C-7 (Cercanías Asturias)

C-7
A Renfe 3300 Series train on C-7 line at Pravia station in 2017.
Overview
Service typeCommuter rail
SystemCercanías Asturias
StatusOperational
LocaleAsturias, Spain
Current operator(s)Renfe Operadora
Route
TerminiOviedo
San Esteban
Stops21
Distance travelled51.20 km (31.81 mi)
Line(s) usedOviedo−Trubia railway line
San Esteban−Trubia railway line
Technical
Track gauge1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge
Electrificationyes 1500kV AC overhead line
Track owner(s)Adif

The C-7 line is a rail service of Cercanías Asturias commuter rail network, operated by Renfe Operadora. Its termini are Oviedo and San Esteban stations.

History

The defunct Sociedad General de Ferrocarriles Vasco Asturiana inaugurated this line as part of its Oviedo-San Esteban de Pravia line, which was opened in 1904. The railway was born with the goal of transporting coal to the port of San Esteban in Pravia.[1][2]

In the latter half of the 20th century, railway freight transport lost its economic significance, and Ferrocarril de El Vasco accumulated a considerable amount of debts.[3] Consequently, in 1972, the ownership of this line was transferred to FEVE, a government-owned company established with the objective of operating all narrow-gauge railway lines within Spain.[4] After the acquisition by the government, freight transport was discontinued and the port of San Esteban was closed as a consequence.[5]

In 1999, as part of a urbanistic project called the Green Belt, the Fuso de la Reina branch to Oviedo was closed and the former iberian-gauge C-3 line (Oviedo-Trubia railway line) was converted into narrow-gauge.[6][7]

Following the integration of Feve into Renfe Feve in 2012 (renamed as Renfe Cercanías AM in 2021), due to the lack of investment, infrastructure has been deteriorating and the poor conditions of the rolling stock have repeatedly caused service cancellations in the past years.[8][9] Consequently, the number of passengers has been dropping.[10][11]

Rolling Stock

Current:[12]

  • 3300 Series (former FEVE 3300 Series)
  • 3600 Series (former FEVE 3600 Series)
  • 3500 Series (former FEVE 3500 Series)
  • 3500 Series
    3500 Series
  • 3300 Series
    3300 Series
  • 3600 Series
    3600 Series

Stations

Station Transfers Location Fare Zone
San Esteban Pravia 4A
San Ranón
Pravia
Beifar Candamo
San Román 4A/3
Aces 3
Sandiche
Grau/Grado Grado 3/2
Peñaflor 2
Veiga d'Anzu
Santa María Gradu
Trubia Oviedo
Soto-Udrión 2/1
San Pedru Nora 1
San Claudio/San Cloyo
Les Maces
Les Campes
L'Argañosa-Llapiés
El Vallobín
Oviedo

References

  1. ^ DÍAZ-RUBIN, GONZALO (2020-06-08). "El último tren del Vasco Asturiano". El Comercio: Diario de Asturias (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  2. ^ Escrivá, Macarena (2021-10-11). "San Esteban de Pravia: el pasado minero de Asturias vivo a orillas del río Nalón". viajar.elperiodico.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  3. ^ "Fin de El Vasco y nacimiento de un bulevar". La Voz de Asturias (in Spanish). 2020-05-16. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  4. ^ Ordóñez, José A. (2013-01-09). "Feve abre vía en la historia". La Nueva España (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  5. ^ Pravia, 2 Francisco L. JIMÉNEZ San Esteban de (2010-09-05). "El último tren". La Nueva España (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-12-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ "Por las huellas del ferrocarril Vasco Asturiano". La Voz del Trubia (in Spanish). 2021-06-28. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  7. ^ Díaz-Rubín, Gonzalo (2018-06-14). "Cinturón Verde, 15 años sin tren". El Comercio: Diario de Asturias (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  8. ^ Press, Europa (2017-02-19). "Foro exige una solución urgente a los problemas de la línea de Feve entre Oviedo y San Esteban de Pravia". www.europapress.es. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  9. ^ FUENTE, ALEJANDRO (2023-02-12). "El hartazgo de los usuarios: viajes sin luz, averías, retrasos..." El Comercio: Diario de Asturias (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  10. ^ MUÑIZ, R. (2018-07-13). "Inquietud por Oviedo-San Esteban, la línea récord en 'estaciones fantasma'". El Comercio: Diario de Asturias (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  11. ^ "Las cercanías ferroviarias, «canibalizadas» por la desidia". La Voz de Asturias (in Spanish). 2019-04-20. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  12. ^ Díaz, Ramón (2023-02-07). "Los trenes de Feve que tendrá que 'copiar' Renfe circulan por cuatro líneas asturianas". La Nueva España (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-12-04.