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SearchThe project brings together around twenty partners and is expected to mobilize €105 million over three years, including €78 million for R&D. Its promoters also estimate that it will create 140 skilled jobs in the Basque Country.
The Basque Government and Talgo have presented Basqtrain 35, an industrial project to develop a new generation of high-speed trains capable of operating on railway networks in different European countries. The initiative, led by Talgo and Ingeteam, brings together around twenty partners and is part of the Industry Plan—Basque Country 2030.
Its promoters expect to mobilize €105 million over three years, of which €78 million would be allocated to research and development. They also estimate that the project will create 140 highly skilled jobs in the Basque Country. These are announced targets: the presentation does not establish that the investment, jobs or technical results have already materialized.
One of the program’s challenges is to make it easier for trains to adapt to the conditions of different national networks. According to information released about the project, modular traction is one of the approaches to be studied in response to technical differences between markets, which today may require trains to be adapted for each country.
The consortium will also work on energy efficiency, digitalization and predictive maintenance through intelligent monitoring systems. The announced objectives also include improving the versatility of passenger cars and developing comfort and accessibility solutions for travelers. Ceit will be responsible for coordinating the team’s technical work, according to coverage by Cinco Días.
Alongside Talgo and Ingeteam, companies, SMEs, research centers and other industry stakeholders will participate. Partners mentioned in reports include Basquevolt, Multiverse and the railway association Mafex. The consortium’s design aims to combine industrial and technological capabilities to undertake development on a larger scale than a single company could achieve on its own.
During the presentation, Talgo chairman José Antonio Jainaga advocated collaboration between companies, technology centers and institutions as a way to promote strategic projects and compete in the global market. The Basque Minister for Industry, Mikel Jauregi, framed the initiative within the goal of pooling capabilities and responding to European railway fragmentation.
Interoperability between countries is the project’s goal, not an outcome that has already been demonstrated. The possibility of operating on different networks will depend on technical development and on the trains’ ability to meet the requirements applicable in the markets and on the infrastructure where they are intended to be used. The presentation does not specify which countries a future platform would cover, nor does it confirm any approvals or orders.
For the participating companies, Basqtrain 35 presents an opportunity to collaborate on railway technologies and supplier development. Its commercial scope, achievement of the employment targets and effective application of the announced innovations remain to be seen.
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