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Majorca Railways & Tramways
 
Page 3: Other Railways


This is one of a series of pages devoted to postcards and photographs of Majorca railways and tramways. This page covers the modernised diesel railways, originally the Ferrocarriles de Mallorca (FCM). They later passed to FEVE, followed by devolution to local control as SFM (Servies Ferroviaris de Mallorca) in 1994. They now run in the colours of TIB (Transports de le Iles Balears). I have no pre-modernisation images.

The Palma-Inca line was opened in 1875 by the English-owned Majorca Railway Company, built to 3 foot gauge. The company merged with the Majorca Central & South Eastern Railway in 1876 to form the Spanish-owned Ferrocarriles de Mallorca (FCM). By 1921 they owned 216 km of track with four main lines:-

     Palma-Santa Maria-Inca-Empalme-Artà - 94 km

     Empalme-La Puebla (later known as Sa Pobla) - 13 km
     Santa Maria-Felamix - 43 km
     Palma-Santañy - 62 km

The railway was nationalised in 1951 and passed to FEVE in 1961. The lines to Felamix and Santañy were closed in the 1960s, Empalme-Artà in 1977 and Empalme-La Puebla in 1981, leaving just the Palma-Inca line remaining. This section had been doubled in 1931. Between 1981-1983 one line was re-laid to metre gauge, to allow standard Spanish stock to be used. The second line followed later, although initially services would have easily been accommodated on a single line.

Steam locos originally powered all trains (a total of 67 were owned at different periods), but the first railcars arrived before the war. 25 bogie diesel railcars were delivered in the 1950s, plus two B-B diesel-hydraulics. Non-driving trailers were also acquired. Some of these railcars and trailers were re-gauged to operate metre-gauge trains after 1983. FEVE also imported other railcars from the mainland. All were replaced from 1995 when six CAF-built 2-car diesel-hydraulic units were purchased, numbered 61-01+61-02 through to 61-11+61-12. Centre-cars were later acquired for some of these sets.

In 1998 it was announced that the Inca-Sa Pobla section (closed in 1981) would be re-opened, which was achieved in 2001. The railway achieved an increase in traffic of 18.6% in 2000, the year before the extension opened, and 25.4% in the year following opening. By this time there were varied proposals to re-open other sections and also to build new tramways and metros. Six more DMU sets were ordered from CAF, 61-13 to 61-24, and the six centre cars (62-01 to 62-06) were transferred to these sets. 61-06 was scrapped after hitting the buffers at La Pobla in February 2002. 61-05 now runs with 61-26.

Work started on rebuilding the Empalme (now renamed Enllaç) to Manacor section in 2002. Manacor is the second largest town on the island. Public services began in May 2003 but the hurried construction had created problems, causing deformed tracks in hot weather and landslides in heavy rain, one landslide resulting in the derailment of unit 61-19 on 13th March 2004. A new contractor was called in to improve matters and the line re-opened throughout on 10th September 2004. Further huge traffic increases followed, and another batch of DMUs was ordered in September 2003, numbered 61-26 to 61-46 with deliveries continuing until 2006. There does not seem to have been a 61-25 (61-26 being used to replace 61-06).

A new electric Metro was built from Palma to to the University (UIB). This line is a double-track metre-gauge electrified line, in tunnel for the first 4 km of its 7.3 km length. There are also proposals to electrify the current system. A substantial flyover allows the Metro to cross the Sóller Railway
, which was almost complete in August 2006. Six 2-car EMUs will be ordered for the Metro, which will be Line-1 of a proposed four line network in Palma. Four tramway lines are also planned, plus new railways to Artà and Santafini (which may use some existing closed routes). Majorca is a small island with too many cars, and the authorities have realised that efficient public transport is the only answer. I hope that most of these ambitious plans are realised.


Sections on this Page:-
SFM - Servies Ferroviaris de Mallorca
TIB - Transports de le Iles Balears
Palma de Mallorca Metro  
 
Associated Pages:-
Majorca Railways - Page 1 - Palma-Sóller Railway
Majorca Railways - Page 2 - Sóller Tramway
Majorca Railways - Page 3 - Other Railways - this page!
Tramways Header Page
Simplon Postcards Home Page
 
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References:-
TIB website:- www.tib.org/portal/en/web/ctm
Today's Railways: Issue Nos.63, 64 & 122 plus other news articles
The Railways and Tramways of Majorca by Giles Barnabe: Plateway Press 1993
Prodigioso Tren de Sóller by Manuel Maristany & Josep Miquele: Reserva Anticipada 1997

