Route ( Renfe ) Mediterranean Corridor: Valencia Norte To Castellón De La Plana / New Country: Spain

Hola, entusiastas del ferrocarril! Coming back to the Iberian Peninsula today, wanting to suggest you a Spanish mainline route! This would be a section of the larger "Corredor Mediterráneo" (Mediterranean Corridor), between Valencia and Castellón de la Plana; it follows the path of the Adif Line 600: Valencia-Tarragona. Would be set in early 2025. Welcome to Southern Spain, where the Mediterranean Sea meets Spanish coasts, dotted with urban centers/beaches famous throughout Europe! Our journey starts from Valencia city's centre, heading towards its port area. From there, it crossing northern city's coastal neighborhoods. Then it points north, up to Sagunto and finally Castellón. Along the way, there will be also 2 freight branches and a full city port terminal, perfectly integrated with the line. A lively mainline, including short, mid, and long-distance services! Immerse yourself in the history and places that characterize the Valencian Community! From city center to the coast, through orchards, rice fields, and more. A completely new and unique Southern European experience awaits you! This is my Mediterranean Corridor: Valencia Norte to Castellón de la Plana!

GENERAL FEATURES

This route features:

- 89km(55.3mi) total rough lenght (mainline+branches).
- Double track served, mixed Iberian/Standard gauge (triple rail)(1,435 mm-4 ft 8+1⁄2 in/1,668 mm-5 ft 5+21⁄32 in).
- Full 3kV DC OHLE electrification on site (except freight terminals).
- 200 km/h(125 mph) on high-speed Iberian gauge services (220km/h before 2015), 160km/h(100mph) on all others Standard/Iberian gauge, 120km/h(75mph) on freight.

The path is equipped with:
- BAB (Banalized Double Track Automatic Block) mostly, CRC/CTC (Centralized Traffic Control) operated.
- ASFA (Signal Warning and Automatic Braking) as safety system adopted.
- GSM-R & TRG supported, as regards comm.

Network is managed by:
- Adif EPE (Spanish Railway Network) public company.

Passenger service is operated by:
- Renfe-Operadora EPE (public company), through its Renfe Viajeros SME S.A. Subsidiary.
Incuded Sub-brands: Cercanías, MD, Regional, Regional Exprés, Intercity, Euromed, Alvia & AVE).

Freight service is operated by:
- Medway Ibéria S.A. (MSC Group private operator).
- Captrain España S.A. (SNCF Group public/private operator).
- Renfe Mercancías SME S.A. (public/private operator, synergy with Medway).

THE ROUTE


Top: General view of the route. All stations/stops are indicated.
Bottom
left: Valencia city node detail, including its port area.
center: Divisòria branch detail.
right: Sagunto Harbor branch detail, including its steel mill loop.


General outline of the Cercanías Valencia service. Consider only C-5/C-6 lines up to Sagunt, plus C-6 towards Castellón.

STATIONS

This route features 20 active stations/stops, including the 3 terminals of Valencia-Norte, Valencia-Joaquín Sorolla and Castellón de la Plana.

The calls are, as follows:

Spanish/Valencian

----City Node----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Valencia-Norte/Estació del Nord, city's terminal for commuter/national services
- Valencia-Joaquín Sorolla, city's high-speed terminal
- Valencia Fuente San Luis/Valencia Font Sant Lluís
----Mainline------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Valencia-Cabañal/Valencia-Cabanyal
- Roca-Cúper
- Albuixech
- Massalfassar
- El Puig
- Puzol/Puçol
- Sagunto/Sagunt
- Los Valles/Les Valls
- Almenara
- La Llosa
- Chilches/Xilxes
- Moncofar/Moncofa
- Nules-Villavieja/Nules-La Vilavella
- Borriana/Burriana-les Alqueries/Alquerías del Niño Perdido
- Villarreal/Vila-real
- Almazora/Almassora
- Castellón/Castelló de la Plana mainline terminal

Reference depots/facilities are:
- BM/BAT Valencia Fuente San Luis (Adif/Renfe)
- BAT Sagunto (Adif/Captrain)
- TMR Albuixech (Stadler Rail)

STATIONS PICS


Valencia-Norte main station, beautiful and imposing city terminal, dating back to early 1900s.


