Italian Traction

Italy is dominated by its national operator Trenitalia. With most of the country bordered by the Mediterranean, there is little scope for cross-border traffic, although there are a couple of famous crossings, most notably at Brenner to the north-west and Chiasso to the north.

The busiest part of the country is to the north, with various amounts of both passenger and freight workings. By far the most numerous class of locomotives are the Class 464 electric locos, with over 700 in use with operator Trenitalia and also Trenord. There are also various electric locomotives in use, mostly being Class 402s, and Class 444s. There are also some diesel locomotives in use on passenger workings, being from the Class 345 and 445. On the freight side, most are operated by Trenitalia, although there are a number of smaller operators, including DB. Trenitalia use a variety of locomotives from the Class 632 through to the Class 655/656, which have a most unusual appearance.

This book highlights the variety of Italian traction, from high-speed trains to slow regional workings.