Ferrocarriles de Sóller y Mallorca by Jose Maria Valero & Eustaquio de la Cruz: ALDABA Ediciones 1997







Servies Ferroviaris de Mallorca (SFM)

All images link to larger copies


The modern station at Palma with 61-04 in SFM colours
This station has since been replaced with a new underground terminus
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st August 1995
Palma, Majorca SFM station - Photo: � Ian Boyle, 1st August 1995 - www.sipmlon.co.ukPalma, Majorca SFM station - Photo: � Ian Boyle, 1st August 1995 - www.sipmlon.co.ukPalma, Majorca SFM station - Photo: � Ian Boyle, 1st August 1995 - www.sipmlon.co.ukPalma, Majorca SFM station - Photo: � Ian Boyle, 1st August 1995 - www.sipmlon.co.ukPalma, Majorca SFM station - Photo: � Ian Boyle, 1st August 1995 - www.sipmlon.co.ukPalma, Majorca SFM station - Photo: � Ian Boyle, 1st August 1995 - www.sipmlon.co.uk






The modern station at Palma with 61-05 in SFM colours
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st August 1995
Palma, Majorca SFM station - Photo: � Ian Boyle, 1st August 1995 - www.sipmlon.co.ukPalma, Majorca SFM station - Photo: � Ian Boyle, 1st August 1995 - www.sipmlon.co.ukPalma, Majorca SFM station - Photo: � Ian Boyle, 1st August 1995 - www.sipmlon.co.uk Palma, Majorca SFM station - Photo: � Ian Boyle, 1st August 1995 - www.sipmlon.co.uk







Transports de le Iles Balears (TIB)
 
Manacor-Palma unit 61-14 in TIB colours at Inca, plus SFM logo
Photo: © Copyright Ian Boyle, 20th August 2003
Manacor-Palma unit 61-14 in TIB colours - www.simplonpc.co.uk - Photo: � Copyright Ian Boyle, 20th August 2003Manacor-Palma unit 61-14 in TIB colours - www.simplonpc.co.uk - Photo: � Copyright Ian Boyle, 20th August 2003




Manacor-Palma unit 61-20 at Inca in TIB colours
Photo: © Copyright Ian Boyle, 20th August 2003
Manacor-Palma unit 61-20 in TIB colours - Photo: � Copyright Ian Boyle, 20th August 2003Manacor-Palma unit 61-20 in TIB colours - Photo: � Copyright Ian Boyle, 20th August 2003




Manacor-Palma unit 61-19 in TIB colours at Inca
Photo: © Copyright Ian Boyle, 20th August 2003
Manacor-Palma unit 61-20 in TIB colours - Photo:   Copyright Ian Boyle, 20th August 2003




Manacor-Palma train at Inca station
Photo: © Copyright Ian Boyle, 20th August 2003






Palma de Mallorca Metro


Palma de Mallorca Metro - Palma underground station
Photo: ©Ian Boyle, 26th August 2009
Palma de Mallorca Metro - Photo: �Ian Boyle, 26th August 2009 - www.simplonpc.co.uk




Palma de Mallorca Metro - train interior
Photo: ©Ian Boyle, 26th August 2009
Palma de Mallorca Metro - Photo: �Ian Boyle, 26th August 2009 - www.simplonpc.co.uk




Palma de Mallorca Metro - San Sardina station
Photo: ©Ian Boyle, 26th August 2009
Palma de Mallorca Metro - Photo: �Ian Boyle, 26th August 2009 - www.simplonpc.co.ukPalma de Mallorca Metro - Photo: �Ian Boyle, 26th August 2009 - www.simplonpc.co.ukPalma de Mallorca Metro - Photo: �Ian Boyle, 26th August 2009 - www.simplonpc.co.ukPalma de Mallorca Metro - Photo: �Ian Boyle, 26th August 2009 - www.simplonpc.co.uk Palma de Mallorca Metro - Photo:  Ian Boyle, 26th August 2009 - www.simplonpc.co.ukPalma de Mallorca Metro - Photo:  Ian Boyle, 26th August 2009 - www.simplonpc.co.ukPalma de Mallorca Metro - Photo:  Ian Boyle, 26th August 2009 - www.simplonpc.co.ukPalma de Mallorca Metro - Photo:  Ian Boyle, 26th August 2009 - www.simplonpc.co.uk Palma de Mallorca Metro - Photo:  Ian Boyle, 26th August 2009 - www.simplonpc.co.ukPalma de Mallorca Metro - Photo:  Ian Boyle, 26th August 2009 - www.simplonpc.co.uk






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