Spain - AVE - Alta Velocidad Española, Spanish High-speed trains

For a full scale picture, please click on the picture shown !

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The fastest trains in Spain are classified as AVE trains, with AVE meaning Alta Velocidad Española, Spanish high-speed. This one is a Siemens Velaro known in Spain as Renfe's class S-103. It is almost the same train as Germany's ICE3M or the new EuroStar Velaros, but it is more powerful than the German counterparts. Its top speed is 350 km/h and they have been in use since 2006. It can take 404 passengers and a total of 26 trainsets were built. Siemens calls this train Velaro E. This type is in use on the Madrid-Barcelona and Madrid-Figueras routes. This one was waiting for its departure time as AVE3172 from Barcelona Sants to Madrid Atocha.
Picture from the Barcelona Sants station 8.11.2018 by Ilkka Siissalo.

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One of Renfe's class S-103 Siemens Velaro trains has just appeared from the underground part of the new railroad. It has started at the underground station of Barcelona Sants and is now heading on the brand new, very little used and very expensive high speed line from Barcelona to Zaragoza and towards the French border.
Picture from close to the former Barcelona Clot (Sagrera) station 14.11.2005 by Ilkka Siissalo.

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A closeup photo of the same train as above, taken with a 50x superzoom.
Picture from close to the former Barcelona Clot (Sagrera) station 14.11.2005 by Ilkka Siissalo.

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Same as above. The train looks like a worm or snake descending on what looks like a very steep slope.
Picture from close to the former Barcelona Clot (Sagrera) station 14.11.2005 by Ilkka Siissalo.

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Renfe's original high speed brand AVE uses also these S102/S112 trains made by Talgo but these trains are mainly used in more frequently stopping services. Their maximum speed is 350 km/h and they have two motorised driving cars and 12 unmotorised coaches in between. In practise its top speed is 330 km/h. This individual is underway from Málaga to either Barcelona or Madrid. The nickname of this train is pato, meaning duck.
Picture from near Cártama close to Málaga 28.4.2024 by Matti Heino.
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