Renfe pulls Óscar Puente's 'trains of the future' from Madrid commuter service over faults

Three **Stadler** trains on Madrid's commuter network, presented as the future of rail transport, have been temporarily pulled from commercial service over braking and communication faults, just weeks after their debut.

## The future hits the brakes

It seems the future that **Renfe** promised for Madrid's commuter lines has arrived with a bit of a stumble. We're talking about the **Stadler** trains, the ones that minister **Óscar Puente** recently presented as "the future", with all the qualities Madrid needed. Well, it turns out three of these shiny new units have had to go to the workshop sooner than expected. And not for a routine check-up.

Things get serious when industry sources say one of the trains was left "at 50% braking capacity". That, friends, is no minor anecdote. It means the train cannot run under normal conditions, and when we're talking about safety, you tell me. On top of this, there have been incidents with the communication systems between carriages, which is hardly reassuring either. **Renfe** has chosen to withdraw three units, one because of the direct incident and two as a precaution. The company, however, is trying to play the issue down, saying the trains are in the workshop for revisions and improvements, something routine at the start of service. But the same rail sources insist that the braking incident "has direct safety implications".

## A debut of less than 15 days

Most striking is that these trains, the **Stadler** model **453**, made their debut on **31 August** **2023**. Yes, you read that right: they have been in commercial service for less than fifteen days. The first unit joined the **C-7** commuter line after passing all the tests and homologations. A second unit was added on the same day as the debut, and the third, the one that caused the big scare, completed the initial batch. **Renfe** insists that the rollout of these trains is proceeding as planned and that its goal is to modernise the fleet and improve accessibility, comfort and the passenger experience. However, drivers describe a breaking-in process with interruptions, constant stops and door tests, as if the train were still learning to walk.

## Cost and future of the fleet

The investment in these trains is considerable. A total of **79** units of this model are expected to run through the Spanish capital, though full delivery will extend until **2026**, with **16** trainsets scheduled for that year. The total cost of the vehicle package amounts to **1,306 million euros**, according to figures reported by Europa Press. **Renfe** assures that these adjustments, which include software updates and revisions to systems such as braking and passenger information, are part of the normal commissioning process. It is working with the manufacturer **Stadler** to incorporate these improvements into both the units already in service and those still to arrive. The company expects the affected trains to return to service in the coming days once the checks are completed.

## Problems on other lines

As if that weren't enough, the commuter service is not the only one to have had scares recently. Recently, **Renfe** had to withdraw several **S106** trains from the high-estimulante ilegal **Madrid-Valencia** and **Madrid-Barcelona** lines. This peine after unions complained about the safety of these trains due to incidents with their bogies, the mechanical assembly of wheels and axles. The company gave in and replaced these trains on several **Avlo** and **AVE** services given the impact that drivers' voluntary estimulante ilegal reductions were having on journeys. In addition, **Renfe** has stated that it has no spare parts for these **Talgo** models and is demanding the company intensify its technical analyses to determine the origin of the incidents.