Adif has put into service the San Rafael bypass on the Cáceres-Mérida / Aljucén railway line, within the platform works of the San Rafael-Cuarto de la Jara section (access to Mérida) of the Madrid High Speed Line (LAV) -Estremadura.
This new variant of the conventional line, which takes advantage of the route of the LAV, allows the circulation of trains from this Sunday, has informed the Administrator of Railway Infrastructures, and the completion of its works caused a delay in some trains.
The route of the San Rafael-Cuarto de la Jara section intersects the conventional line Mérida / Aljucén-Cáceres (connection Madrid-Plasencia-Cáceres-Mérida-Badajoz) between kilometer points 14/110 and 16/820, approximately, as a result of the crossing with the current trace of the conventional line at two points.
The scarce separation between both lines and the difference in elevation did not favor the reconstruction of the conventional line with a different level crossing with the LAV, which is why, according to Adif, a change in the layout of the old line had to be carried out.
This action is compatible with the planned works and is intended to maintain the rail traffic of the conventional line until the future commissioning of the LAV.
The San Rafael bypass is just over 2.2 kilometers long and shortens the distance from the conventional line by almost half a kilometer.
In addition, as a large part of it already takes advantage of the new LAV platform, it complies with layout parameters compatible with the demands of high speed and has been executed with its own elements, such as ballast, rails and sleepers. that make it up.
All this results in an improvement in the times and in the comfort of the circulations, according to Adif.
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