In Spain, the authorities bought 31 trains for € 258 million, but the trains were too large for the tunnels, the newspaper writes. The Telegraph.
The trains were designed specifically for narrow gauge railways (less than 1,435 millimeters), but ended up being too large to pass through the tunnels intended for them.
The new trains will not eventually be launched until 2026, two years later than planned. Transport will run in the north of the country – in Asturias and Cantabria.
The Minister of Transport of the country, Raquel Sanchez, admitted that a mistake had been made and promised that those responsible would be punished. As a result, the fleet manager of the National Railway Operator (Renfe) and the head of the technical inspection of the railway company Adif were fired, according to a February 7 publication.
Last December, more than 150 people were injured when two trains collided in Catalonia, Spain. The incident resulted in the closure of the commuter line R4 Renfe.
