With profound apologies for taking so long to start getting these pictures up (and also for the fact that there is only one so far!), here is an image of one of those beautiful Italian "Brown Bomber" electric locos - don't know what class it is or exactly how old, but it could well date from the 1950s. Sorry the image is not fantastic quality but it is a still captured from a video which was itself taken from a (slowly) moving train! To view the image, follow this link: http://www.pbase.com/image/11138028.jpg Ben
Thats an interesting looking loco Ben, to me it looks like its articulated in the middle, or perhaps its 2 locos... i would like to learn more about it. I like it, do you have any more photos?
I like those locomotives, Ben. We saw one in Pesciera, but the photo was not very good. Here is another articulated one we photographed leaving Venice, taken through the window of a coach (bus). There are quite a number of these types of locomotives in Italy, usually Bo-Bo-Bo (three 4 wheel trucks) [ 01. February 2003, 23:42: Message edited by: Alan ]
The oldest class of this type of loco, with only a very few examples still existing, is E424; there was one painted in the green and white livery acting as station pilot/local train back up loco at Rimini last summer but the last few examples are steadily being withdrawn; they date from the 1940s. I think one of the other classes is E636; they are, as rightly suggested, articulated; they are one loco, not two! Look at the Italian Railfans Association website for more information; class numbers, statistics etc. I am hoping to put up some more photos very shortly. Ben
Hello! The loco in the first photo (Ben's photo) is a E 636 class, currently in active service in Italy. The firsts project of this locomotive class is dated 1938 and the last loco are builder to 1962. Subsequently they have been improved and the new class of locomotives has been constructed and classified E 645/646 (first locos were adapted to the towing freight trains while the second to the towing of those passengers; in the Alan's photo is visible an E646 class) and they constructions began in 1959 until 1967. Finally, the origin plan ulteriorly was improved and, from 1976 to 1990, the new locomotives class are been born, in class E 656; they are builders in several under-series that differed between they, in several external and inner particulars. They are articulated in the middle for run in the Italian's mountains line and still today, above all the E 656, constitute the dorsal thorn of the Italian locomotives park. The E636 class, instead, it is in via of cancellation, except 80 units that will be improved and will continue to haul freight trains. Approximately 1000 locos Bo-Bo-Bo are in active service in Italy.
Sure Alan! In the first and the second photos are visible the E 656 class and in first photo is obvious the central articulation. This photo is taken in Morolo (near Rome) and Frosnone (my city!!!). The last photo represents an E 424 class and don't have an articulation. This photo is taken in Cassino station; to my shoulders (not visible in the photo) there is the monastery of Montecassino.
What I really meant to say, Fabrizio, was that the E424s are about the oldest class of brown Italian electric loco still in existence; sorry to have been imprecise, I wasn't really meaning to imply they were the same kind of wheel arrangement. I like the E656 class as well; they seem to be somewhat akin to class 47s in England as a long lasting general purpose loco seen over much of the system. Ben
I have now uploaded an image of a TAF double decker multiple unit to railimages. We rode on one of these from Rimini to Bologna. They are very smooth (if a little hot and airless!). I like just as much riding in a big old fashioned Italian pasenger carriage with the window open, the breeze rushing in and the deafening noise of the journey, flat tires and all!
Ben, I have in accord with you for the TAF. Unfortunately they are in increase also in the Rome's zone!!!
I have some more miscellaneous Italian railway pictures, all stills from video taken just outside Rimini station (opposite the famous Rimini skyscraper), which I will upload as soon as I can get get enough time on the computer (i.e. when my son or daughter is not hogging it!). Trains include Eurostar Italia, an old diesel multiple unit of the type that runs local services through Rimini and another locomotive, possibly an E402 (Fabrizio will be able to confirm or correct). I will do this as soon as I can. Ben
I have a bunch somewhere I can add to the mix as well...but they are probaby in a box at my parents house... When I can get hold of them I will scan some in for you folks.
I have now uploaded a few more images to railimages - including a couple of shots of the lovely orange Rimini trolleybuses - on route 11, the route you are probably most likely to use if you visit the town as it serves both the old town and the long beach strip stretching right to Riccione , about 4 miles. Ben
I haven't had any comments on the pictures I uploaded to Railimages at the beginning of February - possibly members find it a bind to have to open up a different website to view the images being referred to in the post, and don't bother to view - in which case I will have to learn how to transfer to here from Railimages images I have uploaded to the latter website. If any members like what I have already uploaded, I will try to crank up the software for my DSC and upload some higher resolution stills that I took of a couple more Italian locos parked up at Rimini station. Ben
Ben, getting Railimages pics to show up on here is fairly easy once you've worked out how, you are most of the way there if you have the pics in Railimages already. The easiest way I find is to have two browser windows open, one with the Trainboard "post a reply/message" page and one on the Railimages page for the specific photo you want to show. Towards the bottom of the railimages page a URL is displayed, like this one: http://www.railimages.com/album/Martyn%20Read/Oct29_11.jpg Right click on it and select "copy shortcut". Go back to the Trainboard window and there is a button below the text box with "image" on it, click this and paste in the URL you copied from Railimages into the little window that appears. It sounds hard but once you've done one or two it's really easy, and I look forward to seeing the pics on here! I know the above details work in Internet Explorer and on a PC, so if you have a Mac or those aren't working then let us know and we'll get you some help from the real experts! [ 28. February 2003, 16:53: Message edited by: Martyn Read ]
Ok, I will try to transfer the images now - thank you for the "words and music", Martyn! http://www.railimages.com/album/Ben9620Cripps/ten.jpg http://www.railimages.com/album/Ben9620Cripps.nine.jpg
