Train halt took place at the "intersection" of an Iryo in the overhead power line system, according to Renfe.
Madrid, 5th May - Altercation unveiled as cause for train delays
In a surprising twist, the president of Renfe, Álvaro Fernández de Heredia, has shed light on the unexpected train delays and stoppages on Sunday, revealing it was a physical altercation on an Iryo train that caused the circulatory chaos, rather than the initial cable theft suspicion on the Madrid-Seville line.
When asked to clarify the surprising departure delays, despite knowing trains would not make it post cable theft discovery, Fernández de Heredia answered via tweet, stating, "Fixing the aftermath of the altercation caused the temporary halt of circulation, with everything already in motion."
Though cable theft was initially detected at 5:44 PM on Sunday in the Toledo province, it permitted circulation albeit with speed restrictions, according to Renfe's official. delays of about 60 minutes were the anticipated result, as trains set off unexpectantly came face-to-face with an Iryo train experiencing a snag, causing the catenary to drag.
Following this unforeseen incident, the trains had to cease for a while, as repairs were made to move the Iryo train, restore the catenary, and continue the circulation. As a consequence, at least 10,700 passengers and 30 trains were affected on Sunday.
Interestingly, it's worth acknowledging the recent May 5th incident transpired in a context where in April 2025, a nationwide power outage crippled Spain's rail network temporarily, including Renfe's services. However, it occurred due to an infrastructure failure, not issues confined to a single line. The April incident caused over 100 trains to come to a standstill, leaving passengers stranded, with priority given to reactivating commuter lines once power was restored.
As for the Madrid-Seville corridor, a new direct Barcelona-Seville service began operations on April 23, bypassing Madrid, and not connected to the April power outage. The Madrid-Seville route, however, continues to operate via existing services (6 daily trips, 6-7 hours with transfers), which would have been affected by the April 28 grid failure. At the moment, no May-specific incidents have been reported.
Related Topics
- Renfe's April outrage: A nationwide power outage causes mass disruption
- Newton train services: Barcelona-Seville unveiled without chaos
- Cable theft incidents on the rise: Toledo's recurring menace
- Impact of cable theft on Spain's economic growth
- Improving Renfe's reliability: Strategies for reducing delays and improving safety
- The physical altercation on an Iryo train, as revealed by Renfe's president, disrupted the public-transit industry's rail transportation on the Madrid-Seville line, causing a stoppage in train circulation that affected at least 10,700 passengers and 30 trains.
- Although cable theft had been initially suspected on the Madrid-Seville line, it was actually the unforeseen incident involving the Iryo train that caused the delay in automotive traffic due to the snagging of the catenary.
- The unexpected stoppage on the Madrid-Seville line reminded the public-transit industry of the April 2025 nationwide power outage that affected Renfe's rail services, causing over 100 trains to halt and stranding passengers.
- In a bid to enhance transportation options and avoid delays, Renfe inaugurated a new direct Barcelona-Seville service on April 23, bypassing Madrid and operating independently of the April power outage that affected the Madrid-Seville route.
- With the rising incidents of cable theft on the Toledo line and the need to improve Renfe's reliability, a strategic focus on reducing delays, improving safety, and examining the impact of such cable theft on Spain's economic growth has become crucial for the finance sector.
