Sant Vicenç de Calders – Barcelona Estació de França 1. INTRODUCTION Hey everyone! This is a route suggestion that I have had in mind for quite some time. Spain has an incredibly interesting railway network, and Catalonia in particular offers a fantastic combination of busy commuter operations, Regional services, different generations of rolling stock and spectacular Mediterranean scenery. My proposal is the railway corridor between Sant Vicenç de Calders and Barcelona Estació de França. What makes this route particularly interesting for Train Sim World is the variety of operations that could be represented on the same railway corridor. Players could operate busy commuter services, faster Regional services while experiencing the transition from the quieter coastal areas around Sant Vicenç de Calders to the dense and complex railway network of Barcelona. 2. JOURNEY The route would begin at Sant Vicenç de Calders, an important railway junction connecting the coastal line with several routes towards Tarragona, Reus, Lleida and other destinations in southern Catalonia. From Sant Vicenç de Calders, the railway would follow the Mediterranean corridor through several towns and commuter locations. One of the biggest attractions of this route would undoubtedly be the Garraf coastal section. Between Vilanova i la Geltrú and Castelldefels, the railway passes through numerous tunnels and follows the rocky Mediterranean coastline. Photo by Falk2 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) After leaving the Garraf coastal section, the route becomes increasingly urban. The railway passes through major suburban locations such as Castelldefels and El Prat de Llobregat before entering the dense railway network surrounding Barcelona. The final part of the journey would offer a completely different experience from the coastal sections. Busy tracks, frequent services and major stations would make the approach into Barcelona particularly interesting. The route would eventually reach Barcelona Sants, one of Spain's most important railway stations, before continuing through the city towards Passeig de Gràcia and the historic Barcelona Estació de França. Entire length: 65km Stations along the route: Sant Vicenç de Calders Calafell Segur de Calafell Cunit Cubelles Vilanova i la Geltrú Sitges Garraf Platja de Castelldefels Castelldefels Gavà Viladecans El Prat de Llobregat Bellvitge | Gornal Barcelona-Sants Barcelona-Passeig de Gràcia Barcelona-Estació de França Screenshot taken from Trenscat.com 3. SERVICES This route could offer a wide range of services and different driving experiences. The main commuter line represented would be: R2 Sud – Sant Vicenç de Calders to Barcelona Estació de França via Vilanova i la Geltrú This would be the backbone of the route and would provide frequent stopping services throughout the corridor. The Regional lines represented could include: R13 R14 R15 R16 R17 The Regional services would add a completely different type of operation. These trains would generally make fewer stops and could run faster between stations, creating the possibility of overtaking and interaction with commuter trains. This mixture would make the railway feel constantly alive. A player operating a stopping commuter service could encounter Regional trains using the same corridor passing through the stations, while Regional services would have to operate through busy sections shared with commuter trains. Different rolling stock could also be distributed throughout the timetable, with the 450, 451 and 465 series representing commuter operations, while the 447 Regional, 448, 470 and 449 series could represent Regional services. 4.ROLLING STOCK Renfe Series 450 The Renfe Series 450 is one of the most recognisable commuter trains in Barcelona. These large double-deck electric multiple units were built for high-capacity suburban services and are formed of six cars. Photo by André Marques via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) Renfe Series 451 The Series 451 is closely related to the Series 450 but is formed of a shorter three-car double-deck unit. Photo by SerrgioFdezz via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) Renfe Series 465 Civia The Series 465 is part of the modern Civia family of commuter trains. Formed of five cars, these trains were designed specifically for intensive suburban services with frequent stops. Photo by eldelinux via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Renfe Series 447 The Series 447 is one of the most important electric multiple units used in Catalonia. These three-car units entered service during the 1990s and were designed for commuter operations but some units have also been adapted for Regional services. Photo by Peter elektro via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Renfe Series 448 The Series 448 is a classic Spanish Regional and Media Distancia EMU. Built from the late 1980s, these three-car units can reach speeds of up to 160 km/h. Photo by JT Curses via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) Renfe Series 470 The Series 470 was created through the refurbishment of older Series 440 units during the 1990s.Despite their age, these three-car EMUs became an important part of Renfe's Regional fleet. Photo by Mario.gob via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) Renfe Series 449 The Series 449 represents a more modern generation of Media Distancia trains. Introduced in 2008 and formed of five cars, the class was developed for longer Regional services. Photo by Galandil via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) 5. WHY THIS ROUTE? In my opinion, this route would have several major advantages for Train Sim World. Firstly, the scenery. The combination of the Mediterranean coast, the Garraf tunnels, coastal towns and the urban environment of Barcelona would provide a great amount of visual variety. Secondly, the rolling stock. The Series 450, 451, 465, 447, 448, 470 and 449 would allow several generations of Spanish trains to operate within the same timetable. Thirdly, the services. The combination of R2 Sud commuter trains with Regional and Media Distancia services would create a busy and varied railway. Players could experience both intensive stop-and-go commuter operations and longer, faster regional journeys. 6. FUTURE OPTIONS Another major advantage of this route would be its potential for future expansion. The corridor naturally connects with other important railway routes in Catalonia. A future expansion could extend the route south towards Tarragona, Reus and other destinations, allowing more Regional services to be operated over a larger section of the network. Other future routes around Barcelona could also connect with this corridor and potentially create a much larger representation of the Catalan railway network. Additional rolling stock could also expand the timetable and introduce new services without necessarily requiring an entirely new route. This would make Sant Vicenç de Calders – Barcelona Estació de França interesting not only as an individual route, but also as a possible starting point for representing a larger part of the railway network in Catalonia. Expansion of Renfe train tracks in Catalonia/ Image taken from Trenscat.com 7. CONCLUSION Overall, I believe that Sant Vicenç de Calders – Barcelona Estació de França would be an excellent route for Train Sim World. It combines busy commuter operations, Regiona services, several generations of Spanish rolling stock, spectacular Mediterranean scenery, tunnels, major stations and the dense railway network of Barcelona giving the player an authentic everyday Spanish rail experience. Feel free to share your thoughts or ask any questions below!
