SPAIN: Cargometro launched a swap body shuttle carrying car parts between the Port of Barcelona and the SEAT plant in Martorell on June 4, using the 17·5 km dual-gauge freight route between Can Tunis and Castellbisbal built under the Madrid – Barcelona high speed programme. This is expected to remove 32000 lorry movements a year from the roads.
Cargometro is a joint venture of regional operator FGC (51%), RENFE Operadora (25%) and Comsa (24%). SEAT has awarded Cargometro a 10-year contract, and the regional government has invested €8·6m, including €3·8m for rolling stock.
Two 205 m long TMD sets acquired from RENFE (RG 2.04 p69) comprise nine flat wagons marshalled between two Class 310 diesel locomotives. Each wagon carries two specially-designed swap bodies, whose exceptional height has required some gauge enhancement work on sections of the 40 km route.
