Moritz Kleine-Sendrail 🇺🇦
But first some morning traffic updates in #ZaragozaDelicias with #Ouigo to Barcelona and a nice #mediadistancia EMU that I don't know where it's coming from.
The driver has arrived, switches on engine, does a few brake tests, turns on the lights and we're allowed to board. 🫴
Indoors are worn but clean. The buttons allow the reclining of seats. The fixation of the table is a bit strange and in my feet.
Punctual departure and a 15min underground ride through the Zaragoza stations of #Portillo, Goya and #Miraflores. Out of the tunnel into the Ebro plain towards Huesca. UIC electrified single track next to us, used by (few) #AVE through services to #Huesca. The train is pretty full, about 40 people in my carriage, so maybe 80 in total.
Villanueva de Gallégo - One person getting on.
Technical stop in #Zuera to let another train pass towards Zaragoza.
People are now standing. As the conductor passed to check the tickets, she confirmed everyone's destination. The large majority is going to #Canfranc! That makes me very happy. And I wonder if a third train would be a good idea?
From here it gets interesting... Big passenger exchange, both on and off. Train almost as full as before. We reverse. I'm now seated in the direction of travel 👌
Second picture is the branch off to #Canfranc, taken on the way into Huesca. Going via Huesca considerably extends the travel time. But I guess it's needed in terms of connectivity.
The gauge change facility looks unused and the track there is not electrified. Strange...
It's a gentle ride through hilly arid terrain... The train does feel faster indeed than when I took it in 2008 (travel time back then 4:00, now 3:19).
However I was a bit surprised that we skipped stops like #PlasenciaDelMonte and #RiglosConcilio.
#Ayerbe - potential crossing. Three station staff but no passenger.
#Riglos famous for its rock formations. People on the train get pretty excited and stand up to see the scenery.
#SantaMariaYLaPeña passing an artificial lake as there are plenty of close to the Pyrenees to retain water.
(At least) one person got off.
We passed #Anzanigo and #CaldearenasAquilué but a lack of connection prevented from documenting it further. It's very pretty here.
Another dam as we approach #Sabiñanigo.
Quite a few people getting off here. The #Jacetania area is more populated than the previous section of the line.
Happy to see also people getting on, showing usage of the railway for short proximity trips.
#Jaca. Sitting again on the wrong side to take good photos, so zooming on the dual use sleepers that could be converted to UIC gauge if...
And now we climb up up up, last stretch to Canfranc!
#Castiello-Pueblo makes me realise there is also a Castiello-not-Pueblo station that we passed without stopping.
Tunnels and loops and bridges up up up
#Villanua-Letranz is quasi unreachable from the village it's supposed to serve. So high up.
There's space for a passing loop though.
This was the last stop!
#Canfranc final de trayecto!
Thanks for reading up until here, I'll open a new thread for the station. Stay tuned...
Ronald vd W.@Moritz_Kleine Thanks for that lovely photo report!
I've been following the work on the french side (up to Canfranc) online for a couple of years a good while ago but that somehow grinded to a halt, unfortunately.
@Moritz_Kleine For anyone interested: I found the newest site again: http://le-creloc.com/
The organisation switched sites quite a few times over the years bu they maintain the old site with a link to it; there are some really nice photo essays on it of the work that has been done sofar (up to Bedous).
Last news I heard a short while ago is that work seems to have started on the Somport tunnel between France and Spain that's still there.
