Page 508 - 360.revista de Alta Velocidad - Nº 6

Andersen, Sven

3.10.6 Survey about all additional infrastructure facilities needed for a strict
regular service

All measures, which are necessary to upgrade the infrastructure of the Madrid - Sevilla AVE
line from 250 km/h to 300 km/h, come first. When the author returned on Saturday 07.10,2017
from Ciudad Real with train AVE 3993+3943 he could watch that the train for a very short time
was running 298 km/h in the section between Ciudad Real and Madrid. Secondly the signalling
system on the different AVE lines and the maintenance facilities must allow a rolling stock
roster presented in figure 11. Thirdly the infrastructure approaching Madrid P.d.A, must allow
a track occupation diagram presented in figure 10. Fourthly a short new high speed connecting
line in the area SW of Córdoba is necessary, to allow a fast direct travel Sevilla - Antequera
Santa. At least an upgrading of the infrastructure in some interchange stations is necessary, in
order to make more convenient the changing procedure.

3.10.7 Overview about the main results with influence on cost-benefit ratio

A strict regular service with at least a service every hour allowing a high commercial speed for
a maximum of passengers shall boost passenger demand. For this an increase of 98% for the
train kilometres is designed. Although this goal is envisaged the alteration of the train sets
needed for the proposed regular service reads as follows: an additional need of 15 running
days capable of running 300 km/h and two MD running days is faced to a reduced demand of
in total 15 Avant, 8 Alvia, 2 Alta and 1 IC train sets. Further the 3 gauge changing constructions
facilities in Antequera Santa Ana, Sevilla-Majarabique and Zaragoza could be saved. All these
criteria together could decisive improve the cost-benefit ratio of the AVE traffic.

4. Conclusion

The present AVE timetable contains too much recovery time in the running time of the AVE
trains as well as in the stopping time at the stations. RENFE should give up the strategy to
reimburse the passengers for the tickets if an AVE-train arrives with a certain delay at the final
destination. RENFE should rather make all efforts to shorten the travel times. The top most
goal of high speed rail is to provide the highest possible commercial speed for a maximum of
passengers. This goal includes a strict regular service and leads to a lower load factor beyond
peak times. For this RENFE should use the Market pricing strategy in order to raise demand in
these times and maximize revenues [9]. By of all these criteria RENFE should be able to improve
the cost-benefit ratio of the AVE traffic considerably.

5. Brief

Brief comment to the AVE network (important comment: this chapter is upgraded and completed
after attending the high speed congress in Ciudad Real)
This brief addendum belongs to this research. In figure 15 the present AVE network development
is shown. At present the extension of the AVE network gears to the Northwest region of Spain.
But for this strategy we must state the following statements:
Madrid - junction Olmiedo will be the trunk section for all trains from NW Spain bound for the
capital Madrid.
1. In the European Railway Timetable, valid from June 2017, in the three tables 679, 679a
and 680 in total 39 trains per direction could be counted out departing on Friday from
Madrid Charmartin to this junction. This number of 39 trains now must be distributed to

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