Rodalies Maintains 179 Speed Limitations Nearly Three Months After Gelida Accident

Adif has felled over 13,600 trees to reduce risks, while service slowly recovers with 846 daily circulations.

Generic image of a train track with a speed limit sign.
IA

Generic image of a train track with a speed limit sign.

The Rodalies de Catalunya network continues to operate with 179 temporary speed limitations, nearly three months after the railway accident in Gelida, while Adif has intensified tree felling to minimize risks.

Since the incident on January 20, which coincided with storm Harry, service disruptions and speed restrictions have been constant. In February, over 220 locations had speed limitations. Both Adif and Renfe express optimism regarding the slow recovery of the service, which currently operates 846 daily circulations, representing 94% of the pre-accident offer.
The reduction of these limitations is gradual. The Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, announced in the Senate that the Government expects to have resolved all these alterations by next June. During March, Adif managed to eliminate 36 speed limitations, although new ones have been added. Temporary restrictions can be caused by factors such as adverse weather, detected incidents, improvement works, or anomalies identified by railway personnel.
Since the accident, Adif has reviewed over 690 infrastructure elements, stabilizing 33 sections of trenches and slopes. More than 400 personnel have been mobilized, including 360 operators and technicians, and 50 inspectors. Additionally, in the last three months, 13,680 trees have been felled across the network, with 5,745 of these felling operations carried out on the Maçanet-Portbou route, to prevent falls onto tracks or catenary, especially in areas affected by the tramontana wind.
The R1 line (Molins de Rei to Maçanet-Massanes) operates at 100% of its previous service, starting and ending in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat due to ongoing works. The R2 (Sant Vicenç de Calders to Maçanet-Massanes) is also at 100%, with adapted schedules due to works in the Garraf tunnels. The R4 (Sant Vicenç de Calders to Manresa) operates at 89% of its service. The R3 (L'Hospitalet de Llobregat to Puigcerdà) is the most affected, with only 49% of its service and alternative road transport in some sections. The R8 (Martorell to Granollers) only provides service between Rubí and Granollers Centre, with road transport between Rubí and Martorell due to works in the Rubí tunnel.