Adif brings into service the seven sidings financed by Valenciaport on the Sagunto-Teruel-Zaragoza line

Adif is making progress in the transformation of the Zaragoza-Teruel-Sagunto line with the commissioning of seven 740-metre sidings for freight trains at the stations of Cariñena (Zaragoza); Ferreruela, Teruel and La Puebla de Valverde (Teruel); and Estivella, Navajas and Barracas (Castelló).

The enlargement of these sidings – framed within the Master Plan – enables standard-length trains to be parked and sidetracked, thus reinforcing the interoperability of the railway network, mainly for freight traffic.

These actions have been financed by the Port Authority of València (PAV), with a contribution of 26.7 million euros, within the framework of the agreement signed with Adif and charged to the Land-Port Accessibility Financial Fund. In addition, the construction of the new siding at Ceja station is under contract.

For Joan Calabuig, President of Valenciaport, “it is very positive that the Port Authority of València has promoted these seven sidings on the Zaragoza-Teruel-Sagunto line, above all because the 26.7 million euros that the APV has contributed demonstrates its commitment to a line that has been demanded by the Business Confederation of the Valencian Community (CEV) and which is also an aspiration of the citizens of València and Aragon. The Port of València is fully committed to this project which is clearly part of the promotion of rail connections with very large investments which will exceed 240 million euros and which are closely linked to the strategy of decarbonisation of port activity and the fight against climate change. These are key infrastructures for the Port of València to move 20 years ahead of the European Green Pact and become a zero-emissions port”.

In the short term, this strategy works to increase the use of trains in freight traffic arriving and departing from Valenciaport. In this sense, the investments in the seven 750 m sidings are framed in order to take advantage of the synergies between maritime and rail transport, favour competitiveness and contribute to the reduction of CO₂ emissions.

The actions carried out in infrastructure and command and control and signalling control have been as follows:

✓ Estivella station: extension of track 3 at both ends, including safety handles. The extension has included the installation of new escapes with the general track;

✓ Navajas Station: a new siding track with safety handles has been installed;

✓ Barracas station: extension of track 3 at the head of the Sagunto side and installation of safety handles on both sides. The old exhausts on the track have been replaced, repositioning the new exhaust on the Sagunto side;

✓ La Puebla de Valverde Station: the extension of track 3 at the head of the Sagunto side has been carried out, equipping it with exhausts and safety handles on both sides;

Terol Station: extension of track 3 at the head of the Sagunto side, equipped with safety handles on both sides. The old exhausts on this track have been replaced, repositioning the new exhaust on the Sagunto side;

Ferreruela de Huerva Station: track 7 has been raised and track 5 has been extended at the Sagunto side. In addition, the escapes of this track have been replaced with track 1 on the Sagunto side;

Cariñena Station: extension of track 7 at the head of the Sagunto side, building a new shunting shank and installing a new escape that connects track 7 with track 1 on the Sagunto side.

Modernisation of the Zaragoza-Teruel-Sagunto line
These actions are in addition to those carried out by Adif for the modernisation and reinforcement of this line as a strategic axis of the connection between the Mediterranean and the Cantabrian Sea.

The company has already mobilised more than 96% of the investment represented by the Master Plan – 438 million euros of the total 455 million -, which will reinforce its interoperability, capacity and speed of circulation and will boost traffic, especially freight traffic. In addition, it will make it possible for electric trains to run and, with them, efficiency and sustainability.

Due to its geographical location, the Zaragoza-Teruel-Sagunto line is strategic to connect the Mediterranean with the Cantabrian Sea and the Atlantic by train, and to join the port areas of Valencia and Bilbao and the logistic nodes of Platea (Teruel), Zaragoza-Plaza and Júndiz (Vitoria). The set of actions contemplated in this plan contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), which has among its goals the development of reliable, sustainable, resilient and quality infrastructures.
Source: Port Authority of Valencia