Expansion set for the TEE Talgo III RD, RENFE "Catalan Talgo" ARNOLD HN4511

Expansion set for the TEE Talgo III RD, RENFE "Catalan Talgo", in its original livery (red/silver).

Composition consisting of eight cars, to complete a 16-car Talgo branch (together with reference HN4510).

Historical overview of RENFE's "Catalan Talgo"

The Talgo III sets were the first bi-directional units, thanks to a modification of the guidance system. The Talgo III carried the weight of RENFE's high-quality long-distance services for over 30 years. This train was equipped with individual air conditioning and heating units for each car, in addition to the technical improvement that the composition was completely independent of the locomotive and was, for the first time, 'reversible' and 'detachable'.

In 1968, Talgo took advantage of its unique independent-wheel architecture to build variable-gauge trains: the Talgo III RD (Rodadura Desplazable / Changeable Gauge).

It was the first train capable of running on tracks of different gauges without changing axles and without losing long periods of time adapting to the new gauge. This was achieved simply by passing through a fully mechanical installation, where the wheel retaining locks are released, the wheel is pushed to the new track gauge, and the locks are reset. Unlike the Talgo III, this train is completely independent of the locomotive, except for the guidance of the first wheelset. This independence was achieved by converting the end cars into generator vans, which provide the necessary power for the entire composition.

The first application of the Talgo III RD was for the Catalan-Talgo, which covered the Barcelona-Geneva route and allowed, for the first time, travel across the northern Spanish border without needing to change trains or swap axles. The Catalan-Talgo was one of the trains selected for the elite TEE (Trans Europe Express) club, which linked the main European capitals. Initially, while serving the TEE club, this train did not have second-class seats; the entire train consisted of first-class accommodations. The Talgo III RD was also the first Talgo train to feature sleeping berths.