Siemens and Bombardier awarded rail control upgrade on the R2 Line on Barcelona’s commuter network

Siemens/Bombardier-control ferroviario-Metro Bna
Siemens/Bombardier-control ferroviario-Metro Bna

ADIF has awarded a consortium of Siemens and Bombardier Transportation the contract for the installation of signalling technologies and 20 years of maintenance on the R2 Line, one of the busiest lines on Barcelona’s commuter network.

The contract, which will upgrade the existing equipment to the latest-generation computer-based and electronic systems, has a total value for the consortium of approximately 15 million euros (VAT included).

Scope of the future-proofing contract includes the replacement of existing interlockings at the Gavà and Castelldefels Stations with the latest, electronic BOMBARDIER EBI Lock 950 computer-based interlocking (CBI) Release 4 (R4) system and installation of a new, electronic, bi-directional Automatic Block (BAB) system and Siemens ASFA balises on the Garraf-El Prat route. The local control centres at the two stations and new interlockings will be integrated into the existing Barcelona França operational control centre.

The current conventional track circuits will be replaced with Siemens audio-frequency, jointless track circuits TCM 100 between El Prat and Garraf and Bombardier’s EBI Track 400 between El Prat and Barcelona Airport. New wayside equipment including signals and point machines will also be installed and the Automatic Train Protection (EBI Cab 900) will be adapted to the new configuration.

The upgrade will carried out on the Garraf – El Prat route, part of the line between Madrid Chamartín and Barcelona Sants, at the Barcelona França Station and on Line 254 from El Prat de Llobregat Station to Barcelona’s El Prat Airport.