Andrew's occasional forays in Italy

[brushman47544]

3 minutes ago, letterspider said:

Sorry to hijack this thread but doea anyone know where I can buy a Hornby  / Rivarossi or Acme Class E656 and E444 in the Caimino livery?

Thanks

New, I don’t think you can at the Hornby/Rivarossi models at present as they haven’t been produced for years, although they are now back in the catalogue. For both the E.444 and E.656 I would go for the newer ACME models which are recent tooling anyway. Run like a charm.

 

My go to retailer of Italian models is Treni e Treni in Viareggio. They have a easy to use internet shop and ship overseas. Other retailers are available, including in the UK of course, but I don’t know if they stock everything or you have to order specially.

 

 

[letterspider]

Thanks!

[brushman47544]

44 minutes ago, duff man said:

Hi.

 Just stumbled across this thread, Nice to see some Italian stuff on here. I am working on an Austrian layout which will require some Italian stock which I am now actively researching, threads like this are most useful as I know nothing of FS workings etc.

Be it a while ago but thanks for posting and if you have anything more lurking it would be great to see an update at some point.

Craig.

The FS contribution to long distance international passenger trains was the UIC X (introduced in the 60s), UIC Z (Eurofima) (late 70s) and/or Gran Confort coaches (late 80s) first introduced on TEE services in that livery. Livery would depend on period, with the UIC X best know for their rosso/fegato livery and UIC Z in Orange, Bandiera and two-tone Grey. Then came XMPR from 1995.

 

FS used E.652 Tigre locos on these trains for many years, then E.405 on the few loco hauled services after units took over. But they would have been changed at the border stations of Tarvisio Boscaverde and Brennero. Not sure about the crossing at San Candido or local cross-border services I’m afraid.

Edited May 10, 2020 by brushman47544

[brushman47544]

Some more recent photos, the first are from Easter 2018 at Roma Termini. Firstly a selection of Trenitalia and iTALO high speed trains

 

Loco hauled trains were still with E.402B or the then new E.401 single cab conversions in push-pull mode with driving trailer converted from UIC Z1 coaches.

Edited May 10, 2020 by brushman47544

[brushman47544]

Moving forward in time, a few photos taken at Foligno during 2019. Graffiti remains a serious problem for Trenitalia.

[duff man]

Thanks for the photo update, Graffiti dose spoil things a bit however your shots show it how it is, I am very hesitant as to weather I would model it though.

Craig.

[Revolution Ben]

Hi all,

 

Only just come across this thread but a huge fan of Italian railways - not surprising really as my father is from Sicily.

 

Some pics from my most recent visit to see my family in Taormina.  The station there is very grand, with castellations and magnificent marble interior, as befits what was once one of the Mediterranean’s premier resorts, with a rich English history too.

 

 

Like the poster above, I am very much looking forward to Arnold’s forthcoming E656, through I won’t be going for the XMPR livery...

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

[9FEd]

19 hours ago, Ben A said:

Hi all,

 

Only just come across this thread but a huge fan of Italian railways - not surprising really as my father is from Sicily.

 

Some pics from my most recent visit to see my family in Taormina.  The station there is very grand, with castellations and magnificent marble interior, as befits what was once one of the Mediterranean’s premier resorts, with a rich English history too.

 

Like the poster above, I am very much looking forward to Arnold’s forthcoming E656, through I won’t be going for the XMPR livery...

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

 

Nice picture - unfortunately it looks like Covid-19 means that any last gasp opportunities to see the E656's on passenger duties in Sicily are definitely gone given the planned withdrawal by June 2020. 

 

Does anyone have any infor on where the remaining Mercitalia E655/656's are allocated? (Aware that they have also dwindled to minimal levels... ) 

[9FEd]

Some pictures from a September 2017 trip, including the E402b that had hauled our Thello sleeper standing at Milano Centrale, a Frecciabianca E414 with E444R-006 and a rather forlorn withdrawn E646.  

[Alcanman]

E656 are one of my favourite FS locos.

 

656 591 at Vipiteno 1989.

 

 

[5944]

On 10/05/2020 at 09:40, letterspider said:

Sorry to hijack this thread but doea anyone know where I can buy a Hornby  / Rivarossi or Acme Class E656 and E444 in the Caimino livery?

Thanks

Also try Tecnomodel in Livorno. Free postage over €99.

[letterspider]

Hi guys thanks for the advice - I haven't yet tracked down an affordably priced Acme Caimino yet - they seem to be an elusive species but I did manage to snare a Rivarossi.

Can anyone point me to a HO manufacturer of decals for FS locos? I have had no luck with Google searches so far.

Thanks 

[letterspider]

Okay - answered my own question - just found this supplier / website here...and they take Paypal

https://www.max-model.it/en/1129-model-train-decals-scale-1-87

Edited May 20, 2020 by letterspider

[brushman47544]

On ‎12‎/‎05‎/‎2020 at 15:11, 9FEd said:

Does anyone have any infor on where the remaining Mercitalia E655/656's are allocated? (Aware that they have also dwindled to minimal levels... ) 

 

There aren't many left for sure. Last time I was in Italy earlier this year, there were still a few stabled in various stations - I've seen one each at Roma Termini and Foligno. An E.655 also tailed a more or less daily steel scrap train headed by a pair of E652s towards Terni from the north on the Falconara line.

