Years have now passed since the last of the surviving Estrella services, the Costa Brava, had its route cut back to terminate in Barcelona, stripping its own name of any meaning. Long gone are the months when it only climbed as far as Cerbère on weekends, a looming omen of
In November 2011, the CEHFE organised the pilot journey for the proposed future Costa Brava Tourist Train, hauled by Guadix's locomotive 140-2054 and crewed by military train drivers. The formation consisted of a J-type van and two 'Costa' coaches. They were followed at a block-section distance
End of the line. Regional service No. 15845, formed of units 470-090 and 470-095, visits French soil. Back then, regional services on the Ca2 line covered the route between Barcelona - Sants and Cerbère, with permission to carry passengers to the latter, but having to return empty to Portbou through
Sprinting through Altafulla-Tamarit halt is the Arco service No. 00694 from Sevilla Santa Justa / Málaga María Zambrano / Badajoz / Almería to Barcelona Sants, on its final journey using conventional rolling stock. After this run, it was replaced by a double-formation Alaris Class 490, which failed to cover all the original destinations
At the southbound exit of Barcelona - Sants station, in what is nicknamed nowadays "the Sants box", the tracks were covered over as they pass between the neighbourhoods of Sants and La Bordeta. To carry out the overhead line replacement, traffic was suspended for a few days. I
In this snapshot, we can see the old FEVE station of León - Matallana. These were its final months of operation; since then, attempts were made to pedestrianise and integrate the area by converting the section closest to the city into an urban tramway. However, endless delays and "bureau-crazy&
Passing through Vacarisses halt at a good speed on San Fermín's day is Potasero (potash train) No. 53552 from Manresa Clasificación to Flix, hauled by the 269-352 'pseudo-andem' locomotives. Back then, you were lucky to spot Class 269 locomotives in a clean Traction Business Unit livery,
Next to the famous cava cellars of Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, I set myself up to spend a hot summer's afternoon. The intermodal train (TECO) No. 91811 from Barcelona Morrot to Madrid Abroñigal, headed by the 269-856 'pseudo-tandem'. Shortly afterwards, a locomotive transfer passes by,
After two years (not that I was putting a great deal of effort into it), I finally came across the "Pastas Gallo" train, the only regular freight service on the Barcelona - Ripoll line. The catch was that it didn't have a fixed timetable; it ran
The pristine 253-102 from Comsa Rail Transport, with just a few days of service under its belt, heads the Crossrail intermodal train No. 98589 from Barcelona-Morrot to Zaragoza-El Espartal, passing through La Granada station.
Looping at L'Arboç, this Pecovasa car transporter train enters the station working a special service No. 93805 from Martorell-Seat to Venta de Baños. Running ahead of schedule, it was recessed at this station for about 90 minutes. With a far from negligible length of 527 metres, it is
Passing through the approach points at L'Arboç station at a good speed is the Potasero (potash train) No. 53552 from Manresa Clasificación to Flix, hauled by the 269-852 'pseudo-tandem' Japonesas.