How much does the reduction of the requirements for top speed damage the option Talgo-ADtranz in the contest for Madrid-Barcelona?
Firstly, it's clear that the reduction of the requirements is not a decided matter. We don't have, at the moment, a reliable confirmation that such a reduction exists. We consider that, no matter what happens, as it has been described in the specifications nobody is going to be excluided for not reaching 350 km/hour, but there are going to be several requirements that each manufacturer will have to carry out; those are times for the trips, technological conditions, several requirements about their capacity...
The fact that we come out with a product that runs up to 350 kilometres per hour, and others don't or even of this wouldn't be a requirement, it's always going to help us. A train that is able to run up to 350 even if they don't ask for it, has more adventages because of the power and capacity of aceleration reserves. So, I don«t think it will affect us, besides, it will be an adventage more than a trouble cause we will be well provided.
Which are the best points of the train that you will present?
There is a first aspect, which is general and obvious; the technological newness, the modernism. The train that Talgo and ADtranz are going to present includes the latest technological elements for high velocity, about traction as well as about the suspension, comfort an mechanic. So, this is a product that is not comparable itself with other products that are passing round in high velocity nowadays. It's the latest newness, so that means that it's all ready an interesting element. Those who don't present a product that includes newnesss will be disadvantaged.
The second point on behalf of us is that we're presenting a product that because of its lightness, articulation and type of tread (Talgo trains have independent tread) is very advantageus for high speed. In fact, the own Talgo conception, Talgo technology is more favourable to high speed that to low speed. Talgo train, for a matter of design, is firmer when it rides fast that when it rides slow.
From the economic point of view, we understand that the simplicity of the construction and the comfort that we have developed is able to offer such a price for the acquisition and maintenance of the vehicles much more atractive that what we can find nowadays in the market.
Besides the contest Madrid-Barcelona-Border, the goverment has planned to open up new line of high speed. Is Talgo going to present any models? Which ones?
Talgo's solution will be seatled in each case to the line or to the contest that would be opened. If Madrid-Valencia is a reality in five or six years, or Malaga's line would be completed with the section Córdoba-Málaga with a high speed way, we will be there with the most adecuated product for those lines.
For the moment, if we are talking about a line that is going to be built to drive in the same condition that the Madrid-Barcelona one, we understand that the product that we are developing is perfectly valid for those lines. If the concept would be changed and instead of a 350 track, it becomes a 250, or even a 200 track, it would have to be adjusted, obviously, because it won't be necesary such a safisticated product for a path with technical conditions much less exigents. There are other products of Talgo that could, logically, compete. Anyway I«m talking about one only gauge, but if we talk about a solution that includes two gauges of track, Talgo already has one product, Talgo XXI, that drives up to 220km/hour and that is able to fit in both gauges.
For you, which train has more economic posibilities and more future Talgo XXI for high speed, or the High speed train? Which are their possible markets?
Talgo XXI, with change to a 220 km/h, is a product that has a very especific function which is to solve the problem of diferent gauges of track.
In Spain this is a very important question because there will be two tracks with a different gauge, so it is a very sugerent market.
Inside of it, and in those countries where that solution is the only available because great invests in infraestructure or modifications are not wanted, Talgo XXI is very atractive.
Globally talking we think that the high velocity market is very restricted and it constitutes a very short segment. It's also truth that the prices are higher and that there is also an intangible value of image and technological prestige that comes from the fact of having or not having a high speed. Not all the companies that built trains today are able to offer a technological developed product which can be used with high speeds. For us is a challenge so, even if it could have an economical limited interest, technologically talking and as a factor of industrial prestige it is much more important for us and also more atractive high speed than Talgo XXI.
Does it mean that the market of Talgo XXI is exclusivally Spain...
Mostly the Iberian Peninsule in its intern organization think that passing through the french border means a change of gauge. So it«s a very national market.
What about the high speed prototype? Which possible markets could it here?
