Catalan Talgo

Catalan Talgo

TEE Catalan Talgo in Geneva, 1979
Overview
Service type	Trans Europ Express (TEE) (1969–1982) InterCity (IC) (1982–1987) EuroCity (EC) (1987–2010)
Locale	Spain  France   Switzerland
Predecessor	Le Catalan
First service	1 June 1969 (1969-06-01)
Last service	18 December 2010 (2010-12-18)
Former operator(s)	RENFE SNCF
Route
Start	Barcelona França
End	Genève-Cornavin
Technical
	Talgo III Rodadura Desplazable
Track gauge	1668 mm (Spain) 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) (France & Switzerland)
Electrification	3000 V DC (Spain) 1500 V DC (France & Switzerland)

The Catalan Talgo was an international express train introduced in 1969 that linked Geneva, Switzerland, with Barcelona, Spain. It was named after the Spanish region Catalonia and the Talgo equipment it used. It was an extension and upgrading of a predecessor train, Le Catalan, a first-class-only French (SNCF) Rapide train that had been in operation since 1955 but running only between Geneva and the stations nearest the Spanish-French border, connecting with a second-class-only "autorail" trainset to and from Barcelona. The national railway network of Spain, Red Nacional de los Ferrocarriles Españoles (RENFE), was using Iberian gauge for all of its main lines, while those of France and Switzerland use standard gauge. As a result of this break-of-gauge, train journeys between Geneva and Barcelona consisted of two separate parts, with travelers having to change from a French to a Spanish train or vice versa at the border—at Portbou (alternatively written as Port Bou) on southbound trains and at Cerbère on northbound trains. In 1968, this was resolved with the introduction of the Talgo III RD trainsets, which featured variable gauge wheelsets. At Portbou station, the wheel spacing of each passenger carriage was adjusted by a gauge changer for the difference in gauge, and passengers no longer had to change trains. After successful test runs, the Catalan was extended from Port Bou to Barcelona as a through train on 1 June 1969, becoming the Catalan Talgo and upgraded to a Trans Europ Express (TEE). Most other rail journeys through this border crossing continued to require a change of train at Cerbère station or at Port Bou, as most trains did not use Talgo III RD trainsets.