SPAIN: National operator RENFE has taken delivery of its first 10 Talgo S106 Avril wide-bodied high speed trainsets.
The trains are to be deployed from May 21 on services to Galicia and Asturias where gauge-changing is necessary., allowing the existing S130 sets to be cascaded to other routes.
Avril deliveries had been due to start in January 2021, but were delayed by software issues. RENFE has imposed a penalty of €166m for the late delivery, increasing by €60 000 for each day after April 1 that the trains are not handed over.
Avril stands for Alta Velocidad, Rueda Independiente, Ligero (High Speed, Independent Wheels, Lightweight). The latest evolution of the Talgo family, they have a body width of 3 200 mm, and are designed to operate at a maximum speed of 330 km/h.
- Subscribers can read an in-depth article on the Avril concept by Talgo Business Development Director Fernando Aznar Alonso from the June 2021 issue of Railway Gazette International magazine.
