International Railway Journal - May 2008 - (Page 29)

straight Table 1: Journey time reductions Line Journey time Journey time prior to HS by Dec 2009 Turin - Milan 1h 30min 50min Milan - Bologna 1h 42min 56min Bologna - Florence 59min 30min Florence - Rome 1h 35min 1h 20min * Rome - Naples 1h 45min 1h 05min * after upgrading Direttissima “We trust in ERTMS and believe in it,” says Mr Michele Mario Elia, CEO of Italian Rail Network (RFI), the network manager subsidiary of Italian Railways (FS). “We were so confident in ERTMS that we decided not to install any backup signalling. It is working very well on the Rome - Naples and Turin - Novara high-speed lines and with the maximum level of performance.” RFI imposed an annual limit of eight socalled hard failures, where more than one train is blocked at a time, and this limit has not been exceeded. RFI is also doing a lot of work to improve the conventional network by upgrading signalling and train control systems, and doubling many of the remaining single-track main lines. Last year, RFI completed the installation of its SCMT train control system on 11,000km of lines, a project which it launched in 2000. The system uses ETCS balises, which will facilitate the eventual installation of ETCS Level 1 with radio infill. The priority is to install ETCS on the three EU Corridors affecting Italy. RFI plans to install ETCS on a further 4200km of lines between 2015 and 2026, by which time about half of the network should be equipped. RFI completed the first phase of installing GSM-R last year, which involved equipping 7500km of main lines. RFI hopes to complete the second phase, involving about 8500km of secondary lines, by 2011, but funding for the ƒ500 million project has yet to be secured. The installation of modern signalling technology, including nine major control centres and simpler systems on secondary lines, has helped to boost punctuality to 90% for both longdistance trains (within 15 minutes of arrival) and regional trains (within 5 minutes). “Italy is now at the top position regarding safety in Europe (see Figure 1) and we have the best technology in Europe,” says Elia. This year, RFI will complete track doubling of the important Bologna Verona main line, as well as the Milan Lecco line and a section of the Rome ring railway. This will be followed next year by completion of track doubling of the Bellavista section of the Bari Taranto line and the Messina - Patti section of the main line to Palermo in Sicily. RFI will also complete the Venice Mestre ring line to speed up freight traffic to Slovenia and Eastern Europe, which forms part of the European Figure 1: Incidents/million train-km (average 2002-04) IRJ May 2008 29

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International Railway Journal - May 2008 Contents This Month News Transit News Market News Technology News News Analysis Italian Railways on the Road to Recovery High-Speed: On the Home Straight Korea Develops High-Speed Ambitions Setting New Standards for New Rolling Stock India Solves Traction Motor Conundrum Weathering the Storm with Climatic Testing Technology Drives US Train Inspections Rendezvous Full Contact List Advertisers Index The Last Word

International Railway Journal - May 2008

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