rail

Railway experts explain how and why a rail can break

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Regarding the train accident in Adamuz (Córdoba) and its causes, there are very few things that can be taken for granted at this time. Almost the only certainty is that it will take months to know what caused the derailment of an Iryo train on a straight line and, everything indicates, the subsequent impact of a Renfe Alvia train seconds later. Despite this and despite the fact that Angrois railway accident (Santiago de Compostela) has already made it clear to us that these investigations entail a great effort of time and resources, information that points to one cause or another continues to be published. Among this information that, for the moment, remains conjecture, the idea of ​​a fracture of the road has become relevant following the publication of an image in which three researchers are seen next to a broken rail. in the diary The Country This hypothesis is pointed out as the fact that focuses the investigation. ABC He claims that it is the cause of the derailment. RTVE He points out that investigators want to confirm if it was the cause or consequence of the train leaving the tracks. The image, published by several media, is being used on social networks to defend that this is the real reason for the accident, accompanying video information in which strong vibrations from the trains in motion are observed. The latter, in fact, has been taken into account to lower the maximum speed to 230 km/h in a four points of the line between Madrid and Barcelona by Adif in what is considered the first really drastic measure after the accident in Andalusia. But what causes a fracture in the road and what are the implications? Is it related to the vibrations of the trains we travel on? A fracture in the road The first thing to make clear is that in this article we try to explain how the bill can occur on a track, what its implications are and if it has any relationship with the vibrations we feel on trains. However, until now there are no official sources that confirm that the original cause of the Adamuz accident is this. The investigations continue and probably It will take months to know all the details. The General Council of Industrial Engineers reminds us of the same thing, who emphasizes that “it cannot be stated without data whether the breakage is a cause or consequence. The investigation must be based on records, tests and metallurgical analysis. Not on images after the accident.” With this in mind, they point out that “a stress fracture is a progressive break of the lane that is not produced by a single sudden event, but by the accumulation of tensions over time. Simply put, the rail supports millions of load cycles. If there is a weak area (defect, welding, microcrack), each train passage does not break the rail, but it degrades it. “There comes a time when the resistant section is insufficient and the rail suddenly fractures.” From this entity they clarified to us that the vibrations we feel when we are traveling are not enough to derail a train. For this, one of the following scenarios must occur: Serious lane breakage. Severe loss of track geometry (alignment, grading, width). Structural failures in train elements (axles, bogies). Major obstacles on the road. Very unfavorable combinations of speed, geometry and undetected defects. And they emphasize that “usual vibrations are expected in the design of both the train and the infrastructure. “High-speed rail systems work with very wide safety margins.” “The usual vibrations are foreseen in the design of both the train and the infrastructure. High-speed railway systems work with very wide safety margins” This is confirmed to us from SEMAF (Spanish Union of Railway Machinists), who point out that imperfections in the track multiply when driving on them. “It is steel on steel,” they remember, and emphasize that the vibrations are a consequence of very small perfections in the track or the wheels that generate damage to their opposite. If the damage is on the track, it generates another imperfection in the wheel that multiplies it with each step cycle, generating the discomfort we feel on board. The General Council of Engineers emphasizes that “it is not usually a safety problem. It is usually a comfort or maintenance problem (wheel or rail) and many vibrations are corrected by re-profiling wheels or rails, without touching the structure of the line.” That is, when we feel these vibrations repeatedly and repeatedly It is not that we are passing through broken or fractured paths.. But it is possible that over time they end up being damaged to the point of suffering a stress fracture if appropriate measures are not taken. Maintenance is essential In this case, The road had been renovated last May with an investment that has reached 700 million euros. We cannot yet know if this was the origin of the accident, but the General Council of Industrial Engineers points to three possible causes that could cause the breakage of a track: Rail manufacturing defects: Non-metallic inclusions. Internal microcracks. Steel segregations. They are rare, but possible, and that is why periodic ultrasonic tests are carried out. Defective welds (especially aluminothermal): a poorly executed weld can generate residual stresses, poor alignment and/or internal microcracks. It is not common, but it is a known cause in railway engineering. Fatigue from repeated loads: Each axis introduces vertical, lateral and longitudinal loads. At high speed, dynamic effects multiply those loads. If the rail is already “touched”, fatigue accelerates the breakage. Thermal stresses on track without joints (the usual one today): The lane is “blocked.” Heat generates compression. The cold generates traction. A combination of low temperature, residual stresses and previous defect can promote brittle fracture. It must be taken into account that “the rail is one of the most demanding structural elements that exist. It is not rigid on its own, it is part of a flexible system. The steel … Read more

