Guillermo Bas Ordóñez
Engineer Francisco Gascué and the Carrocera Valley Railroad

Although the origins of the railroad are inextricably linked to industry in general, and to mining in particular since their earliest beginnings in the 17th century, it was not until the second half of the 19th century that mechanical traction became the norm in industrial railways, first replacing animal traction and later on newly built lines.

One such example is the Carrocera Valley mining railway (San Martín del Rey Aurelio, Asturias), which entered service in 1883 and was designed by mining engineer Francisco Gascué (1848–1920), who at the time was director of the owning company, the steel firm Duro y Compañía.

In connection with this project, Gascué was a pioneer in studying the comparative advantages of using steam locomotives instead of mules, findings he reflected in a series of articles in the Revista Minera that would later be published as a book alongside other works dedicated to the world of mining.

In this paper, we will examine his work, the factors that shaped it, and the significance of his study for the railways of other neighboring companies. We will also explore his life and his professional and intellectual career, both of which are of great interest despite being overshadowed by the prominence of his contemporaries such as Luis de Adaro or Jerónimo Ibrán. Indeed, Gascué was not only a renowned engineer but a true polymath who addressed various topics, particularly those linked to Basque culture, as he was, after all, a native of San Sebastián.
 

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Tania Fernandes
The Algarve Railway Line as an Example of Knowledge and Technology Transfer in Portugal? (19th and 20th Centuries)

The introduction of the railway in Portugal in the19thcentury was a widely debated topic, coinciding with growing turmoil in the Portuguese political landscape.

In this context, the Algarve Line represents a “metamorphosis of time,” where contemporary railway stations coexist with a railway infrastructure that was first planned during the era of the Constitutional Monarchy, set within a unique geographical landscape.

Despite the existence of several macro studies regarding the implementation of a railway system in Portugal, as well as sectoral studies concerning other lines, there are no specific studies focusing on the Algarve Line.

Several factors contribute to the interest in a more in-depth analysis of the construction of a railway line in the Algarve.

First, the protracted timeline; beginning with the section between Tunes and São Bartolomeu de Messines, its construction was phased and spread out over time. Thus, while the first train arrived in Faro in 1889, construction of the final section, between Portimão and Lagos, would not take place until 1922—that is, 33 years after work began. On the other hand, one must consider the importance that economic and industrial actors, as well as political figures at the regional level, attached to the construction of this line, advocating for it as an essential element for the development of the Algarve region. Furthermore, as it is the only railway line built in the Algarve region that is still in operation, it is necessary to understand its potential as a testament to Portugal’s railway heritage.

Through an analysis of the development of this railway line, our objective is to summarize the reasons behind its construction, the constraints encountered, and how it exemplifies the transfer of knowledge and technology that this type of engineering work facilitated.
 

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Ana Cardoso de Matos
Engineer mobility, knowledge exchange, and technology transfer. From the École des Ponts et Chausses to the Portuguese railway (second half of the 19th century)

The introduction of the railway in Portugal, which required engineers with specialized training, was hampered by a shortage of such professionals in Portuguese society. To overcome the inadequacy of civil engineering education in Portugal, several engineers went abroad to complete their training, notably at the École des Ponts et Chausses in Paris. Choosing this school ensured that Portuguese engineers acquired the most up-to-date theoretical knowledge in the field, taught by some of the most renowned engineers of the time, while also receiving solid practical training, thanks to the emphasis placed on field studies and academic assignments.

Their stay in France also allowed Portuguese engineers to have direct contact with the major public works being carried out there, namely the construction of railway lines or railway “engineering structures,” which allowed them to observe the application of new materials, understand new construction techniques and the organization of construction sites, and evaluate the most appropriate techniques to apply in Portugal, both in terms of bridge and viaduct construction and in terms of railway alignment. Taking advantage of their presence in Paris, several of these engineers undertook study visits, notably to the world’s fairs held in that city to learn about advances in railways, while others, after completing their training in Paris, undertook study visits to other countries to update their knowledge in the field of railways and observed the construction of some railway lines firsthand.

