Catalan Talgo
The Catalan Talgo was an international train that connected with Geneva Barcelona. His name is grateful to the train of the Spanish region of Catalonia and the rolling stock used Talgo. He was the successor of a two-part connection, had to change trains at the traveler on the Spanish / French border because of the different gauges. Spain was not involved at the start of the Trans Europ Express ( TEE) network, as in Spain and Portugal the Iberian gauge (1668 mm ) instead of the standard gauge ( 1435 mm) is used. 1968, this problem was solved by Talgo III RD spurwechsel enabled sets. The lane-change happened in the Umspuranlage of Portbou, so travelers no longer needed to upgrade to the border. After successful sea trials of the Catalan Talgo 1969 was approved in the travel services.
Trans Europe Express
Rolling stock
Locomotives
The fabric took over at first the Spanish series 3000th This series of only 5 locomotives had been built specially for the Catalan Talgo. Since it was not possible after the then state of the art to build spurwechsel motor drives, had three locomotives bogies with standard gauge locomotives and two bogies with Iberian gauge. The locomotives 3003 and 3004 drove between Barcelona and Portbou, while the other three ran between Geneva and Portbou. Already in September 1971 the locomotives were replaced on the French part of the track by the SNCF BB 67400 series. In October 1971, RENFE replaced the 3000 series by electric locomotives of series 276 From 1975 the train over Lyon Grenoble was performed. So that the whole aspect of Geneva could - Narbonne be operated with electric locomotives of series SNCF BB 9300. After the electrification of the line Narbonne - Portbou the BB series was replaced by the 9300 BB 7200 series..
Touring car
All travel coaches were versions ( RTs ) of the car type Talgo III RD. RD means Rodadura Desplazable (Spanish for adjustable wheels, so lane change capability ), RT is called Remolques Talgo ( Talgo Spanish for trailers). At both ends of the car set ran machine carriage, in which generators were located for the train power supply. Moreover, these machines were used for coupling cars with other rail vehicles. In the end cars on the Spanish tensile stress ( RT 211 ), there was a luggage room, in the end cars on Swiss train side (RT 212 ), there was a compartment for the train manager. Between the two end cars nine (initially eight) were classified Greater cars ( RT 201), and two dining cars (RT 210) and a kitchen car with a bar (RT 206). RT 206 was in the middle of the train, with at each side of each one of both RT 210 If necessary, up to seven additional RT 201 could be queued. For a train of up to 21 RT- car was made .. The 1982 queued Greater cars, 2nd class (RT 202 ) were placed between RT 206 and RT 212 with the RT 210 was dequeued on this side of RT 206.
Route and Timetable
1969 was the Catalan Talgo the designation CG, GC ( Catalunya -Genève vv ) and the train number TEA 83.84. The route was: Barcelona - Gerona - Port Bou - Cerbère - Perpignan - Narbonne - Béziers - Sete - Montpellier - Nimes - Avignon - Valence - Romans Bourg de Péage - Grenoble - Challes les Eaux - Chambery - Aix les Bains Le Revard - Culoz - Bellegarde - Genève- Cornavin. On May 31, 1970 Romans Bourg de Péage and Sète were deleted. On May 23, 1971, the Zugnumer in TEA 70/71 was - TEA 72/73 changed. Spain used the number TEE 73,70 and from the May 26, 1974 TEA 5073.5070. This double numbering was the result of the custom at both ends of track that departing trains an odd and retracting trains just gotta train number.
The timetable allowed in Avignon a direct connection to the TEA Ligure and thus a TEE connection between Milan and Barcelona. The TEE Catalan Talgo held in Avignon in both directions by about 15:00 clock. Arrival of the TEA Ligure was a quarter of an hour earlier and departure to Milan followed by a quarter of an hour after the TEA Catalan Talgo towards Geneva. At the urging of SBB, RENFE and the route from the September 28, 1975 has been changed so that could be driven continuously electrically from Geneva to Narbonne. Between Bellegarde and Valence of the Catalan Talgo only lasted for a service stop in Lyon Brotteaux (now Lyon Part -Dieu ). Although the track was one kilometers longer the journey time improved by 40 minutes. Expensive side effect was the need for an additional train between Geneva and Grenoble. In 1982, the railway administrations concerned hoped for better utilization by classification of 2nd class cars (RT 202). Because this is no longer the TEA criteria were met, the Catalan Talgo was continued as Intercity.
Euro City
In 1987, the Catalan Talgo has been integrated into the new Euro City Network. In autumn 1994, TGV from Paris and Geneva were opened with Montpellier and the route of the Catalan Talgo to Montpellier - Barcelona limited. After the NBS filed in December 2010 to Figueres, the Catalan Talgo has been discontinued and travelers now have since change in Figueres, between the TGV and a Spanish train.