The public company which manages the Railways of Narrow Gauge in Cartagena, León, Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and some lines of the País Vasco has begun with a remodelling plan of the material everyday used for the transport of travellers, among we emphasize the called "Apolos". The modernization programme begun by the enterprise, will involve an investment of more than 6,000 millions of pesetas until that it will finish in the year 2002. An important quantity will be used into the renovation of the larger part of its trains of travellers.
FEVE's rolling stock without remodelling.
The guideline to follow in those modernization plans are the same in the different models. The changes affect to the technology of the trains, including in some cases the new engines, transmissions, and braking system, etc., but without forgetting, the interest of increasing the quality and the confort into the vehicles.
Into all the electric trains will be include modules made up by four covered seats typical of the suburban systems, while the diessel trains will have with seats charasteristic of the long journey lines. Moreover, all the trains will have air conditioning and modern equipments which will include elements of public address system and television to make easy the communication between the engine driver and the travellers. Therefore, we can talk about the external design, it is completly different, from the distribution of the windows to the different colours, and, in this way, giving to all the train a more modern aspect.
The automotor of the 2,400 serie, popularly known as "Apolo" has been the first one remodelled. These were adquired by FEVE between 1983 and 1986 to make the suburban services with the called "Miniapolos", which are compossed by two motor cars and regional services with the "Apolos" that previously had three cars, two motor cars and a intermediate car, which were later eliminated.
FEVE's train after its remodelling.
The important remodelling of these veteran diesel automotors has taken place in the building that the Susundequi company has in Alsasua in the Vasque Country (which mainly works are the construction of suburban waggons). Nowadays, this company is also remodelling the automotors of the 2300 serie, popularly known as "MANES" and the prototype automotor 2500, popularly known as "FEMA".
The important remodelling has consisted of substituting the antique technical equipments of the automotors, giving them a new and modern desk of informatized conduction. It has been eliminated the intercommunication doors between the waggons and the department with seats distributed along a hall with air conditioning. The windows have been substituted by fixed glass. It has been incorporated into the automotors the equipments of information with teleindicators that inform about the destiny and about the stops of the trains, ambiental music and a closed circuit of television which allows the engine driver to controlate the hall where the travellers are.
Cabin inner part.
After the construction of the prototype, FEVE has decided to construct two prototypes of "Apolos", one for the suburban service which will have a park with four units with 92 seats similar to the ones of the units of Renfe's Suburban. These automotors will serve in the suburbans of Cartagena, El Ferrol and Oviedo. The 21 automotors that will be remodelled for the regional services have 60 seats orientated to the way of the working in position 2+1. The seats of these automotors are similar to the ones of the Regional Express of the Intercities of Great Lines, these automotors travel in El Ferrol, Oviedo, Santander and Bilbao.
In the other side, we must emphasize other trains which are being remodelated in this moment or which will be renovated soon.
Hydraulic Diesel Train S/2300 MAN.
It is a model made up by 21 trains with two waggons and five of them with an only waggon which is being transformed and will be renumbered into models 2600 (diesel traction) and 3600 (electrical traction). The forseen investment will be around 2,000 million pesetas. The first one completly transformed has already joined Cartagena to Los Nietos and on a period less than six months will be put in service three trains more, and with these new vehicles, the whole of the railway park of diesel trains which nowadays travel will be progressively replaced. In accordance to the transformation of the diesel trains into electrical trains, it is forseen that at the first of the next year, the first one will circulate, and then will continue with the same operation into the rest of the model.
Interior view from a remodelled automotor.
Electrical Train S/3800.
The electrical trains of this model travel on the suburban runs of Asturias: Gijon-Laviana, Gijon-Aviles-Cudillero and Oviedo-Pola de Siero. With an investment which will be around 200 million pesetas, the works to improve the service have already begun into the 16 trains which belong to the railway park and affect, above all, the confort into the waggons.
Electrical-Diesel Train S/2400.
It continues its complete change of the 27 trains which made up this model. The next economic entry which will be utilised for its transformation is more than 800 million pesetas. Progressively and as the different trains come out of the workhouse renovated, these are put in service to cover the regional journeys. The most important part of the budget for this model has been invested in the installation of the new diesel engines and in the control systems of traction and braking which increase the security.
Electrical Train S/3500.
The modernization plans of this model will suppose an amount which will surpass the 1,550 million pesetas. The first one, among the 21 trains which composed this model object of renovation is into a period of tests, is going to be put in service. The 14 elecrical trains which join Santander to Cabezon de la Sal and Lierganes will be change for the ones renovated into a period of time which reachs the year 2001. The othe part of the trains which make up the railway park of this model circulate across the line Bilbao-Balmaseda and will be the following ones to renovate.