The Spanish rail giant escapes millionaire contracts, including the Barcelona Metro. The reason: his link with Israel

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Basque Caf’s rail manufacturer is in a committed situation after Its inclusion in the United Nations list which points to companies with operations in Palestinian territories occupied by Israel. This circumstance could close the doors of important public contracts, such as The Millionaire Barcelona Metro Contest. In the blacklist. Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) has a tender open to acquire 39 new trains worth 321 million euros. The specifications includes a clause that prohibits the participation of companies that appear in the Registry of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR). CAF, current TMB provider, now appears in that list for its participation in The tram of Jerusalem thisa project awarded in 2019 with the Israeli construction company Shapir. The CAF position. The company based in Beasain defends the legality of your contract and denies any violation of human rights. As communicated to the National Securities Market Commission, it has reports from independent experts that support its position and ensures that the project “generates positive impacts on the population” by also providing service to the Arab community with a “inclusive and non -discriminatory” hiring policy. The Alstom turn. The French multinational Alstom, which has a factory in Santa Perpètua de Mogoda, appealed in August before the Catalan Court of Public Sector Contracts against this restrictive clause. However, the recent update of the UN list has retired to Alstom from the registrationwhich now allows you to present to the contest. This exit makes CAF the main affected, since the resolution of the resource will determine whether or not to participate in the tender, whose term remains open until December. More Spanish companies indicated. CAF It is not the only company Spanish in the Black List of the UN, which includes about 160 signatures. Florentino Pérez’s construction company, its SEMI subsidiary and the Ineco public company, under the Ministry of Transportation, also include. CAF is charged with equipment and materials that “facilitate” Israeli settlements, in addition to providing support services and using natural resources, which makes it the Spanish with the greatest reproach by the international organism. A political and social debate. Inclusion in this list does not imply direct sanctions, but yes it has practical consequences. The United Nations urges States to adopt “appropriate measures” to prevent human rights abuse, and administrations such as the Barcelona City Council have incorporated this exclusion in their responsible hiring policies. The debate has also reached the Basque political terrain, where part of the CAF staff starred in concentrations demanding the cessation of the contract with Israel, while the lehendakari Imanol Pradales He has asked that you have “care with the accusations” and has urged the company to make “an ethical reflection”. Implications. Beyond the Barcelona contest, appearing in this registry can affect the reputation of companies, rating rating agencies and access to other public tenders if similar clauses appear in the tender. Public hiring represented 11.55% of Spanish GDP in 2023which turns these vetoes into a relevant economic issue for the companies indicated. Cover image | TMB In Xataka | The longest bus in the world is called Daf Super Citytrain: more than 30 meters long and capacity for 350 people

The Spanish rail giant had planned to build a lightwail between Jerusalem and the West Bank. Now has a problem

