Renfe’s contribution to Spain’s economic growth between 1950 and 2000: sn initial estimation

The purpose of the article is to make a first appraisal of the contribution of the railway of Iberian gauge (Renfe) to the economic development experienced by the Spanish society throughout the second half of the 20th century. The text examine in the first place the benefits obtained by the different economic segments as a result of the rail-specific demand, and then proceeds to evaluate it in order to obtain its relative weight within the national economy. In the second section the same process is applied to the forward linkages, or effects on the economy of the availability of a more efficient transportation system.