Talgo trains are divided into generations. They come in both locomotive-hauled and self-propelled versions.
Talgo I
The Talgo I was built in 1942 in Spain. The coaches were built at the "Hijos de Juan Garay" workshop in Oñati and the power car was built at the workshops of the "Compañía del Norte" in Valladolid.[16] It was built as a prototype, and it was used to set several rail speed records.[5] The first test run occurred between Madrid and Guadalajara, Castile–La Mancha in October 1942.[17] It had a max speed of 115 km/h on uphills and 135 km/h on flat/downhills.[18] The trainset was destroyed on February 5, 1944, after approximately 3000 km of testing in a fire at its storage location, a warehouse in Cerra Negro.
Talgo II
Talgo II coaches and locomotives were first built in 1950 at the American Car and Foundry Company (ACF) works in the United States under the direction of Spanish engineers (the diesel–electric locomotives were assembled by ACF with electrical components made by General Electric). Talgo II carried most of the Jet Rocket train's passengers between Chicago and Peoria, Illinois, after entering service on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (the Rock Island line) in 1956. Slightly different coaches were later introduced, and the last car type of the Jet Rocket resembled that of the future Talgo III.[19] The New York Central Railroad trialed a complete train until 1958 but saw little success.[20]
Talgo IIs also entered service under Renfe as the Renfe Class 350, where they ran between Madrid and Palencia.
Talgo IIs were also built for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad for its "John Quincy Adams
Talgo III
Talgo III coaches and locomotives entered service in 1964, introducing longer cars and easy directional reversibility of the coaches. The Talgo III/RD was equipped with variable gauge axles, and this permitted the introduction, on 1 June 1969, of the first through train between Barcelona and Geneva (the Catalan Talgo), despite the difference in rail gauge.[5][22] The same equipment was used for the Barcelona Talgo, which began operation on 26 May 1974 as the first-ever through train service between Barcelona and Paris.[23]
Talgo Pendular
The Talgo Pendular (Talgo IV and Talgo V, also VI & Talgo 200 or 6th generation), introduced in 1980, created the "natural tilting" train, using a passive system that tilts the carriages with no need for electronic sensors or hydraulic equipment.[4] The wheels are mounted on mono axles between the carriages, and sitting on top of the axles are suspension columns. The carriages are attached to the top of the suspension columns and swing inwards as the train goes through a curve.
In 1988, a Talgo Pendular was used on trials for Amtrak on the Boston–New York corridor in the United States and on Deutsche Bahn lines in Germany.[16] Trial commercial services with Talgo cars in the US commenced in 1994 between Seattle and Portland, and from 1998 different trains have been used on the Amtrak Cascades services from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Seattle, Washington, continuing via Portland, Oregon to Eugene, Oregon.[24] Five Talgo IV trains were in use in
Talgo VII
The Talgo VII introduced beginning in 2000 is used as a locomotive-pulled train set as well as intermediate cars for the multiple units Talgo 250, Talgo 350 and Talgo XXI. The carriages are similar to the Talgo Pendular type but have an air-controlled hydraulic brake system and power supply from head end power instead of diesel engine–generators in the end cars. Talgo VII trains have a car which has two pairs of wheels in the middle of the set (of cars) rather than at one end of the set, which is the case for earlier Talgo trains. All the other cars in the set have a single pair of wheels.[27]
Talgo 8
The Series 8 passenger cars are similar to the Series VII cars, but has an unpowered diesel generator control car for push–pull operation and a two-axle end bogie. Each trainset has two accessible cars with 21 seats, three coaches with restrooms (29 seats), four coaches without restrooms (37 seats), a dining car and bistro car with table seating, a baggage car and combined cab and power car. All business cars and coaches have space for one accessible seat, seating 286 seats.[28] These trains are designed for the North American market. Talgo made an agreement in 2009 to build a manufacturing facility in Wisconsin which would initially supply two 14-car trainsets for the Amtrak Hiawatha until the project was cancelled. The company expressed hope the plant would later be used to build trains for other U.S. rail projects.[29][30]
Early in 2010, the Oregon Department of Transportation announced that it had negotiated the purchase of two 13-car trainsets for use in the Pacific Northwest rail corridor between Eugene and Vancouver, British Columbia.[31] These trainsets were also manufactured in Wisconsin and were delivered in 2013.
Talgo 9
This series, which was originally designed for Russia and Kazakhstan, featured wide bodyshells and wheelsets. There are three versions: 1520 mm fixed gauge, 1520–1435 mm variable gauge, 1520–1676 mm variable gauge. They are used in the Berlin–Moscow line (December 2016) and St. Petersburg–Moscow–Samara (August 2020).
