It seems that the Italian Railways decided to scrap three historical trainsets. All the Italian Railfans are trying to stop this: we ask our fellow railfans from all around the world to help us sending the letter reported below, or the Italian version located in the following post, to the Ministers and Trenitalia managers who could stop this folly from taking place.
I feel particularly concerned, because the ETR 401 is the original "Pendolino" - they want to scrap ME!!!
Thanks in advance to all those who will help us!
This is the text of the letter:
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To the attention of
the Minister for Cultural Heritage Francesco Rutelli ministro.segreteria@beniculturali.it
Via del Collegio Romano, 27 - I-00187 ROMA
The Minister of Transport Alessandro Bianchi segreteria.bianchi@trasporti.gov.it
Via del Policlinico, 2 - I-00161 ROMA
the CEO of FS SpA Innocenzo Cipolletta i.cipolletta@ferroviedellostato.it
Piazza Croce Rossa, 1 - I-00161 ROMA
the General Manager di Trenitalia Vincenzo Soprano v.soprano@trenitalia.it
Piazza Croce Rossa, 1 - I-00161 ROMA
Recent news appearing in railfan forums reported that at the end of October, 2007, Trenitalia (the Italian Railways) shall send some historical trains to the scrapyard. These trains are well known even outside Italy as masterpieces of design and technique. The three trains are:
The ETR 302 “Settebello”, the only survivor of three 7-car electric trainsets built in the 1950s, for fast Milan-Rome service Its profile, with its unique panoramic ends has been repeatedly defined as an example of fine Italian design. Considering the growing tourist train market in Italy, the train could be restored and used for tourist charter trains.
ETR 401 “Pendolino”: this train, built by Fiat Ferroviaria (now Alstom Ferroviaria) is an another example of fine technique and design. It has been the first tilting train in commercial service and is the ancestor of all the Pendolino trains that are still built at Savigliano today and are exported in many countries (United Kingdom, China, Finland and many others).In fact, more than 90% of the tilting trains existing in the world are based on the technology pioneered by the ETR 401.
Since it could be difficult to restore this train to operational conditions, it could be assigned to a railway museum.
ETR 242 "Valentino"
Another historic trainset built in the 1930s, currently incapable of autonomous travel: it could be placed in a covered shed to preserve it waiting for a possible restoration or, alternatively, it could be handed over to a museum, trading its usable parts to the ETR 232, the only working historical electric trainset, which in 1939 established a world speed record at 203 kph (126 mph).
Considering the enormous historical, architectural and technical value of these trainsets
the undersigned (first name and surname………………………………. .................................................. .................................................. .............
domiciled at (address, city, country)……………………………………………………………… .................................................. ......................................
e-mail…………………………………………………………………………………….. .................................................. .................................................. ...............
occupation…………………………………………….. .................................................. .................................................. ................................................
asks for:
- immediate cancellation of the scrapping order
- recovery of the trains in a suitable site (museum or loco shed)
- the adoption of preservation act by the Ministry for Cultural Heritage for all the three trains, considering that both the ETR 242 and the ETR 302 “Settebello” are older than the required 50 years (71 and 54, respectively), and that an exception (envisaged by the law) can be made for the ETR 401 “Pendolino”, built in the 1970s, because of its importance for industrial design and for the advancement of railway technology.
Considering the attention paid to historical trains by the Ministry for Cultural Heritage (see the recent museum train Maratonarte), I wish to thank for the attention given to this request.
Awaiting for your replay, kind regards.
Just to let you know what we are talking about:
This is the ETR.300 "Settebello"
This is the ETR.401 "Pendolino"
This is the ETR.232, similar to the ETR.242 we are trying to save
I feel particularly concerned, because the ETR 401 is the original "Pendolino" - they want to scrap ME!!!
Thanks in advance to all those who will help us!
This is the text of the letter:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
To the attention of
the Minister for Cultural Heritage Francesco Rutelli ministro.segreteria@beniculturali.it
Via del Collegio Romano, 27 - I-00187 ROMA
The Minister of Transport Alessandro Bianchi segreteria.bianchi@trasporti.gov.it
Via del Policlinico, 2 - I-00161 ROMA
the CEO of FS SpA Innocenzo Cipolletta i.cipolletta@ferroviedellostato.it
Piazza Croce Rossa, 1 - I-00161 ROMA
the General Manager di Trenitalia Vincenzo Soprano v.soprano@trenitalia.it
Piazza Croce Rossa, 1 - I-00161 ROMA
Recent news appearing in railfan forums reported that at the end of October, 2007, Trenitalia (the Italian Railways) shall send some historical trains to the scrapyard. These trains are well known even outside Italy as masterpieces of design and technique. The three trains are:
The ETR 302 “Settebello”, the only survivor of three 7-car electric trainsets built in the 1950s, for fast Milan-Rome service Its profile, with its unique panoramic ends has been repeatedly defined as an example of fine Italian design. Considering the growing tourist train market in Italy, the train could be restored and used for tourist charter trains.
ETR 401 “Pendolino”: this train, built by Fiat Ferroviaria (now Alstom Ferroviaria) is an another example of fine technique and design. It has been the first tilting train in commercial service and is the ancestor of all the Pendolino trains that are still built at Savigliano today and are exported in many countries (United Kingdom, China, Finland and many others).In fact, more than 90% of the tilting trains existing in the world are based on the technology pioneered by the ETR 401.
Since it could be difficult to restore this train to operational conditions, it could be assigned to a railway museum.
ETR 242 "Valentino"
Another historic trainset built in the 1930s, currently incapable of autonomous travel: it could be placed in a covered shed to preserve it waiting for a possible restoration or, alternatively, it could be handed over to a museum, trading its usable parts to the ETR 232, the only working historical electric trainset, which in 1939 established a world speed record at 203 kph (126 mph).
Considering the enormous historical, architectural and technical value of these trainsets
the undersigned (first name and surname………………………………. .................................................. .................................................. .............
domiciled at (address, city, country)……………………………………………………………… .................................................. ......................................
e-mail…………………………………………………………………………………….. .................................................. .................................................. ...............
occupation…………………………………………….. .................................................. .................................................. ................................................
asks for:
- immediate cancellation of the scrapping order
- recovery of the trains in a suitable site (museum or loco shed)
- the adoption of preservation act by the Ministry for Cultural Heritage for all the three trains, considering that both the ETR 242 and the ETR 302 “Settebello” are older than the required 50 years (71 and 54, respectively), and that an exception (envisaged by the law) can be made for the ETR 401 “Pendolino”, built in the 1970s, because of its importance for industrial design and for the advancement of railway technology.
Considering the attention paid to historical trains by the Ministry for Cultural Heritage (see the recent museum train Maratonarte), I wish to thank for the attention given to this request.
Awaiting for your replay, kind regards.
Just to let you know what we are talking about:
This is the ETR.300 "Settebello"
This is the ETR.401 "Pendolino"
This is the ETR.232, similar to the ETR.242 we are trying to save