Today, Stadler Rail and Italian rail vehicle manufacturer AnsaldoBreda took part in a ceremonial handover of the first FLIRT (Fast Light Innovative Regional Train) to Ferrovie Emilia Romagna (FER) in Bologna. Stadler and AnsaldoBreda have formed a consortium for the construction of 32 electric and 2 diesel multiple-unit trains for the two operators FER and Sistemi Territoriali. The order is worth a total of around EUR 200 million, with options for an additional 20 FLIRTs and more GTWs. As well as additional vehicles, the order covers 12 five-carriage FLIRTs for FER, which are to be delivered in the coming months. Stadler has already sold 132 trains to various customers in Italy.
The first five new FLIRTs (Italian name: ETR-350) were presented to the press and the public this morning at the main station in Bologna, in the presence of the regional president of Emilia Romagna, Vasco Errani. These vehicles are modern five-carriage trains offering excellent passenger comfort and compliance with the highest safety standards defined by the Italian approval authorities. The interior is generously proportioned with multi-purpose areas for the transport of pushchairs, bicycles or bulky luggage as well as accessible areas for wheelchair users.
Lightweight aluminium vehicles
The trains are lightweight aluminium vehicles. This significantly reduces energy costs. They can be operated in double traction to provide high levels of capacity at peak times. The maximum speed is 160 km/h. The trains have USTIF approval (route-specific approval for various routes in the Emilia Romagna region). Over the next few weeks, the vehicles will also be granted ANSF (Agenzia Nazionale per la Sicurezza delle Ferrovie) approval for the entire RFI (Rete Ferroviaria Italiana) network.
Cooperation with AnsaldoBreda
Stadler is responsible for the engineering, the production of power cars, the fitting of traction equipment and the drivers cab and for the manufacture of the trailer and drive bogies. At its Pistoia site, AnsaldoBreda takes on the production of the intermediate cars and their final fitting, as well as the assembly of the multiple-unit trains and commissioning prior to final delivery to the customer.
Success story in Italy
Peter Spuhler, owner and CEO of Stadler Rail Group, is pleased about the delivery of the first FLIRT to FER: This order is very important to us. It is the first time we have worked with AnsaldoBreda to build a vehicle. The Italian market is highly important to us. Stadler has already sold over 130 multiple-unit trains to 9 different customers in Italy (not including the Swiss Federal Railways TILO fleet). About half of these are FLIRTs. With todays delivery, Stadler has now delivered the full range of FLIRT options to Italy. It has built three-carriage, four-carriage, five- carriage and six-carriage vehicles. The trains are in operation in different regions across the whole country, from Calabria and Apulia in the south to Lombardy and South Tyrol in the north. Peter Spuhler adds: I am very proud that our trains are now running in Emilia Romagna as well.
