Goicoechea Omar, Alejandro (1895 - 1984)

Spanish engineer, made several innovations in rail technology

He studied in the Army Engineering School and began working in the railway regiment. In 1926 he made his first rail car, fully welded, with no rivets or screws. In the early 1930's he became interested in passenger trains. In 1941 he implemented a prototype of the convoy, with aluminum structure and composed of only one engine and chassis. In 1942 the Talgo I (Tren Ligero Goicoechea-Oriol Articulado) made its first trip reaching 115 km/h. That same year, with the help of businessman José Luis Oriol Bilbao, Goicochea created Talgo Patents SA comapany. A second model (Talgo-II) was produced in New York in 1949. Since the 1960's these trains began its successful career for spanish and international routes, receiving continuous improvements (running in both directions at speeds exceeding 200 km/h, a system to adapt to european rail width). In the early 1970's, Goicochea projected the "vertebrate-train" that had no commercial impact. In the next decade appeared the pendular Talgos more comfortable and able to increase cornering speeds. Several of these advances have been incorporated into the current high-speed trains.

variant spelling:
Goicoechea Omar, Alejandro

Curriculum vitae

* 1895	Elorrio, Vizcaya, Spain	born
1926	Spain	Goicoechea made his first rail car, fully welded
1936	Spain	Patented a new railway transport system with high rolling
1941	Spain	He implemented a prototype of the convoy, with aluminum structure and composed of only one engine and chassis
1942	Spain	Talgo I (Tren Articulado Ligero Goicoechea-Oriol) made its first trip reaching 115 km/h
1942	Spain	He founded the Patentes Talgo company with Jose Luis de Oriol
1949		Talgo II was produced in New York
† 1984	Madrid, Spain	died

Collections

Rationalisation, ca. 1920-1950

Literature

Vagones por soldadura, in: Dyna, Volume 2. 1927
Author: Goicoechea Omar, Alejandro
Published: 1927

Permanent links

DMG-Lib		https://www.dmg-lib.org/dmglib/handler?biogr=6567004
Europeana		http://www.europeana.eu/portal/record/2020801/dmglib_handler_biogr_6567004.html

Follow us

Newsletter

Goicoechea Omar, Alejandro (1895 - 1984)