THALES has begun work under a €17.8m contract awarded by Spanish infrastructure manager Adif to design and install signalling and telecommunications equipment on the 17.5km Valladolid eastern bypass.
The bypass will provide a new route for freight trains on the broad-gauge main line between Madrid and the French border at Irún, avoiding the centre of Valladolid and including a 1.1km viaduct and a 2.2km tunnel.
Freight trains currently make up 25% of all traffic passing through Valladolid Campo Grande station.
The eastern bypass will have a maximum speed of 160km/h and will serve new railway facilities replacing those currently located in the centre of Valladolid, including a rolling stock maintenance workshop and a logistics terminal.
Thales will be installing an L905E electronic interlocking, TTC audio-frequency track circuits, LED signals and electro-hydraulic point actuators.
The Valladolid eastern bypass will be signalled with automatic block for reversible working and will be equipped with the Spanish ASFA Digital train protection system.
The route will be remotely controlled by CTC from the control centre at Miranda de Ebro.
New equipment will be installed so as to prevent any potential interference from the 25kV ac traction current on dual-gauge track running parallel to the northern section of the bypass.
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