Top: Valencia-Joaquín Sorolla AV station, modern temporary terminal for high-speed services.
Bottom: Valencia-Cabañal station.


Top left: Valencia-Fuente San Luis station.
Top right: Albuixech stop.
Bottom left: Sagunt station.
Bottom right: Almenara station.

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Top left: Xilxes stop.
Top right: Moncofa station.
Bottom left: Burriana-Alquerias del Niño Perdido station.
Bottom right: Vila-real station.


Castellón de la Plana main station, modern and imposing partially-underground terminal.

PASSENGER SERVICE

CERCANÍAS

- Línea C-5 Valencia-Norte - Sagunto - Caudiel [local stopper]:
10Tpd, 4x Valencia-Norte<->Sagunto, 6x Sagunto<->Caudiel (AI Only).

- Línea C-6 Valencia-Norte - Castellón de la Plana [local stopper]:
56Tpd, 54x Valencia-Norte<->Castellón, 2x Valencia-Norte<->Vinaroz (CIVIS).
1/2Tph each direction.

MEDIA DISTANCIA

- Línea 32/R16 Barcelona - Tarragona – Tortosa (Valencia) [MD]:
4Tpd, 4x Valencia-Norte<->Castellón (extended to/from Ulldecona-Alcanar).

- Línea 49 Valencia - Teruel - Zaragoza - Huesca [Regional Exprés]:
6Tpd, 6x Valencia-Norte<->Zaragoza (1x to/from Huesca & 1x to/from Cartagena).

- Línea 50/ER02 Valencia - Castellón de la Plana - Vinaroz - Tortosa [Regional/ Regional Exprés]:
14Tpd, 10x Valencia-Norte<->Vinaroz, 4x Valencia-Norte<->Tortosa (2x Interurbano).

LARGA DISTANCIA

- Barcelona-Sans - Valencia-Joaquín Sorolla [Intercity]:
2Tpd, 1x Barcelona-->Valencia, 1x Valencia-->Barcelona.

- Barcelona-Sans - Alicante [Intercity]:
1Tpd (Friday/Saturday) Barcelona-->Alicante, 2Tpd (sunday) Alicante-->Barcelona.

- Barcelona-Sans - Murcia [Intercity]:
2Tpd, 1x Barcelona-->Murcia, 1x Murcia-->Barcelona.

- Barcelona-Sans - Cartegena [Intercity]:
2Tpd, 1x Barcelona-->Cartagena, 1x Cartegena-->Barcelona.

- Barcelona-Sans - Alicante [Euromed]:
4/6Tpd, 3x(weekdays)/2x(weekend) Barcelona-->Alicante, 3x(weekdays)/2x(weekend) Alicante-->Barcelona.

- Barcelona-Sans - Valencia-Joaquín Sorolla [Euromed]:
2Tpd, 1x Barcelona-->Valencia, 1x Valencia-->Barcelona.

- Figueras-Vilafan - Alicante [Euromed]:
2Tpd, 1x Figueras-->Alicante, 1x Alicante-->Figueras.

- Figueras-Vilafan - Valencia-Joaquín Sorolla [Euromed]:
2Tpd, 1x Figueras-->Valencia, 1x Valencia-->Figueras.

ALTA VELOCIDAD

- Barcelona-Sans - Cádiz [Alvia]:
2Tpd, 1x Barcelona-->Cádiz, 1x Cádiz-->Barcelona.

- Madrid-Puerta de Atocha - Castellón de la Plana [AVE]:
4Tpd, 2x Madrid-->Castellón, 2x Castellón-->Madrid.

113 services/day peak (Friday) on this route.

Plus all services/ECS at Valencia terminals, Sagunto and Castellón (AI Only/driveable).

FREIGHT SERVICE

This service is quite lively and complete on this route.

Sectors involved:
- Intermodal (Containers, tanktainers and refrigerated).
- Steel (coils mainly).
- Car Transport (occasionally).

It follows the same Mediterranean Corridor directory: Barcelona-Tarragona-Valencia-La Encina-->North. Some dedicated coils services to Northern Spain, Zaragoza (via Sagunt-Teruel diesel line), or to/from Picassent Ford Plant. Some services originate from Fuente San Luis/Sagunt facilities. Some new stock deliveries from Albuixech Stadler plant, as well as sporadic car transports.

