Compatible gauges

How can a country preserve its own special features while becoming part of Europe? The axle exchanger that the Cohesion Fund part-financed at Majarabique (Andalusia, Spain) shows in a very practical way that this can be done. It is well known that Spanish railways use a different gauge from the one adopted by other countries of the Union. The high-speed train between Madrid and Seville - which uses the European gauge - was therefore not connected to the rest of the Spanish network. The problem has now received a high-tech solution through the installation at Majarabique of a device which automatically changes the wheel base to allow trains of the Talgo type to change from one gauge to another between Madrid and Cadiz or Huelva, so gaining between two and three hours on these journeys. Will there be high-speed connections between Cadiz and Copenhagen in the near future?