Torralba – Soria

The railway in Soria was the result of the drive of a group of businessmen and eminent people linked to the city, who in the 1880s saw the distribution of their products more quickly as a business opportunity. [1]

However, the implementation of this project was held back by the lack of institutional interest in funding it, as the low profitability of the project did not prove very stimulating to the promoting companies, due to the low volume of goods and passengers for such transport to bring them benefits.
Finally, the project managed to awaken the business interest of the Belgian investor Edouard Otlet, who had made a great fortune in railway and tramway projects all over the world. The efforts of the Senator from Soria, Ramón Benito Aceña, were also essential in overcoming the reluctance of the Central Administration. [‘2’]. Finally, the state partially subsidised the work for Otlet, who would carry out the railway connection project between Soria and a link point with the Madrid-Zaragoza line, owned by MZA. [1] [2] [6]

The connection point with the existing line was the subject of negotiation between Otlet and the company MZA, as the latter preferred to link up in the town of Torralba del Moral, because it involved the shortest route and the least orographic complications, while MZA preferred to connect the line in Alcuneza, since there was already a station there where its trains stopped. After a long exchange of opinions, it was agreed to connect at Tollalba.
The line was inaugurated in 1892, after 4 years of construction, and in honour of the politician who promoted its construction, the first locomotive to make the journey was christened ‘Ramón Benito Aceña’. [1]

The line was managed by the Belgian for 26 years, at which point he sold it to two Spanish businessmen, the Duke of Infantado and the Duke of Villamejor, who set up the Sociedad Anónima de Ferrocarriles Soria – Navarra. During this time, the company suffered significant losses, until it was nationalised in 1941, with Renfe taking over its operation. [2]

Originally, the line had eleven stations: Torralba, Miño de Medinaceli, Radona, Adradas, Coscurita, Almazán Villa, Matamala de Almazán, Tardelcuende, Quintana Redonda, Navalcaballo and Soria-San Francisco. [1]

Currently, many of these stations have been abandoned and the line operates on a very limited basis despite the fact that it is the only passenger service from Soria to Madrid. The service has four trains a day in each direction, except on Fridays and Sundays. As a result, and to avoid its closure, the Regional Government of Castile and León has occasionally assumed part of the deficit, as it is the only passenger service from Soria. [2] [3]

Furthermore, the traffic of goods was very varied until the 80s, as Soria demanded wood, cement and fertilisers and produced derivatives from its agricultural and livestock activity. Currently, there is no traffic of goods. [1]

It should be noted that, although there had been no major investments in this line since the 1990s, at the beginning of 2007 important track renovation work began, culminating in the renovation of 43 kilometres of the railway line in 2013. In addition, from October 2022 to June 2023, the line was closed to traffic so that Adif could carry out improvement and comprehensive renovation works on the infrastructure. [4] [5]

The line runs through the landscapes of the regions of Tierra de Medinaceli and Almazán. In the region of Tierra de Medinaceli, once past the hills and valleys of the Sierra Ministra, the route enters a plain of cereal crops. Then, in the region of Almazán, it generally runs parallel to the river Izana, a tributary of the Duero, through the sub-region of Pinares Llanos Centrales, among forests of black pine (Pinus nigra), until it reaches the capital. All the stations along the route are of the same type: those in use are in an acceptable state of repair, while those out of use are in a very poor state, with the exception of the Miño de Medinaceli station, which has been converted into a municipal hostel. The landscape is of high value and there is a certain potential for development due to nature tourism.

Category C1.
Non-electrified track with wooden sleepers in need of repair.