Categories and product family

Third-generation Talgo stock is either of fixed gauge (Talgo III) or of variable gauge (Talgo IIIRD), where RD stands for "Rodadura Desplazable" i.e. "Moving wheels")

Third-generation Talgo stock encompasses three main classes:

Talgo III-100 (Domestic)

Talgo III-100 stock entered into revenue service in 1964 on the most prestigious mainline services in Spain. It brought in substantial improvements compared with Talgo II sets:

• improved suspensions, with better ride
• re-designed steering-mechanism, which enabled bidirectional operation, and thus waived cumbersome operating constraints inherent to Talgo II stock
• no more articulation between the locomotive and the trainset
• top speed increased from 120kph-75mph to 140kph-87mph
• lighter carbodies, which could then be longer (11.110m-36ft5in instead of 6.140m-20ft35in), with increased seating-capacity
• more pleasant interiors, with two classes instead of one, more comfortable and steering-seats
• Galley and Bar located in the same car, which made easier the provision of the catering service

Access to a detailed description of the Talgo III trainsets

Talgo IIIRD-200 (International)

Talgo IIIRD-200 was introduced in 1969 when the "Catalan-Talgo" was upgraded to a Trans-Europ-Express service. It marked further enhancements:

• Variable-gauge wheelsets, which enabled through, seamless services between Spain and the rest of Europe, with neither mandatory transfer at the border nor lengthy, cumbersome change-of-trucks operations any more
• Diesel generators fitted in the trainset itself, which secured continuous provision of power whenever the train was in operation, even when changing locomotives or during the shunting operations required by the change of gauge at the French-Spanish border
• Improved interiors, compliant with the guidelines of the TEE grouping:
  • 2+1 seating in First class, an amenity never offered on Spanish rolling-stock hitherto
  • wider and more comfortable seats
  • dining-room

   

Talgo IIIRD-300 (International)

Talgo IIIRD-300 stock started revenue service in 1974, on a newly-created, high-quality sleeper service between Barcelona and Paris ("Barcelona-Talgo"). This stock wholly consisted of Sleeping-cars and ran mixed with Talgo III-200 cars (Catering, Technical/Support). Those Sleeping-cars were a further step towards better comfort:

• Pneumatic suspensions with a smoother ride, a feature of prime importance when travelling at night
• Four-berth cabins, besides traditional single/double cabins. Such accommodation had never been offered in Western Europe before (while it had conversely been available for a very long time on Soviet trains). This was meant to provide cheaper sleeping-car accommodation, as Talgo sleepers offered neither Slumbercoach nor seated-accommodation at that time.

Compatibility issues

Cars of the -200 and -300 classes can be mixed together within the same trainset, but cannot be mixed with -100 class cars.

Similarly, Trainsets composed with whatever 3rd -Generation stock can be coupled with whatever loco-hauled Talgo set.