Adif has optimized various elements of the infrastructure that will allow to reduce the travel times of the trains that circulate in the line of Cerca Santander-Torrelavega -Cabezón de la Sal (C2) from February 1.
The new timetables, already announced by Renfe, are the result of the improvement actions that Adif has carried out in recent months and that began with the optimization of the light signals in different stations of the line. This change has allowed trains to increase their speed of approaching and passing through the stations, thus reducing the final travel time.
On the other hand, and in addition, the distances of the beacons which instruct the train to reduce the speed at which the signals pass have been adjusted, thereby also reducing the travelling time.
These actions allow us to absorb delays in the event of small incidents, increasing the punctuality of the service -currently 93%-, while at the same time allowing us to reconfigure and optimize the circulation time of commuter trains.
The reduction in times is noticeably higher on semi-direct trains - with stops in Torrelavega, Puente San Miguel and Cabezón de la Sal - reaching the 10 minutes reduction on the first train in the morning. For trains that stop at all stations on the route, the reduction varies between 4 and 7 minutes.
This reduction in travel time is the first to be carried out in this line since the implementation of the current version of the ASFA Digital protection system in the metric width network.
New time improvements are planned with the incorporation of a new version of ASFA Digital, optimized by the State Railway Safety Agency, Renfe and Adif, and will be implemented in the equipment on board the trains.
All these actions are integrated into the Cantabrian Commuter Plan, which has a global budget of 1.5 billion euros, of which more than 1,200 correspond to interventions in the infrastructure.
The Santander-Cabezón de la Sal line, 46 kilometers long, joins the two cities with the largest population in the region, has 23 stations and has the highest frequency of trains and the highest number of passengers of the three lines of the Cerca de Cantabria nucleus.
The Santander-Cabezón de la Sal line, 46 kilometers long, joins the two cities with the largest population in the region, has 23 stations and has the highest frequency of trains and the highest number of passengers of the three lines of the Cerca de Cantabria nucleus.
The main actions to improve the railway infrastructure are focused on the integral renovation of the track throughout the line, the improvement of the signalling system, the installation of a new GSMR telecommunications system, a new electrical substation under construction in Requejada and the suppression of level crossings. In total, the investment planned in this line for the improvement of the infrastructure amounts to 234 M€ (not counting the integrations).
The implementation of all these improvements will represent a new scenario that will allow to further increase the punctuality of the service and the capacity of the infrastructure, consolidating the railway as a sustainable and reliable means of transport in the region