Environmentally Friendly Bimodal Train for Italy Unveiled
Stadler presented the first bimodal FLIRT in Bussnang, Switzerland, on 15 June. The train is destined for the Valle d’Aosta region, north-west Italy.
The very first FLIRT with bimodal drive system was presented to an audience of customers and Italian guests – railway operators, media representatives and regional representatives from Valle d’Aosta, Piedmont, Molise and Calabria.
What is the Bimodal FLIRT?
The environmentally friendly vehicle is equipped with a 3 kV direct current drive for electrified lines, and a diesel-electric drive for non- electrified lines. Its low axle load, at a maximum of 18 tonnes, is particularly impressive.
Like all FLIRT vehicles, the first bimodal FLIRT is constructed using an extruded aluminium profile, making it light and energy-efficient. The three-part vehicle features an accessible power module, which houses the two Deutz V8 diesel engines (Euro IIIB), the tank, and additional drive equipment. The vehicle is 66.8 metres long, 2.82 metres wide and 4.12 metres tall. Its maximum speed is 160 km/h when using the electrical drive, and 140 km/h when using the diesel-electric drive.
Interregional Passenger Service
This FLIRT vehicle for the Valle d’Aosta region is a milestone for Stadler: it is the first FLIRT to feature a bimodal drive system. Its low axle load of a maximum of 18 tonnes is unique among bimodal regional trains. This means that the vehicle is also suitable for secondary lines. The FLIRT for the Valle d’Aosta region is now undergoing the required approval tests. The first vehicle will be put into commercial operation on the Aosta–Turin line in May 2018.
The Valle d’Aosta region ordered five of these bimodal FLIRT vehicles (BMU) in May 2015. This vehicle was presented in Bussnang and at the nearby commissioning centre in Erlen after a development and construction period of just over two years. Dr Pierluigi Marquis, President of the Valle d’Aosta regional council, and Peter Jenelten, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Sales at Stadler, cut the ribbon in a festive ceremony marking the vehicle’s debut on the rails.
Original article © Stadler.
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