Today I'm continuing further south from Lyon. I will head on the classic PLM line to Valence, then take a TGV to Girona.
From Lyon the TER trains depart every hour on the route to Valence and further south
My first stop today is at Péage de Roussillon
A freight train is coming from the south
SNCF Class BB 7200, 1.5kV locomotive
PLM line is electrified with 1.5kV all the way between Paris and Marseille
The trains have transport of Peugeot Expert vans. As the brand is owned by Stellantis and is same as Fiat, I suspect that the vans are coming from Italy
As the railway line through Modane is closed until further notice, the freight trains between Italy and France have to take the railway through Ventimiglia, so it could be the train from Italy
Saint Rambert d'Albon
37044 coming from the south
The locomotive is from Akiem/Naviland Cargo, owned by SNCF
186 317, Euro Cargo Rail
The station served as a junction station serving several railways, there is a bridge over the Rhône River "Viaduc ferroviaire de Saint-Rambert" connecting to the right bank of the Rhône freight railway. It looks however that many freight trains are using the main PLM line
Saint-Vallier sur Rhône
More freight trains, 427094
427047
I'm leaving the railway for a while to see the river
186 325, DB Cargo France
The story of ECR and DB Cargo in France has been fascinating: "By 2008, ECR had become the second largest rail freight company in France, after the traditional market leading state-owned operator SNCF, holding a 5.3% market share. By 2010, the company's market share was estimated to have increased to 8%. That same year, a major dispute between DB and SNCF over access to France's railways had escalated to the level of government ministers in both countries intervening. Two years prior, ECR had been denied the train paths needed to operate aggregate trains on behalf of Lafarge on account of SNCF having booked all of the available paths. In December 2012, SNCF was fined €60.9m for exercising anti-competitive measures that sought to block open-access operators from using certain resources, such as renting wagons or using train paths, thus forcing them to use less optimal alternatives or not running certain services at all. (Wikipedia)
437003
Nordic Bulkers
From Tain L'Hermitage Tournon I can see the Alps
437046
Changing trains at Valence Ville
Changing again at Valence TGV Rhône-Alpes Sud
Many international trains here, to Luxembourg, Spain and Switzerland
Barcelona train is on time
Arriving in Spain
Next day I'm heading to Madrid
I can spot many freight trains from the window on my way
Madrid Atocha station
Visiting Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
The main square - Puerta del Sol
San Silvestre Vallecana 2024
