An Astonishing Incident on the R4
On Saturday morning, a work wagon travelled uncontrollably for approximately 20 kilometres on the R4 line of Rodalies, culminating its journey by crashing into a dead end in Castellbisbal. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but this event has highlighted the recurring dysfunctions affecting the railway service in Catalonia.
The wagon had previously been parked in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, and for reasons still unclear, it became unbraked and began to move uncontrollably towards Castellbisbal. The lack of train traffic during the night contributed to the wagon not encountering any trains in active service.
Although the impact occurred on a dead end, which prevented more serious consequences, the incident forced the R4 line to operate on a single track during Saturday morning. This caused delays and complications for passengers relying on the service.
It was not the only problem of the day; another high-speed train covering the route between Figueres and Madrid had to be evacuated due to a breakdown in the overhead line near the Sagrera tunnel in Barcelona. This setback temporarily interrupted traffic between Girona and Barcelona until it was restored in the evening.
These incidents occur in a context marked by numerous issues within Rodalies. Renfe has announced the start of tests to restore service on the Garraf line after three months of work. However, there is still no specific date for a complete return to normality.
In addition, significant delays are affecting other works, such as those impacting the stretch between Montcada and Parets del Vallès, whose reopening is now scheduled for 2027. Furthermore, new disruptions are planned for the R3 line due to works in Torelló.
Despite efforts to gradually recover service after months of interruptions, punctuality levels remain alarmingly low. According to data provided by Renfe, only around 30% of trains have arrived on time so far this year, with particularly negative figures during the early months.
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