Battipaglia–Reggio di Calabria railway

The railway line Salerno- Reggio Calabria is the southernmost part of the North -South connection to the Italian mainland and connects the cities of Salerno in the Campania region and Reggio Calabria, in the Calabria region together.

History

Planning and construction

The construction of a direct connection between Battipaglia and Reggio Calabria was a big challenge due to a variety of engineering structures and was first realized lane 1883-1895. The section between Salerno and Battipaglia was completed a further rail link to the south of the railway line Battipaglia - Metaponto already on 20 May 1866 part of the construction.

In 1866, the railway company Società Vittorio Emanuele acquired the concession for the construction of a compound of Metaponte about Controne up to Reggio Calabria and Taranto. This was made possible by the law for the reorganization of the railways by 1865. The combination with the railway line Battipaglia - Potenza - Metaponto brought from the 1880 first time a continuous rail connection to the Strait of Messina. However, the two lines also had a total length of about 670 km.

Already in 1861 the construction of the ferrovia Tirrenica Meridional has been proposed by several parties, since it was of great benefit to the regions of Calabria and Sicily. In 1870 it was finally approved by the Government, and one began with the implementation of studies. These studies considered the one hand, the construction by the " Vallo di Diano " Eboli on the other hand, a route through the Cilento about Valle della Lucania Sapri. To both variants were subsequently heated debates in Parliament, especially among the Members from the regions of Basilicata and Campania. Then, in 1879 was finally determined that both variants should be built by the state.

Furthermore, led the use of rail for the transport of citrus fruits from Campania and Sicily in those years, as the cultivation and trade of fruits was favored state to a greater volume of transport. After the conclusion of trade agreements with the U.S. and Central European countries on trade in citrus fruits, the planning and implementation of rail line moved further to the fore, as the traffic would be significantly faster and cheaper by the completion of the railway line. Between 1883 and 1887 then the first sections Battipaglia - Agropoli - Vallo Castelnuovo (50 km ) and Reggio Calabria Bagnara (29 km) could be opened to traffic.

Meanwhile began, albeit very slowly, the construction of the line through the Vallo di Diano. The construction of the 78 kilometers of the route of Sicignano degli Alburni until after Lagonegro lasted until the year 1892. Then the construction was, however, not continued due to the difficult topographical conditions. The section started was finally operated as a railway Sicignano degli Alburni Lagonegro until the closure of the route in 1987. In 1889, the portion of Vallo - Pisciotta was opened to traffic. In the following years, the route was gradually completed. Difficult designed to primarily the numerous and long tunnels and bridges on the sections between Agropoli - Scalea and between Villa San Giovanni and Palmi. In 1895, after twelve years of construction, the tracks of the ferrovia Tirrenica Meridional were finally connected with Paola and completed the construction of it.

Operation and expansion

The attractiveness of the faster and significantly shorter connection made ​​right away for a continuous and steady increase in freight and passenger traffic. The new railway line made ​​for new jobs and a positive economic development. It formed new centers. From Paola from the construction of additional rail lines followed by Catanzaro (1899 ) and Cosenza (1915 ) and Gioia Tauro after Cinquefrondi. Tourism also gained momentum. The location of Guardia Piemontese benefited with its thermal baths, it emerged Hotels in Paola and Sapri, but also the infrastructure of the railway line itself has been extended. It originated freight terminals, other stations and repair workshops.

In 1939, the electrification was completed in preparation for a new era. The traffic could now be operated with the much more powerful electric locomotives FS E.626, E.326 FS and FS E.428. In the 60s, the track reached your capacity limit as a result of increasing passenger and cargo traffic in particular food from Sicily. The result was the expansion of the existing line with a second track, and a partially new installation of the route. The existing tunnels were contemporary designs adjusts the route was straightforward through the construction of new bridges and tunnels longer, especially on the road sections between Agropoli and Praia a Mare and between Villa San Giovanni and Palmi. The first phase of modernization was completed in the late 1960s. The 1970s saw a second phase of structural modernization with the construction of two all-new double-track sections between Praia and Scalea and between Rosarno and Lamezia (then Eufemia Lamezia ). The old route through the towns of Vibo Valentia, Pizzo Calabro, Tropea and Nicotera, however, was not abandoned, but remained single track and for regional traffic operation.

Expansion of state

The track is now double-tracked and electrified throughout. Whether it is built for the Italian high-speed traffic expanded in the future, or a completely new route, is still unclear. The rail link Salerno-Reggio Calabria is part of the trans-European railway axis Berlin- Palermo. The financing of this project is still open.

Use

The railway line is still operated lack of alternatives in mixed traffic. Both freight trains as well as regional and long distance trains, such as the Euro Star to use the route. A ride on the Euro Star now takes 3:50 hours.