About 20 services/day here (except for local shunting/deliveries).

ROLLING STOCK

CERCANÍAS/MEDIA DISTANCIA

- Serie 447/447 PMR & Serie 470 EMUs, Renfe Cercanías/Media Distancia.

Veterans and workhorses of the route, these are two old EMUs from the 80s/90s, consisting of 3 cars, 3kV DC OHLE powered, iberian gauge fitted and 120km/h(447)/140km/h(470) max speed.

LARGA DISTANCIA

- Serie 130 Talgo 250 & Serie 120 ATPRD High speed trains, Renfe Larga Distancia.

The "sprinters" of this route, modern electric units from the 00s/10s, 11 locked+2 power cars (130)/4 cars(120) fitted, 3kV DC/25kV AC OHLE powered, variable gauge (standard/iberian) and 250km/h(standard lines)/220km/h(iberian lines) max speed.

ALTA VELOCIDAD

- Serie 106 Talgo AVRIL & Serie 100 High speed trains, Renfe AVE.

Old and new school here, 12 locked+2 power cars(106)/8 locked+2 power cars(100) fitted, 1.5/3kV DC/25kV AC OHLE powered, standard gauge (both) and 330km/h(106)/300km/h(100) max speed (both limited to 160km/h on this route). There's also a 106 variable gauge version.

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MERCANCÍAS

- Serie 256 Euro6000 AC/DC Electric mainline loco + PMMC/Sgnss + MMB/Shmms Wagons, Captrain/Medway freight.

One of the newest Stadler "beasts", double comfort cab, 1.5/3kV DC/25kV AC OHLE powered, iberian gauge(standard version also available) and 120km/h(160km/h by design) max speed. Related intermodal flatbeds & coil carriers are also recommended.

ROUTE PICS


A) Valencia view.
B) Valencia La Roqueta central area, front of our station.
C) "Plaza de Toros" Valencia bullring, next to our station.
D) Valencia Fuente San Luis maintenance plant & freight yard.


A) Valencia Harbor & freight terminals.
B) Valencia Art & Science City, Caixa Fourm & "Oceanogràfic".
C) Las Arenas, Cabanyal & Malvarrosa beaches (northern city's coast).
D) Port Saplaya aka "Little Venice", iconic coastal residential/leisure area.


A) Stadler Rail Valencia Plant (Albuixech).
B) El Puig & its Convent.
C) Sagunto view & its Castle.
D) Sagunto freight terminal.


A) Sagunto Steelworks & powerplant, on its port freight branch.
B) "La Plana", main landscape setting of our route.
C) Vila-real & its stadium, home of the famous football club.
D) Castellón de la Plana, "city of bulls": "El Toro Bravo" monument & old railway station behind it.

ROUTE VIDEOS


Valencia-Castellón cab view, CIVIS local service, Series 447 PMR EMU.


Castellón-Valencia cab view part 1/2, Cercanías local service, Serie 447 PMR EMU.


Castellón-Valencia cab view part 2/2, Cercanías local service, Serie 447 PMR EMU.


Valencia-Norte/Joaquín Sorolla trainspotting mega mix!


Castellón de la Plana trainspotting (Cercanías, MD, LD, AV & freight services).

All RIGHTS and CREDITS to the original authors.

PS. Integrations and corrections are always welcome! There may be some small inaccuracies, especially on freight operations.

Caravatt .

 

shut up and take my money, especially the highspeed trains

 

Well, with only four AVE services/day, personally I'd focus on a more balanced mix! Why not a 447 and 130 combo? That would work well, covering suburban, Euromed and Alvia services! You need at least two units to start with a new country!

 

sounds good to me ))

 

Not a fan of the high speed trains, but I like the regular trains. And a new country would be epic. Would love the change of scenery and a different signalling system.

 

Well, that makes two of us! They represent just a small bounch of daily services here thought! And yes, scenery here is definitely different than usual! A nice change of pace, finger crossed!
PS: Here you have three "levels" of service (stock pic 1, 2 and 3): suburban/regional, intercity/similar & proper high-speed!