What is seen by many as the hope for Spain to move more freight by rail is getting closer by the day. The so-called railway highways (autopistas ferroviarias), or unaccompanied combined transport trains, are planned on the Algeciras – Madrid - Zaragoza and, potentially, on the Valencia – Madrid routes. For this purpose, several operators ordered new locomotives and wagons.
While Renfe Mercancías is tendering 149 pocket and container wagons, VTG is getting 200 Sdggmrss pocket wagons made by Tatravagónka for Iberian (1,668 mm) and standard (1,435 mm) gauge. The prototype of this was presented at Innotrans 2022.
The other manufacturer, less in the spotlight, is Spanish Talleres Alegría, which manufactures 50 of the same wagon types for Ermewa. And last week, some of these Iberian-gauge wagons were spotted passing the Pajares pass on a train pulled by an Alsa locomotive. These wagons already have the NiKRASA 3.0 system for non-cranable semitrailers shifting, enabling the movement of more semitrailers by rail.