The spanish market today is the one with more posibilities of realization of proyects for high speed in the world. Spain is right now the point of attention regarding high speed and it's going to be for the next five or six years. There are no other proyects in the world with posibilities to be done, so the spanish market is the most important one. Anyway, sooner or later I hope that free competition will be posible for other countries products, those in which a high speed track is been developed. For example in this moment, in Japan things are not very easy, and we would have to show up violently to here any chance. In fact each country limits its sources of supply to their national industries. I don't know if that is good or bad, but it's the reality in Japan the japanese are the ones who are driving, in France the frenchs , in Germany the germans and the rest we will have to get on the line.
In an interview with José Caparrós, from ADtranz, that we have published in STOL, november the 17th, he said that the high speed prototype was going to be ready to start the tests at the end of february, so, more or less in these days. How is the proyect?
The prototype is finished and we have started the test last week (this interview was made february the 24th), for short tracks, which are extatic, mechanical and electric tests. We are talking about all the operations that are made on the testing line of the factories: 150 meter of radiu's curves. control of the electrical dispositives...
I think we'll finish these tests for the beginning of march. The transport to Spain to begin the dinamic tests, which are movement and velocity, could be done in april, counting with the fact that we'll have to coordinate Renfe with the owners of the tracks for the attempting plans. The transport is going to take us almost twenty days, because we have to came all the way from Zurich in a special trailler and that is going to take a lot of time. Anyway, I think it will bwe possible to se the train driving in Spain already in dinamic for the beginnin of april.
There were speculations that, first Siemens and then ADtranz had bought Talgo. You have always denied this, but, how long are you going to be able to stop independents? Which are your strategics to face the liberation and the globalitation process of the trains in Spain and Europe?
About our independence I think it's going to last 75 years more ( he laughs). About the globalitation and liberalitation, I think that it is a started procees that nobody is going to stop now. What is untenable is a public company that is costing to the State, like it's happening in Spain, up to 150.000 millions, and in other countries it's about the double.
Right now there are solutions that have been aplied to other ways of transport. I'm not talking about the tracks or the property of the infraestructure which privatization or liberalitation, I think it's something dificult to ague. However, the transport operation itself, the fact that there are several transport operator that freely circulate with some slots and particular traffic wakes it's just a matter of time. Some countries will make it faster and for others it will take a bit longer.
Which are the most important proyects of Talgo in Spain?
As trains constructers we have mentioned it before they are the high speed routes and, of course the Talgo XXI with gauges change the rest of activities that we have in Spain, as for example the maintenance of the trains and the conservation of the wheels, are very important but thet have a very relative value, basically cause we are talking about a relatively low volume of bussiness.
Anyway Spain keep's on being for us the base of the bussiness and keeps on being more than the 35 per cent of our incomes. In consequence, Talgo is solidly placed, and more that it would be, in it's national activity. We are a spanish company, not an universal entity...
Which are the principal proyects about your exportation activity? In specially, which are the expectatives in northamerican and european markets?
The proyects are pointing to the United States cause they are the most atractive market for our trains. About Europe, the northern countries, and Germany, become two importants markets. Regarding tool-machines, hole winches and measuring equipments, we are strongly acting in a international way. Think that, for us, Japan and Corea in this moments are two very atractive markets for that type of products. Also Switzerland and France are going to be too. About the expectative, in five or six years, I see Talgo as a company able to invoice about 300 millions of euros, and with a regular international presence in United States, in the center and north of Europe and, of course, Spain.
In your opinion, which is the future of the spanish railway?
About the massive transport of people in urban centers, with the subway as well as with short-distances trains, it's going to be spectacular, specially in the biggest urban centers.
This is going to be the solution for the traffic colaptions, in the center of the cities or on their way to the outer parts, and the railway plays a very important rol and has to pivot ove the traffic frequency. I mean, it«s not a matter of velocity, but of the number of trains, so people can accede and more with lightness and freedom. About regional trains, their future will depend to the effort that each autonomy is disposed to make for the inner transport of their region. The Autonomous Comunities that have considerable extensions of land, would have to develope the regional transport in a very important way. The smallest ones will have their regional transportation very limitated.
About long distances, this is going to be a matter of time for the trips. If Spain is able to develop an adecuated infraestructure to be able to have two-three hour railway routes, trains are going displace the most part of view, the ones which are playing the most important rol in the transportation between 200 and 500 kilometres.
