The poor condition of the Rubí tunnel forces the closure of the freight passage for almost two months

BarcelonaInternational freight transport faces another setback. Emergency repairs underway in the Rubí tunnel, an infrastructure project on the route to France, will force a closure for almost two months starting this Friday. This marks a new chapter in the difficult recovery underway on this section of the line since the outbreak of the rail crisis following the commuter train accident in Gelida, where a driver was killed. The Rubí tunnel was closed for almost two weeks between the end of January and the beginning of February, when emergency work began on the most critical points of this more than 900-meter-long infrastructure project, inaugurated in the 1980s to divert freight traffic away from Barcelona. Specifically, work is being carried out on a 120-meter section where a large crack needs to be repaired.

After reopening, the works have coexisted with partial freight train service, as well as commuter trains on the R8 line, which runs between Castellbisbal and Mollet-Sant Fost. However, the line will now be closed again due to detected structural movement. "We've reached a point where the works are incompatible with train traffic. This doesn't mean the structure is going to collapse, but we do want to avoid risks and, more importantly, accelerate and shorten the work period," explained Àngel Con, Adif's Director of Line Construction, on Wednesday. The closure has been planned with alternative routes, such as diverting Iberian-gauge trains to Lleida, and establishing the La Llagosta terminal as the destination point for international freight coming from France, which will continue its journey by truck. The main casualty of these disruptions is the port of Barcelona, ​​with 8% of train traffic heading towards the French border, as well as companies that receive and ship goods by rail to the north, such as Celsa and Seat.

The great work still needs to be done.

After nearly two months of closure, emergency repairs will continue until the long-planned major renovation project for the Rubí tunnel begins. Adif allocated over €23 million for these improvement works in the middle of last year; the contract is still pending award, with the expectation of awarding it around May or June.

The infrastructure manager had previously announced that the works would last three years, with the most disruptive initial phase, during which only one track would be operational for three months. Now, Adif indicates that the works plan is still undefined; they do not know what freight and passenger train traffic will be permitted, nor what the work schedule will be.