France, Spain: The installation to test cars with variable gauge systems will be assembled at the Irún border station. The €2.3 mln work is carried out by the Spanish infrastructure operator Adif under the MERCAVE project and will be financed by EU funds.
In 2015, Adif commissioned the development of the EAVM technology (Spanish abbreviation for variable gauge axle for freight wagons) to a consortium including the infrastructure company Azvi and engineering firms Ogi and Tria. Unlike Talgo’s solution, which is used in passenger trains, EAVM represents an entire axle rather than independent wheels.
Currently, the approval was received by both the prototype of adjustable axles for wheels with diameters of 760 mm and 920 mm, as well as the corresponding gauge changer, which switches from 1,668 mm to 1,435 mm gauge. Bench tests are being conducted on two modular installations at the experimental centre in Cordoba. Additionally, railcars equipped with EAVM are being tested on the Spanish rail network, where they have already travelled over 250,000 km.
