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Image of a truck loading operation on a train. Adif
Rail tunnels in Malaga province to be adapted to accommodate large trains that carry lorries
Rail infrastructure

Rail tunnels in Malaga province to be adapted to accommodate large trains that carry lorries

Antequera's giant 'dry port', essential to this strategy, will have a multimodal station, the project for which is currently being drafted. The 'rail motorway' will link to Madrid, Zaragoza and the French border

Friday, 24 January 2025, 12:24

Putting large lorries on a train is one of the cornerstones of the new modes of transport in Europe. It takes a lot of trailers off the roads, saves kilometres and emissions, and makes them more competitive. It is not science fiction. It is the basis of the 'rail motorway' that will go down from Zaragoza to Bobadilla, Ronda and Algeciras. While the project requires investments of millions of dollars, it will create a fast connection with Europe. The province of Malaga presents Antequera's 'dry port' as a strategic node.

Key point: renewal of the obsolete Bobadilla-Ronda-Algeciras line

The transformation of the old railway line between Bobadilla, Ronda and Algeciras, with the goal to adapt it to the requirements of rail freight traffic, is finally gaining momentum. It is an old project that the central government owes the province of Malaga. There will be two key stops - the multimodal station of Antequera's 'dry port' and Algeciras port. According to data from the regional government, only 0.5% of goods in Andalucía are transported by train, which results in environmental impact and lack of competitiveness in the sector. The regional ministry of transport and Adif are determined to reverse these statistics.

Million-dollar investments

The entire 'rail motorway' from Zaragoza will consume 472 million euros of investment, 70% of which has already been mobilised. In Malaga, the arches of 21 tunnels will have to be changed to adapt to large convoys. This part of the project will use 78 million euros of the investment, including IVA. The works, which should be completed within two years, are at the tendering stage.

472

million euros will be put into the work between Zaragoza and Algeciras. Seventy per cent has already been mobilised. Of these, 78 million will go towards adapting the province of Malaga.

The comprehensive renovation plan for the Bobadilla-Algeciras line includes the implementation of the third rail, its electrification and the extension of sidings. The sidings are key in the event of breakdowns. If a large freight convoy breaks down, it is advisable that it can at least be moved to one of these areas. Mobilising it and clearing the track is neither quick nor easy. It must be noted that this line is also for passenger trains.

The contract to adapt the line to 'truck trains' includes the execution of two projects. The first one aims at improving the stability of the slope on which the railway platform is located and which is situated between the municipalities of Almargen and Setenil. This intervention will improve the reliability of traffic in the section, also reducing maintenance costs. The second consists of adapting the outlines in the tunnels of the Bobadilla-Algeciras line to the dimensions required by semi-trailers.

43

tunnels will be altered along the entire rail motorway, 21 of them between Malaga and Cadiz. The aim is to allow larger convoys to circulate.

The kickoff of the Algeciras-Zaragoza AF service will be decisive in boosting the increase of the share of rail transport, both in the central branch of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic corridors. In addition, the traffic between Europe and Morocco will strengthen intermodality on the Iberian peninsula. The operation is granted EU funds from the Next Generation line.

Infrastructure

The action envisages not only adapting tunnels, but also overpasses, stations, etc. in Aragon, Madrid, Castilla La Mancha and Andalucía. The fact that the Malaga route has been included in the general railway, to connect with the French border, offers a certain guarantee that the improvements will be carried out. A total of 174 structures will be implemented along the Algeciras-Zaragoza HF route, which runs between the port of the Algeciras bay and the Zaragoza Plaza terminal: 43 tunnels and 131 overpasses.

On the Algeciras-Zaragoza, route there will be two trains per direction every day in the initial phase, which will be extended to three trains per direction one year after the start of the service, with lorries to/from Morocco, plus two daily trains (one per direction) from Huelva to Zaragoza, with lorries to/from the Canary Islands and the area around Huelva, and another four daily trains (two per direction) between Seville and Zaragoza, with lorries to/from the ort of Seville and the rest of Andalucía.

360

lorries will board the train daily. That will save 360,000 kilometres of road traffic a day.

Approximately 12,000 kilometres will be run by train and some 360 lorries will be transported on this route. This will avoid 360,000 kilometres of lorry traffic on the road per day.

The motorway connects Zaragoza with Lleida and Tarragona. From there, it continues to France and the rest of Europe.

All advantages

The rail motorway is a freight transport service that loads road trailers or semi-trailers, using specialised wagons. The initiative offers a competitive and collaborative logistical solution with significant savings in both external costs and emissions. Road emissions compared to rail are 4.7 times higher.

The first phase of Antequera's 'dry port', which is essential to the entire project, has already been completed. It is already known that Ontime will be the first company to be installed. In addition, the Junta's department of development and housing, which has made the investment of around 40 million euros, is also drafting the multimodal station to cater for this high-capacity freight traffic.

50

million euros has already been invested by the Junta's department of development in Antequera's 'dry port'. The multimodal station to cater for this qualified freight traffic is already being drafted.

Malaga city does not want to miss out either. The council has a meeting pending with Adif to join this motorway project and address several issues. The first would be to connect the area that will be exchanged in Huertecilla-Tarajal (Campanillas) with the railway network, which passes next to it. It will be a logistics area in exchange for having ceded the plot of land for the future Auditorium. The second would be to recover the idea of building a tunnel for the train to the port, which in its day was valued at around 50 million euros. This would make it possible to boost the commercial competitiveness of the docks. Finally, it would be necessary to look at the outlines of the tunnels in the area of El Chorro.

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surinenglish Rail tunnels in Malaga province to be adapted to accommodate large trains that carry lorries