While SNCF is upset by delays in the delivery of its new TGV M, its Spanish counterpart Renfe had the pleasure of welcoming the first ten units of its new S106 high-speed trains last May as part of a fleet renewal operation valued at 5 billion euros. These trains are manufactured by local manufacturer Talgo.
But satisfaction quickly turned to disappointment. In fact, the trains received have many technical problems. As the newspaper El País points out, while the average punctuality of Renfe’s commercial services is around 76%, that of these new trains fell below 50% during the first week of August.
No less than 479 incidents were reported, 14 of which required the transfer of passengers to another train. Malfunctions that have cascading consequences throughout the network.
The main problem would come from the capacity of this train to automatically vary the width of its wheels to adapt to the three track widths that exist in the country. Enough to provoke the anger of the operator but also of the Spanish government. The Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, announced that two new lawsuits are being studied against Talgo for the damages suffered.
European plans are delayed
This is not good news for Talgo, which also has to manage the payment of compensation of 166 million euros for a two-year delay in delivery, approximately the same delay that Alstom has accumulated with the TGV M.
For Renfe, this is a double penalty. These new high-speed trains are not only disrupting supply in Spain and damaging its image, but are also frustrating its European ambitions. In fact, the S106s are intended to circulate. in France via the two cross-border lines operated: Lyon-Barcelona and Marseille-Madrid, but also on new lines on which the operator wants to compete with SNCF.
Let us remember that the French railway company Le Train, which wants to launch a high speed regional link In the Great West, Talgo has ordered 10 high-speed trains. Manufacturing is expected to begin this year and their reliability will be closely monitored.
Source: BFM TV
