1.5 Euro Talgo II

Reverse

Series and face value inside a central circle. Outside the central circle, an image of a railway track.

Script: Latin

Lettering:
HISTORIA DEL FERROCARRIL
1,5 EURO
M

Translation: History of railways

Edge

Plain

Comment

For the year 2021, since the European Year of the Rail and the 80th Anniversary of Renfe are celebrated, the FNMT-RCM issues a collection of 20 coins dedicated to the History of the Railways. This series reproduces a selection of trains and locomotives that have been relevant throughout its history.
Talgo II: The Talgo originated from the partnership contract signed by Alejandro Goicoechea Omar and José Luis Oriol Urigüen on June 25 1942 to operate Patent 151.396, which had been registered by the former on January 8 1941. In so doing, Goicoechea proposed to build a new, light, articulated train whose first prototype was trialled in 1942. Later named the Talgo I, it was made up of a small tractor (a wagon and a Ganz engine) and seven self-supporting, steel-clad cars.
After the successful trials, Oriol Urigüen sent the Talgo I to the Babcock & Wilcox plant in Galindo for improvements. However, in the end, the enterprise Patentes Talgo entered into a contract with the American Car and Foundry Company on December 8 1945 for the production of two trains and three locomotives. Thus was born the Talgo II, whose main feature lay in its novel system of wheels guided on the rail, completely different from the classic wheels guided by the rail. When it entered commercial service on July 14, it was an unqualified success.
With a B’B’ wheel arrangement, each of the three locomotives had two Hercules DNX-V8DS diesel engines (405 hp at 1,800 rpm), with electric transmission. Top speed was 140 km/h.
In its first year of service, the new train made 308 journeys on the Madrid-Hendaye-Madrid route, transporting 39,171 passengers, or 89.6% of its total commercial capacity. But there was a lot more to come: in its first 10 years of service, the Talgo II made 4,187 journeys, carrying 517,017 passengers with an average capacity for 136. As the percentage of passengers making the full journey rose to 82.1%, the total usage rate worked out at 60.4%. Patentes Talgo stood out for its determined approach to innovation, reflected in the fact that, between 1950 and 1958.

Interesting fact

Price

Date	Mintage	VG	F	VF	XF	AU	UNC
2021 M	7000	-	-	-	-	-	-

Values in the table are based on evaluations by sales realized on Internet platforms. They serve as an indication only for 1.5 Euro (Talgo II) 2021 coin.