RENFE 253 071Pola de Lena Pola de Lena

Is that below the new AVE-line or just a base tunnel? where will the freight trains go?

@Taurus717 To be honest, nowadays nobody knows what is really that tunnel for. It started more than 10 years ago as a base tunnel, with freight trains and AVE trains in 1435mm gauge, that was impossible (freight trains in that gauge). So then, they change and put 1668mm gauge, but there aren't any freight locos that works with 25000v. Some days ago they decided to change again the gauge to 1435, with some track settled due to politic decisions. It is probably the most expensive infraestructure and there are still years left to be finish (with only one tunnel of the two). To sum up, when they finish (if that happens sometime) the Payares Pass must remain open for all the freight trains.

@alvarofdezg
Another great example of a "great" planned infrastructure. Couldn't they built it with both gauges?

@Taurus717 apart from the gauge there are not locos prepared for the voltage of high speed lines (25kv) and diesel is impossible to use there. Also, some politicians don´t want freight trains in the tunnel because in the rest of the high speed lines there aren´t, so they want the same. Then Spain is at the bottom of the freight transported by train of Europe...