In July 2015, Talgo stated its intention to ship a Series 9 train to India at its own cost as a demonstration on the Mumbai–Delhi rail route.[35][36] On 10 September 2016, the final successful test run of the Talgo 9 series coaches was completed in India.[37]
Talgo 250 HSR
The Talgo 250 is a dual voltage electric push-pull train (AC/DC) equipped with variable gauge axles. This allows the units to be used on high-speed lines and on conventional broad gauge lines. A Talgo 250 train consists of two power cars and 11 Talgo VII intermediate coaches. This class was developed for Renfe (classed as S-130).[38] One trainset (RENFE Class 730) was involved in the Santiago de Compostela accident on 24 July 2013.
Uzbekistan Railways ordered two Talgo 250 sets of a Russian gauge version in 2009. The first set arrived at Tashkent in July 2011.[39]
Talgo 250 Hybrid
The Talgo 250 Hybrid is a dual-voltage, dual-power push-pull train equipped with variable gauge axles. The train is therefore also able to operate on non-electrified lines. A Talgo 250 Hybrid train consists of two power cars, two technical end coaches and nine Talgo VII intermediate coaches. The trains were developed for Renfe and classed initially as S-130H, later as S-730. They are rebuilt from existing Talgo 250 trains.[40]
Talgo 350 HSR
The Talgo 350 entered service as the Renfe AVE Class 102 marking the company's entry into the high-speed train manufacturing market. Tests with the prototype commenced in 1994,[16] and Talgo 350 trains have been operating at a top commercial speed of 330 km/h on the Madrid–Barcelona and Madrid–Valladolid lines since 22 December 2007. This series of push-pull trains is designed to reach a speed of 350 km/h, although present lines and commercial services limit the speed to 330 km/h.[41][42] The train consists of two power cars and Talgo VII intermediate cars with improved brakes and additional primary suspension.[27]
Talgo XXI HSR
Talgo XXI is a project for a high-speed diesel-powered train, that operates in a push-pull with one or two power cars and Talgo VII intermediate cars. The North American version has four-axle power cars in compliance with United States FRA regulations. Only one train in compliance with European UIC standards has been built to date.[43] Talgo reported that the Talgo XXI attained 256 kph on the Olmedo–Medina del Campo high speed experimental line on 9 July 2002,[44] which led to a claim for the world speed record for a diesel train. However, this claim was never proven. After the test runs the train was sold to the Spanish infrastructure authority ADIF as a measuring train for high-speed lines.
Possible specs are:
- Two MTU 12V 4000 R64 engines (two power car configuration) or one MTU 12V 4000 R84 engine (one power car configuration), up to 1,800 rpm, high-speed diesel, Euro IIIB compliant with diesel particulate filter and exhaust gas recirculation after-treatment system
- 2 x 1,500 kW, (3 MW) or 1,800 kW
- Voith hydraulic transmission
Talgo AVRIL HSR
Talgo has developed recently a push-pull train known as "AVRIL" (Alta Velocidad Rueda Independiente Ligero — Light High-Speed Independent Wheel), intended for speeds of 380 km/h.[45] The system uses underfloor traction in the front and rear vehicles, with the intermediate carriages having the Talgo Pendular system (which cannot use motored axles on the axles corresponding to the system). The train also has the option for variable gauge axles. Starting with the concept stage in 2009, it began dynamic testing on the Spanish high-speed network in 2014,[46] and was approved in May 2016. It won its first major contract in November 2016 from Renfe for the Mediterranean corridor in Spain, and its link to Paris.[47] The first AVRIL trains started operations in May 2024 on routes from Madrid to Catalonia, Asturias and Galicia.[48]
Talgo Egypt
In April 2019, Egypt ordered new Talgo trains.[49] Egypt contracted for six trains from Talgo Company, but they became seven trains due to a delay in the delivery date to Egypt. This negates the words of the Minister of Transport who justified that train is a gift from the company for President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.[50]
On 9 August 2022, Egypt contracted for seven trains from Talgo, which included 15-year maintenance, for 280 million euros. The trains will be delivered at the beginning of 2024.[51][52]
Talgo 230
The Talgo 230 (such named because of its 230 km/h top speed) is a low floor, push-pull trainset meant for long distance intercity trains, as of early 2026 it has been purchased by DB Fernverkehr as its ICE L, by FlixTrain and by DSB. It can be bought with a Talgo Travca locomotive if so desired.