 

As to depot allocation, I seem to recall reading recently that some were still allocated to Marcianise (near Caserta) but I don't know if that's still the case. Probably at a depot in the north too.

 

For all things Caimano, this site is pretty good: http://www.e656.net/ 

Edited May 20, 2020 by brushman47544

[9FEd]

On 20/05/2020 at 09:36, brushman47544 said:

 

There aren't many left for sure. Last time I was in Italy earlier this year, there were still a few stabled in various stations - I've seen one each at Roma Termini and Foligno. An E.655 also tailed a more or less daily steel scrap train headed by a pair of E652s towards Terni from the north on the Falconara line.

 

As to depot allocation, I seem to recall reading recently that some were still allocated to Marcianise (near Caserta) but I don't know if that's still the case. Probably at a depot in the north too.

 

For all things Caimano, this site is pretty good: http://www.e656.net/ 

 

Thanks Andrew, much appreciated - I have reviewed e656.net in the past but I was wondering if anybody had any recent 'on the ground' info like yourself. Hopefully some will cling on into a post-Covid world where travelling is possible. 

[9FEd]

As I'm here - E656-492 stands at Venice Santa Lucia, this loco hauled the Italian leg of the EN240 Euronight sleeper from Budapest which we arrived on at ~0715am. It would later be allocated to the PAX long distance division of Trenitalia in 2013 before being transferred to Sicily where, as of late 2019, it remained in service. 

[brushman47544]

3 hours ago, 9FEd said:

As I'm here - E656-492 stands at Venice Santa Lucia, this loco hauled the Italian leg of the EN240 Euronight sleeper from Budapest which we arrived on at ~0715am. It would later be allocated to the PAX long distance division of Trenitalia in 2013 before being transferred to Sicily where, as of late 2019, it remained in service. 

Interesting photo. Presumably that E.405 behind worked in on a train from Austria or Germany.

[9FEd]

@brushman47544 thank you and good observation/assumption I reckon, I think I always look past the E405 in the photo to the D445 behind, shows the value of fresh eyes and not just keeping these pictures on your own hardrive! 

 

I only took this one picture after disembarking (on a fairly basic Nokia) and, as is typical, with hindsight I regret not taking a few more now! 

[Adam]

Not sure how I've managed to miss this thread! There's something very distinctive and attractive about Italian railways and like some of the rest of you, I can't help but wonder why they don't have a greater following in the UK (relative to, say, Germany and Switzerland - the greater appeal of France and the Netherlands I can understand, they're both very close and relatively cheap). We went on honeymoon to Venice in 2016, travelling by train via Zurich and then over the Gotthard Pass and then back via Turin which was all wonderful, the interchange at Milano Centrale being especially good fun from a railway point of view. Spectacular building, interesting trains:

 

 

 

We spent a week explaining that no, we weren't German, in Descenzano a couple of years later and popped over to Verona and along the lake by train, to encountering Attlia (which I assume is the illegitimate son of a tamper going on the cabs).

 

 

This has encouraged a small Italian modelling habit, mostly on the cheap via eBay , but with a couple of more extravagant purchases. Some of the consequences of which can be seen below:

 

 

The grain hoppers are Rivarossi and Jouef, the flat from Oskar. I must finish one of the locos to go with them. Makes quite a change from '60s era EM...

 

Adam

Edited May 31, 2020 by Adam

[Fat Controller]

I may have posted this at some time previously:-

http://www.trenomania.org/fotogallery/index.php?cat=37

[Settebello]

Having a few spare moments, I managed to browse through some of my rail photos and managed to find a few ( moderate quality!) shots of the E 444 nBo Bo electrics in as built condition:

 

The First two shots being taken at Milano Greco Pirelli station, a very hand photo spot as it was just south of Milano Greco depot, and the coulour shot tekan very quickly at Centrale on my way to catch an Intercity to Venezia

 

 

[Settebello]

Sorry about the typos....I really must slow down!

Hope you enjoy them....!

[brushman47544]

9 hours ago, Adam said:

Not sure how I've managed to miss this thread! There's something very distinctive and attractive about Italian railways and like some of the rest of you, I can't help but wonder why they don't have a greater following in the UK (relative to, say, Germany and Switzerland - the greater appeal of France and the Netherlands I can understand, they're both very close and relatively cheap).

 

I’ve always assumed that it’s lower popularity is because most of the main lines are electrified, whereas in Great Britain many main lines are not and even on those that are electrified many freight trains are diesel hauled. D.445s seem to be particularly popular among Brits compared to electric locos like the Caimano E.656 and E.444. It would be a bit like the Brits preferring Classes 86 and 87 to Classes 47 and 66.

[Adam]

20 minutes ago, brushman47544 said:

I’ve always assumed that it’s lower popularity is because most of the main lines are electrified, whereas in Great Britain many main lines are not and even on those that are electrified many freight trains are diesel hauled. D.445s seem to be particularly popular among Brits compared to electric locos like the Caimano E.656 and E.444. It would be a bit like the Brits preferring Classes 86 and 87 to Classes 47 and 66.

 

It's true that electrified trains are the norm (but that's the case in Switzerland and most of France and the Netherlands/Belgium). Perhaps rail enthusiasts that make it to Italy really are there for the food and culture rather than the trains? And why not?

 

Adam

 

 

[letterspider]

As a child holidaying in Italy, there was something about the Tortuga, Camino and Tigre emblems on these giant beastlike machines which I still can't put my finger on...