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The Basque CAF It is found In the international view for its participation in the Jerusalem Railway Project, which connects Israeli settlements considered illegal by the United Nations. The pressure on the company has intensified after appearing cited in An official report of the UN on companies that benefit from the occupation. A dispute project. CAF has been part of a consortium with the Israeli Shapir since 2019 to build and expand the red and green lines of the Light Jerusalem Rail. The project, valued at 1.8 billion euros, includes 27 kilometers of new roads and 50 stations that connect settlements in the West Jerusalem. The Basque company would take more than 500 million euros for construction and equipment, in addition to its participation in management for 15 to 25 years. Why is it problematic. The UN Special Rapporteur, Francesca Albanese, has included to CAF in its report “of the economy of occupation to the economy of the genocide”, presented before the Human Rights Council. According to the document, these infrastructure “contribute to the maintenance and consolidation of illegal settlements” and connect the colonies with Israel “while excluding and segregating the Palestinians.” The Human Rights Council itself declared the project illegal in 2016 and 2017. The pressure intensifies. Amnesty International has been asking CA for years to leave the project. “CAF cannot continue looking the other way and not meet international recommendations,” affirms Esteban Beltrán, director of the NGO in Spain. The organization also claims the Spanish government and the Basque Government, a shareholder of the company, to evaluate the CAF links with “the illegal behavior of Israel.” Others are retiring. The case It is not isolated. In 2024, the Catalan Comsa withdrew from the consortium that had won the construction of the blue line of the Jerusalem tram. The Basque Acerera Sidenor also announced that it will stop serving steel to Israeli companies. International funds such as the Norwegian sovereign have retired their participations from Shapir, a partner of CAF, and the manager Storeband excluded CAF from his portfolio for his participation in the project. CAF’s response. The company maintains in its sustainability reports that “no violation of human rights has been detected” derived from their participation and describes the territories as “object of political controversy.” However, for international organizations, CAF is obviating the resolutions of the UN Security Council, the European Union and the International Court of Justice on the illegality of settlements. Between the lines. The project places CAF at a crossroads between commercial interests and international pressure. Your shareholders include to the Basque Government, Kutxabank, the Matrix of the Mayoral Textile and the workers themselves with 25% of the shares. Meanwhile, the geopolitical context has hardened after the attacks of October 7 and the Israeli response in Gaza, increasing international scrutiny over any company linked to occupied territories. Cover image | Alexander Berezhnoy In Xataka | Ryanair’s escape in small airports has taken Andalusia to a radical idea: his own independent “aena”

The great Spanish rail giant had in his hands “the contract of the century.” Until France appeared

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It has been called “the contract of the century.” And it has not been for anything. CAF, the great Spanish rail giant, should be the winner of a huge contract to nurture the Belgian SNCB of trains that circulate on the conventional roads of the country. That is, by “the Belgian Renfe.” A contract that could reach 3,400 million euros. A contract that, now, is in the air after the claims of the French Alstom. “The contract of the century”. This has been called the pre -agreement between the Belgian SNCB and the Spanish CAF, confirmed only a few weeks ago by both companies In a statement in which the following was read: The Board of Directors of NMBS (SNCB-National Society of the Belgian Railways), taking into consideration the resolution of the State Council, has confirmed in this day CAF as preferred bidder of the contract for the development, manufacture and supply of the AM30 trains. In this way, the approval is given to continue the purchase process with the selected company, with the objective of closing the final adjudication of said Framework Agreement. This is a framework agreement with a maximum scope of units for 170,000 places, with an initial base commitment of 1,695 million euros (units for 54,000 places) in case of finally closing the agreement. French resource. This pre -agreement that includes a first operation of almost 1.7 billion euros and that could be folded in the future with the delivery of more trains for renew up to 50% of the fleet From the Belgian transport company, it has been appealed by Alstom, a French company that had also appeared to the contest. Guipuzkoa news He explains that the French company has launched the appeal to try to stop the contract, with the objective that this famous “contract of the century” falls on them, understanding that its offer was better than the Spanish proposal. What do they defend? In the Basque newspaper it is pointed out that Alstom defends its best position because the offer was 107 million euros cheaper than the Spanish proposal and that, in addition, they assured that Belgian labor would be used, which should be an argument of weight when it comes to being the chosen ones. Alstom expected their witch and charlei plants that employ 1,500 people to be decisive when obtaining the contract, they explain in Expansion. The situation is not new. Last April, the Belgium Council suspended the award and forced CNCB to return to the process, noting that the contract had not been awarded with total transparency. Human Rights. After that first closed door, CNCB once again chosen CAF as an ideal company to deliver the trains with which the Belgian fleet will be renewed. In their new report they pointed out that “European regulation prevents considering local presence factors in public procurement,” they explain in Expansion. But, in addition, in the review of the process, the Belgian court asked CAF to demonstrate that its activities meet “With international law and human rights”. Because? Because CAF works on a light subway line in Jerusalem that extends to Palestinian territories occupied by Israel. Yes indeed, In the Basque newspaper They emphasize that the Belgian Mobility and Climate Minister came to remove iron from this matter, highlighting that the country itself maintains diplomatic and economic relations with Israel. A thorny matter. The participation of CAF in the Light Metro of Jerusalem has raised Polvareda and is a stone more than the company has been found when receiving the so -called “contract of the century.” Amnesty International and Other associations In defense of the Palestinian people they demand that CAF leave the Israeli project. The minister on his side. For now, what has been defended by CNCB (and even Belgian minister himself) is that Not only should you look at the initial cost of the project. According to its reports, the Spanish proposal will mean savings with the passage of time to Belgian accounts since CAF trains consume less energy than those of Alstom. Specifically, it is ensured that the Spanish rolling material improves by 4% the technical criteria of the French company, taking into account the sale price of them but also the consumption of the trains provided, the conditions of the purchase contract and the calendar of deliveries to which CAF is compromised. Photo | CAF In Xataka | “Whoever wants to come, to invest”: Ouigo wanted to enter the Madrid-Galicia bird but it already sees it impossible before 2030

