This Wednesday, after an investment of 267 million euros, the Cadiz Bay tram started running to link the towns of Cadiz, San Fernando and Chiclana.
The route is 24 kilometers long and includes 21 stops. It will service a population of 234,000 inhabitants located less than a thousand meters away from a stop.
The tram-bahía is a bimodal public transport system that combines the best of trains and trams. It is the first time that a vehicle designed to travel in urban areas has carried passengers on the national railway network.
The vehicles are designed to withstand encounters with high-performance trains, allowing them to travel on the railway, reaching speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour and reducing the travel time from one municipality to another. They have a system of doors, windows and ventilation designed to be able to go from a minimum speed on the route through the historic center to crossing paths with trains at 160 km/hour.
They also have a dual power supply system to adapt to both sections, and the interior is divided into different heights separated by ramps or steps, which is the only way for passengers to get on and off at both the train stops and in the city.
It is also the only train in Spain with elastic wheels, unlike the metal wheels that Renfe uses.
The project design began two decades ago and the works started 16 years ago. The technical complexity multiplied the planned investment and delayed implementation multiple times.
Inse Rail, in a joint venture with TPF Getinsa and Aertec, has been involved in this important project since 2010, as the construction manager of energy installations, signaling and communications systems, and workshop and depot equipment.
Source: Inse Rail
October 27, 2022
