21/direction) (4/direction (29/direction)
4 42 8 54
1.4 La Robla - León 26
(2/direction) (21/direction) (4/direction (27/direction)
Total length 140

The three issues could be solved in the same way that in the Castellón-Vandellós section. The
actual long-distance passenger services run under automatic variable gauge systems. Therefore,
the first a) issue may be easily solved by constructing a new changeover facility in the end of
the new 1435 mm track gauge section.
In the case of the medium-distance and regional passenger rail services we find the main
challenge between Oviedo and Pola de Lena and also between Pola de Lena and Puente Los
Fierros. These regional services and freight services may be analysed carefully.

For freight services, considering that freight traffic moves from its current running section
through Pajares Pass to the new double-tunnel track section in 1435 mm track gauge, the new
tool of the automatic variable gauge system would permit to give continuity to these trains.

4. Conclusions

The main conclusions that can be drawn from this paper are listed below:
• To solve the existent connection problems due to the different track gauge in Spain,
there is a need to have an automatic gauge changing technology to be implemented in
freight wagons. This solution already exists in passenger trains, but it is of the utmost
importance to develop it in freight trains.
• An automatic variable gauge system, such as the OGI system, will permit to increase in
Spain the percentage of rail freight services from/to Europe. This will entail a change
in the modal share to the rail mode, in the search of more sustainable mobility and
transport.

• The new automatic variable freight system R&D project will provide the infrastructure
planners and decision makers a new tool for the railroad planning. This new tool would
permit to enhance the interoperability between different track gauge networks.

80 360.revista de alta velocidad