Adif reopens today, September 1, to the circulation of trains the Palencia–Santander railway line, after completing during August and simultaneously a new milestone in the duplication of the conventional Torrelavega–Santander line, between Renedo and Guarnizo, and high-speed deployment works.
In the conventional network, Adif has overcome an engineering challenge to integrate the deployment of the second track into a complex orographic environment such as Parbayon.
The work has consisted in the construction of the concrete slab that, supported by more than 80 piles, channels the new section of 400 m that allows double track to its passage through the area. In addition, the old road has been erected, the new road has been mounted and the catenary has been deployed (raising of posts and laying of wiring).
For the moment, the new road will be put into service, while all the infrastructure is prepared to carry out the work in the second, minimizing afflictions in subsequent actions.
This action, included in the stretch between Renedo and Guarnizo (1.8 km), constitutes a step forward in the duplication of the conventional line, one of the main actions of the Proximity Plan of Cantabria to which an investment of 138 million euros is destined.
Likewise, progress has been made in the construction of the lower passage, which suppresses the passage at the level of Parbayon.
There has also been an improvement in the signage with three new interlocks in Mataporquera, Pozazal and Sopeña, as well as in the demolition and replacement of two upper passes. Taking advantage of the traffic cut and, in order to avoid future traffic problems, the slab has also been renovated on the Camesa River.
Finally, the Torrelavega Tano station, which has regional traffic, proximity and long distance traffic, has been conditioned to improve its accessibility by installing in the coming months a lower pass and elevators to replace the passage between platforms.
For the deployment of the High-Speed Line (LAV) Palencia–Santander, between August 1 and 31, Adif has acted in the construction of the platform sections that run parallel to the conventional line and the viaduct (80 m), which will channel the crossing between them at the height of Marcilla de Campos. The routes, which together amount to around 1 km and are located at different points of the line, will continue to advance from now on in the maintenance band, during the night, in the hours without train circulation.
Adif thus gives a boost to the connection to this line, to which it allocates an investment of 1.7 billion euros, to promote mobility and high-speed communications of Santander with the center and the rest of the country, strengthening the reliability and capacity of the infrastructure and reducing travel times.
The deployment of this high-speed line is already carried out by executing five sections (78.4 km) between Palencia and Alar del Rey, in addition to contracting the drafting of the project of the Alar del Rey-Reinosa (51.4 km). In parallel, the actions are promoted to increase the capacity of the connection from Reinosa and Santander, which materializes through the conventional network.
The actions completed in a month in both areas, conventional and high speed, of great magnitude and technical complexity, have been incompatible with rail traffic. The fact of concentrating them in August has minimized the impact on traffic, both of passengers and goods with the Port of Santander.
They also contribute to SDGs 9 (infrastructure, reliable, sustainable and quality), 7 (sustainability) and 8 (economic growth and job creation).
European funding
The work of execution of the platform construction project of the Palencia Norte, Palencia Norte-Amusco and Amusco-Osorno sections of the LAV Palencia Aguilar de Campoo have European funding, through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. Funded by the European Union- NextGenerationEU.