ADIF is bringing forward the tests of the high-speed railway line that will connect Murcia with Madrid via Alicante by a few weeks. The tests will be carried out from May or June, according to a spokeswoman for the Railway Infrastructure Administrator, who confirmed to Onda Regional.
The public company says that the tests to calibrate the safety of the route do not have a fixed duration, they depend on the modifications to be carried out on the signalling, the track itself and other safety elements.
The high-speed line between Murcia and Orihuela is almost 20 kilometres long. Of these, the last section in which the civil works have been completed is the one between the capital city and the Murcian town of Beniel.
With the tests to be carried out on this section, ADIF will ensure the conditions in three main aspects: the state of the track and the route itself (with special attention to the curves and slopes to guarantee safe circulation at maximum speed); the conditions of the catenary and the entire power supply system; and the operation of the telecommunications system on which the safety and signalling system depends.
This is only the first part of the tests that ADIF carries out on any new high-speed section. Afterwards, load runs with real convoys will be carried out to ensure that there are no track deformations or malfunctions in the systems, and to familiarise drivers with the route. Pilar Jiménez does not believe, due to the characteristics of the Orihuela -Murcia section, that major problems will arise which could cause further delays in the commissioning process. Safety and maintenance controls will be maintained throughout the useful life of the new track.