Ángel Mª Ormaechea
Charles Vignoles, Chief Engineer and Friendly Composer on the Tudela to Bilbao Railway

The presentation would consist of two parts: in the first, I would examine Vignoles’ work in his role as Chief Engineer, updating Engineer Santa Cruz’s old 1848 project and establishing the technical and design specifications for the seven sections into which the construction of the Bilbao to Castejón line was divided.

Once the line’s warranty period had expired, disputes arose between the builders and the managers of the Tudela to Bilbao Railway Company, and the parties turned to Charles Vignoles to serve as an arbitrator. The decision made by the former Chief Engineer precipitated the company’s declaration of suspension of payments.
 

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Javier Nubiola de Castellarnau
Eduardo Maristany (1855–1941) and Innovation in Railway Infrastructure

Eduardo Maristany was a key figure in the history of Spanish railways, and particularly in the history of Catalan railways, from the late 19th century until the creation of RENFE. Maristany was not only a great administrator but also a highly skilled engineer who was far ahead of his time. He traveled all over the world to learn about new railway technologies and apply them to the Spanish context.

In 1885, he joined the Tarragona to Barcelona and France Railway Company (T.B.F.). In 1886, the T.B.F. absorbed the ‘Company of the Direct Railways from Madrid and Zaragoza to Barcelona,’ with the project to connect Barcelona with Zaragoza via Escatrón and Caspe. Maristany took charge of the project’s execution, including the Argentera Tunnel.

In 1898, he was appointed managing director of the T.B.F., which was already in talks to merge with the M.Z.A. When the merger took place in 1899, he assumed management of the so-called “Catalan Network” of the M.Z.A.

He introduced a steam-powered suburban rail system, for which he can be considered the initiator of the first comprehensive plan for Barcelona’s rail connections—what we would now call commuter rail—by expanding passenger stations and relocating freight (low-speed) operations, as well as depots and rolling stock marshaling yards, to the outskirts.

Between 1908 and 1934, Maristany served as General Manager of the entire M.Z.A. He took up residence at Atocha Station in Madrid. These were prosperous years for the railroad, although with the outbreak of World War I in 1914, rail traffic became overwhelming, giving rise to the “Railroad Problem.”

He was a very prolific writer; his most famous book is *The 1905 Railway Conference*.

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Víctor Manuel Heredia Flores
Engineer José Bores Romero and the Railway Issue in the Early 20th Century

Engineer José Bores Romero (Antequera, 1860–Zaragoza, 1936) had a professional career similar to that of other engineers of his time, who were involved in a wide range of activities spanning numerous fields and extending across various regions of Spain. His work addressed water supply, sanitation, hydroelectricity, railways, urban transportation, roads, and ports. A regular contributor to professional publications of the time, he was also a member of parliament, Inspector General of Roads, and President of the Higher Council of Public Works.

Railroads took up a significant portion of his professional life. Early in his career, he was assigned to the Commission for Studies and Construction of the Central Pyrenees Railroads, and one of his first projects was the construction of the railroad line connecting the Biscayan mining area with the port of Castro Urdiales through the Sopuerta Valley. He also designed an electric tramway between Vigo and Mondáriz, and in 1904 he submitted a proposal for an underground railway in Madrid that was approved by Congress, though it was ultimately withdrawn.

In his later years, Bores was a regular contributor to the *Revista de Obras Públicas*, a publication in which he addressed the railway issue in several articles, at a time when the network’s operational problems were compounded by the worsening financial situation of the companies due to rising operating costs. Bores proposed as solutions to the railway problem the complete nationalization of the existing network, the construction by the state of complementary lines—adopting the European gauge on them—as well as the secondary and strategic network, and the gradual implementation of electric traction.
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