Following approval by the infrastructure ministry at the end of August, ADIF Alta Velocidad is to call tenders for construction of 31 km of high speed line between Lorca and Pulpí, one of the final stretches of the high speed corridor between Almería and Murcia. The budgeted cost is €197∙5m, and the resulting contract would run for 34 months.

This complex project involves not only the construction of 1 435 mm gauge tracks, but also the realignment and reconstruction of existing legacy railways in the region. Under a three-year blockade, ADIF AV is planning to rebuild the mostly single-track 1 668 mm gauge existing line linking Murcia and Águilas as a double track railway, incorporating a trackbed that had already been partially built next to the current single line.

In addition, an underground alignment is planned through the towns of Lorca and Totana; the existing railway passes to the southeast of the urban areas. ADIF AV’s eventual objective is to convert the whole route from Murcia to Águilas to 1 435 mm gauge and abolish 1 668 mm gauge southwest of Murcia.

Image: ADIF

The double-track high speed route between Lorca and Pulpí is to be built for 300 km/h operation and would mostly follow the alignment of the broad gauge route, except where curves of a greater radius are needed. At Pulpí a junction will see the two tracks diverge to form single lines heading to Águilas and the Almería respectively.

With the broad gauge tracks to be lifted, ADIF AV expects the new line to be shared by local passenger trains between Murcia, Lorca and Álguilas. The existing stations at Puerto Lumbreras and Pulpí are to be modernised, and a new station building provided at Almendricos.

The principal civil structure planned between Lorca and Pulpí is the 928 m long double track Rincón tunnel. A further 10 viaducts or overpasses totalling 1 250 m are also to be built.

Standard gauge to ÁguilasThe port of Águilas is currently served by a 107 km single track, non-electrified branch from Murcia, which forms part of the city’s Cercanías suburban network. Alongside completion of the Murcia to Almería high speed line, ADIF has opted to convert the Águilas branch to 1 435 mm gauge.

At the same time, the alignment is to be substantially modified to improve the loading gauge over the 22 km south of Pulpí, where the railway descends an escarpment to the coast in a series of tunnels.

The gauge conversion work is to start on October 1, with passenger services being replaced by buses.