Palma Metro

The Metro de Palma de Mallorca was opened as the first metro in the capital of the Balearic Islands Palma de Mallorca on 25 April 2007. It consists of a line with a 8.5 km long route and served nine stations. Holdings is the line through the state-owned railway company of the Balearic island Serveis Ferroviaris de Mallorca ( SFM).

Range and operating

The 8.5 km long metro line is designed with a track width of 1000 mm and equipped with an overhead line ( in the tunnel overhead conductor rail, oberirdirsch high catenary ). The rails are laid on the underground sections on non-ballasted concrete pedestals. The fleet consists of six 2.55 m double railcar wagon builder CAF with a length of 33 m. Almost all stations are underground, only a section equipped with the Son Sardina station located above ground. The stations are equipped with 80 m long and 5 m wide side platforms. Only the stations Costa Son - Son Fortessa and Jacint Verdaguer each received a 5 -meter-wide central platform. These two stations are at the same time transfer points for regional rail and therefore have two central platforms. Therefore, this section of the tunnel is four tracks. In the total of 10 -track station Plaça d'Espanya Metro operates four tracks, with only one track is used in everyday operation. Every 15 minutes there is a train in each direction, so that weekdays 6:30 to 22:30 clock 60 trains per direction run ( Weekend: 30 trains). Evenings and weekends trains run 30 - and 60 - minute intervals. Basically, 2- car trains are used. The stations are all architecturally very similar: the walls are faced with white metal panels, the ceiling, however, is poorly dressed. The only change colors are the red tapes held with the station name and the like. Some stations are so identical that they can be distinguished only in name. It is striking that the stations Costa Son - Son Fortessa and act Jacint Verdaguer extremely dark. At the architecturally unassuming design of these two stations is obviously the smoke nuisance of diesel-powered commuter trains, which have blackened the ceiling. All stations are wheelchair- accessible by elevators. Always, each platform next to the elevator only one entrance, which is partially equipped with escalators. The stairways from the street are decorated with small ramps or a step so that rain water can not flow down the stairs from the sidewalk. The station University conspicuous for its generous aboveground and light-flooded entrance hall.

Tickets

Access to the platforms is provided with automatic access barriers. Thus, the ticket must be scanned in both the entrance and the exit of the plants. The tickets to be purchased at vending machines for this purpose have a printed barcode.

History

In November 2004, the proposal was submitted to build a subway line in Palma, which should lead to the University of the Balearic Islands ( UIB ) from city center. In January of the following year, construction began on this metro line. Here, the above-ground tracks of the existing railway line were reduced to Inca and built a cover tunnels. The tunnel section between Plaça d' Espanya and Costa Son - Son Fortesa is now four tracks and is used by both of the metro as well as by trains to Inca. The area of ​​the old tracks of the Inca -Bahn was then used to build the new bus station. The remaining area was used to increase the Parque de ses ESTACIONES. The Plaça d'Espanya station itself has been since September 2006 converted into a " Estacio Intermodal ", a station with direct transition to the underground bus station and car park. The cost of construction amounted to approximately 120 million euros.

During the test phase was derailed by an incorrectly asked a crossover wagon at the tunnel entrance between the university and Son Sardina. The driver pressed the emergency brake, so that the derailment of all vehicles was prevented.

The maiden voyage took place, along with other politicians, the Directorate of the subway and the press attended by the President of the Balearic Islands, Jaume Matas and the Mayor of Palma, Catalina Cirer. For the public use of the metro was opened on 25 April 2007 until end of September 2007 rides the subway were free.

On 23 September 2007, the line was flooded after a twenty-minute heavy rain due to water penetration. First press reports, the water level in the tunnel was up to half a meter. The operation of the Metro was discontinued until further notice. At the same time it was announced that it will have already given a similar incident in August 2007. Local authorities carry out the repeated flooding back to planning errors.

After a 10 - month renovation period, the subway was taken on July 28, 2008 again.

Proposed extensions

From the Partit Popular de les Illes Balears ( People's Party of the Balearic Islands ) was a proposed extension of the Metro de Palma in early 2007. The existing Line 1 is to be extended by a station on the University of the Balearic Islands addition to the station Parc bit. In addition to a line 2 be built, the first of the station Rafael Nou west to the eStation Intermodal will be built in a first phase, where connection is made to the line 1. From there, the line will be built in two other phases in a wide arc through the western Palma north to the station Gran Via Asima where also connected to line 1 is. In the final stage for Line 2 has a length of 11.8 km is provided with 17 stations. It should be just like the line 1 built by the meter gauge railway with catenary. The status of this proposal after the floods in autumn 2007 is not known.

The lock floor Estacio Intermodal

View over the tracks of the Estacio Intermodal

View over the platforms in the Estacio Intermodal

View from the station Jacint Vardaguer to Estacio Intermodal

Station of Son Sardina ( right Ferrocarril de Sóller )

Station UIB

Interior of a subway train

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