Spain has a rail giant in the shadows. And just achieved the “contract of the century”

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If you have traveled to Belgium, the SNCB application is likely to have downloaded to move from one city to another. It is about ‘the Renfe‘Belgian and, a few years ago, They announced that they were going to renew 50% of their fleet from here to 2032. The interesting thing is that it is an operation of 3,400 million euros that has not fallen to anyone: it has done so in a Spanish company called CAF. And if you are wondering what diantres is caf, you are in your entire right, but you will surely have mounted on one of its trains. “The contract of the century”. In a release of CNCB, the operator detailed the pre -agreement reached with the Spanish, something that replicated own CAF detailing that the initial commitment of the same will be 1,695 million euros. This includes the development, manufacture and supply of 600 am30 trains (interurban trains with integrated motor and autonomy by battery when operating in un -electrified lines) with a total of 170,000 seats, although the initial commitment is 1,695 million euros for 54,000 places. The proposal of CAF has had to compete with other manufacturers, such as the French Alstom that argued cheapest prices, factories in Belgium and that local industrial promotion. Everything is not closed, since although CNCB has opted for the Spanish, political interests come into play in something like that. There is a debate around the firm and, for example, as we read in Basque chroniclea deputy of the Belgian Party Staf Aerts has discredited to the company, indicated that CAF is collaborating to create a subway line from Jerusalem to the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel ” As we say, it remains to be seen that the agreement is finally closed, but by its magnitude, there is already talk of the “contract of the century” of the railway sector, with obvious consequences In the CAF portfolio. Centenaria. This news, because of its magnitude, has jumped to the first flat of numerous national and European economic newspapers, but the great question we could have is … what is CAF and why it is so important. CAF responds to ‘Constructions and Railroad Assistant‘And it is a company that was born in 1917 in Beasain, Basque Country. It was founded on workshops that already existed since the nineteenth century and from the beginning it was dedicated to the manufacture and rental of wagons, as well as other elements for rail transport. And in this more than a century, it has become one of the larger companies in the country. The Oaris World jump. They were developing their business within our borders, providing Renfe trainsbut in the 90s, they consolidated the international leap by operating more firmly in other countries thanks to the opening of about thirty subsidiaries. In Spain they have, above all, high -speed trains of variable width manufactured next to the ALSTOM itself, as well as electric and diesel trains for regional services and Renfe vicinity. However, much of your order portfolio It is for export. They have manufactured units for cities such as London, Brussels, or Sydney, as well as the Santiago de Chile and Mexico Metro, light trains for US cities such as Boston or the Oaris: High speed trains (up to 350 km/h) that form the backbone of the Norway rail network. And, to meet the needs, they have gone Opening factories all over the world. Why the mystery? In spite of everything, we do not know too much CAF beyond their area of direct influence (where they have the factories and hire employees) it has all the meaning of the world. Before we talked about Talgo, also a historic rail that not only stood out for their trains, but to baptize vehicles with their own name. Go up to Talgo It was synonymous with getting on the train just as asking for a Kleenex is asking for a handkerchief or, in some countries, playing “the play” is playing any game console in general. In the case of CAF, the same did not happen and, although it is an industrial pride in Euskadi and very recognized among experts around the world, its business has remained “in the shadows”. They operate mainly in the B2B sector, which implies work for large operators both public and private and not for the final consumer, and do not baptize their creations such as “CAF”, which keeps them in an unknown position for the general public. However, the last decades have grown, especially abroad, and with contracts such as the one achieved in Belgium and the jump to large media, it is more likely that the name ‘CAF’ sounds more and more. Images | Jordi Verdugo In Xataka | Renfe riding a circus this summer and dwarves grow: tunnels with leaks and more delays of the bird in Malaga

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