SPAIN: Drivers entering the cabs of RENFE’s Series 106 Avril high speed trainsets on January 1 discovered the entire fleet could not be activated.
The operator contacted manufacturer Talgo, which contacted its suppliers.
The problem was soon traced to the Ingeteam charging system for the batteries which power onboard auxiliary systems including raising the pantographs. The software had failed to recognise the change of the year, and was unable to communicate with the onboard control systems.
Staff from RENFE and fleet maintainer Tarvia Mantenimiento Ferroviario worked all day to solve the problem, and by 04.40 on January 2 the fleet of 23 trainsets was once again operational.
RENFE President Raúl Blanco estimated that the incident had cost the operator around €1m through ticket refunds and the need to provide alternative services.
