ERDF Program

MERCAVE Project - AUTOMATIC VARIABLE WIDTH SYSTEM FOR GOODS TRANSPORT VIA RAIL.

The Spanish railway network was originally created using the 1,668 mm "Iberian gauge". The construction of the 1,435 mm "standard gauge" network began in 1992, since which time it has continued to increase, there currently being 11,340 km of Iberian gauge and 2,693 km of standard gauge, with 15 border points for these gauges within the Adif network and a further 2 within the French network. 

The overall objective of this proposal is to address the need for goods trains to be able to run on both "Iberian" and "standard" gauges. This requires goods trains equipped with variable gauge axles, as well as gauge changers on the track, technologies which do not yet exist on the market, which would enable the transit of goods between one gauge and another without the need to build new tracks that incorporate both gauges on the same track (mixed gauge), which is costly and inefficient as it reduces the capacity of the line and the running speed.

For goods trains, this technology does not yet exist on the market, but it is an issue that is being promoted by various authorities and manufacturers in those countries that have different track gauges to their neighboring countries. It is therefore not only a national necessity, but also one that can be exported to other markets.

To achieve this objective, R&D activities are necessary, which are the subject of Innovative Public Procurement, within the scope of Adif's competences:

- To equip wagons with variable gauge axles for Adif's own use, providing the necessary R&D&I testing framework to develop the solutions for their commercial version. These would run on both Iberian and standard gauge, and their efficiency would be verified by equipping them with these improved variable gauge axles.

- The freight gauge changer also needs to be tested and improved with several R&D&I steps, incorporating new systems to supervise correct gauge changes and connection with railway signaling.

- Finally, R&D&I activities linked to the development of a technical feasibility study for incorporating this type of variable gauge axle into locomotives is necessary to achieve variable gauge traction for freight.

Although the application framework of the solutions acquired for rolling stock will be limited to Adif's own operations, the switcher can be applied to all freight transport (target population) as can the knowledge generated in the project, meaning the socioeconomic impact of the project is expected to be considerable.

The ultimate goal is for the system to be available so that all ADIF rolling stock can be equipped with it, to improve the efficiency of its infrastructure management. In addition, the knowledge and technology developed and marketed will enable it to be used by other Operators and Infrastructure Managers. This will allow Adif to opt not to deploy the third rail alternative at the gauge changeover border points, and to install freight changers at these places.

The MERCAVE project has a budget of ten million euros with ERDF co-financing 64%; the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), through an aid granted by the Ministry of Science and Innovation, as Intermediate Body in the Pluri-regional Operational Program of Spain 2014-2020 - POPE, is therefore contributing six million four hundred thousand euros."