The Mercitalia (Italian Railways freight division) is going to modify one ETR500 high speed train to freight service using "roll containers" (do not know what they are, but should be like the ones used for airplanes). In the picture an artist impression (website ferrovie.info). That is basically the nomal train painted green instead of red. There sould be no big modification to the cars structure (removal of all seats and equipment, plus plugging the windows), but the 12 cars long train will be able to go from Naples to Bologna with an overall commercial average speed of 180 KPH (110MPH). The train reaches a top speed of 300KPH in regular service, and the average is consistent with the passenger service. Trenitalia (the passenger division) will be getting a surplus of high speed train sets, that is probably the main reson they are starting up this service. Until the early nineties there were many overnight "high speed" (Top speed 100MPH) postal trains. This is the first like venture since then. A picture here of one such train hauled by a E444R class (top speed 125MPH, still user now for Intercity services) https://www.flickr.com/photos/paolobrocchetti/8591415915/ Apart from a TGV postal service ran in France, this is the first high speed commercial freight service ever launched. More info on the train https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FS_Class_ETR_500
The Trenitalia felons, (because to get money cut a lot of services and scrapped my favorite locos) will almost certainly make money out of it as they will connect the main intermodal nodes overnight. They will cut into the pallet size fast truck service market, and probably get an agreement with the mail service and some couriers. Inviato dal mio BLN-L21 utilizzando Tapatalk
People, it is here! The first modified train just got out of the Trenitalia works in Voghera, and new carriages have brought there for transofrmation to build the second set. And the first advertising video on you tube If this goes on as it seems, many express truckers will have to look for other routes....
It is closer and closer..... Here in Naples station after the latest test run More info here http://www.ferrovie.info/index.php/...tr-500-mercitalia-fast-is-called-etr-500-m-01
In this official video you can see the train inside They did not even plug the windows.... Here more info http://www.ferrovie.info/index.php/...mercitalia-fast-service-with-the-etr-500-m-01
I'll bet their first big ask is to get some cargo sized doors on that beauty. Loading and unloading a freight train one tiny cart at a time is gonna get tedious! If I remember right, the La Poste TGV does have bigger doors located center car, but still not big enough to drive a small forklift with pallets into. If this train proves its value that would be a worthwhile investment. Hope it's a success! -Mike
The problem with the doors is that the upper frame of the cars is so light that opening cargo doors would mean rebuilding the cars from the frame up. The idea was scrapped from the beginnning due to the cost: they will have to live with it. In any case as you see in the movie their target is small "high priority" parcels, there is a mobile ramp as they did not rework the stairs under the door.
It started yesterday. The only one set did a return trip from naples to bologna and back during the night. http://www.ferrovie.info/index.php/...e-etr-500-m-01-mercitalia-fast-was-successful
