FS Class ETR 450

The ETR 450 (from the Italian ElettroTreno Rapido ) or "Electric Express " is a Fiat Ferroviaria ( now part of Alstom ) and Ercole Marelli produced and Trenitalia (FS ) operated tilting train, who was appointed in 1984 and with the summer timetable 1988 the relation Rome -Milan resumed its service.

Technology

The railcars are derived from the 1971 -built prototype railcar FIAT Y 0160 and in 1975 made ​​electromotive predecessor ETR 401 ( the world's first train with active hydraulic tilting technology until 2000 occasionally used ) and consist of nine parts, two control car as end cars and seven intermediate cars. The ETR 450 represents the second " Pendolino " generation. It maintains the look and the most important dimensions of the preceding ETR 400, but differs in some technical details, due to advancements significantly from this. The rather narrow and low railroad cars were in the transverse direction only 3 seats comfortably next to each record to (2 1 seating ).

The main difference in the electrical part is the introduction of power electronics. While the engines are still supplied with 3,000 volts direct current, the speed control is performed by using a so-called chopper instead of a rheostat. Power is transferred to the tilt units in each car is done via an electro - hydraulic assistance with central control. The slope is 8 ° (maximum 10 ° are possible), the current collectors do not tend with.

Technically, the train on level ground could a speed of 280 km / h. In control mode up to 250 km / h were originally authorized, curves were around 25 % with side slope - drive 30 % faster. These performance figures are made possible by a low axle load of about 12 tons and over the train underfloor distributed motors ( two per car, each acting on a Drehgestellradsatz ). Italy was with the introduction of ETR 450, the second country in Europe (after France by TGV ), in which the trains travel at the time the average value of 200 km / h for. This could with intercity trains to reduce the travel time between Rome and Milan of 4 hours and 55 minutes to 3 hours, 58 minutes, so about 20 % can be achieved. As a result of the fiscal year 1989, with 1,500,000 covered by the " Pendolini " fleet kilometers, there was a single failure ( without the use of interruption). In the press then circulated a picture of an older E.626 - engine that was pulling a defective new ETR, which raised questions about the reliability. It may be noted that statistically only 0.78 errors per one million kilometers occurred in the operating results of the first six years, compared to 13 errors per million at the time also quite new locomotives of the E.633.

Use

After field testing on April 20 began with the summer timetable of 1988 from May 29, the regular operation of two pair ETR 450 train services as the best Italian on rails with a direct route Rome -Milan in under four hours. At the same time departure from Rome and Milan, respectively by 7 clock and 19 clock 240 seats were available. Initially driven in six-part first-class compilation, was elected in 1993 a division into three cars first class with the rest as second-class carriage.

During the winter of 1988/1989 could be extended by delivery of other units, the use of Turin and Naples. The trains was extended successively by means vehicles, enabling up to 340 passengers could be carried. Later drive-free dining cars were added. By the summer of 1989 relations to Venice, Salerno and Bolzano were introduced in May.

In the early 1990s, the " Pendolini " services to the leading compounds of Italy were. From Rome ETR went from 450 to Milan, Turin, Bolzano, Venice, Bari, Lecce, Reggio Calabria, Potenza, Taranto, Genoa, La Spezia, Vicenza and Savona. Trains also ran from Milan to Ancona and Pescara.

In the years 1991 and 1992, for example, the trains were also on the weekends between Milan and Ancona, with stops in Bologna, Cesena, Rimini, Riccione, Cattolica, Pesaro and Senigallia, and the destination Rome - Rimini. Departure was Friday afternoon and arriving on Sunday evening. The journey between Milan and Senigallia lasted only three hours in the following year only 18 minutes longer, which was very popular with travelers. The 15 sets were finally brought to nine parts with 390 seats after remodeling.

In the new millennium

Due to difficulties in purchasing from the gyroscopic sensor, which was not manufactured by British Aerospace longer, but patented and otherwise was not available anywhere, the tilting technology was gradually deactivated, the " Pendolini " thus deprived of their technical merits. Finally took the units from June 10, 2004 now in rank C rating, with a reduction of the maximum speed to 200 km / h after some years earlier, only 220 km / h were allowed. Thus, the higher speed could not come at a more curve poor new lines to advantage also.

It should be noted that the German train stood in their railcars of class 610 similar difficulties, which were solved by replacing with more modern components and static Neuauslegen the tilting characteristics.

2004/2005 units were used for the establishment of a " cheap passenger " brand TrenOK (based on so-called " low cost airlines " airlines without additional services ) on several lines. The ETR had only second-class seats and were given a colorful new paint job, which campaigned for the slightly slower " low -cost" train. It should local stations are run, analogue, used by many low-cost airlines take much frequented hubs alternative airports. The offer was discontinued after a few months. A similar concept in the UK since 2005, the brand Megatrain the company Stagecoach Group.

In January 2007, when operating on the Rome -Milan has been set, the relations Rome -Ancona, Rome, Perugia and Rome - Taranto on which the trains originally wrong as Euro Star Italia, were still maintained. With the winter 2010/2011 and further in 2011 and 2012, the sets are just used as a reserve in intercity services due to increasing error rate, also due to declining maintenance.

From the standpoint of technical development and also in the number of units, the ETR was 450 at the FS now by a series of succession trains, starting with the ETR 460 ( 10 pieces, already configured from 1982, in service 1993/94 ) and ETR 480 ( 15 pieces, planning from 1996, used since 1997), and by the ETR 600 ( 12 piece construction in 2006, on the track in 2008 ) and its offshoots (see Pendolino ) supplemented and superseded. How long the trains will still run regularly, is not foreseeable, and putting an end to phase out is expected.