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marmar

(76,982 posts)
Thu May 3, 2012, 01:03 PM May 2012

"Ferrari Train" debuts in Italy


from Der Spiegel:





Italy's burgundy red Ferrari on rails is finally going into service. Starting on April 28, the "Italo" will travel at speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour between Milan, Rome and Naples. The new high-speed train is more environmentally friendly and also cheaper than its competitors -- on both the rails and roads.

The burgundy red Italo train departs Naples Central Station punctually at 2 p.m., with rain pouring down from the sky. Within a few minutes, it is trundling past backyards at 160 kilometers per hour, then gathers speed. By 2:14 p.m., the train is whizzing along at 200 km/h and reaches 260 just a few minutes later.

The ride is quiet and smooth, and the only indication of the high speeds at which we are traveling are the large LED signs in the cars. By 2:16 p.m., we're up to 300 km/h (186 miles per hour). The train has no locomotive and the motors are equally distributed throughout each car, making for a quieter ride. The train is also capable of traveling at speeds of 360 km/h -- the only problem is that Italian tracks aren't built to support such high speeds.

The rain has now stopped, leaving the wet streets full of puddles. Clouds of water spray can still be seen behind cars on a motorway that runs parallel to the train tracks for a stretch. But the cars only remain in sight for a few seconds -- we're too fast for them. .....................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,829474,00.html









11 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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"Ferrari Train" debuts in Italy (Original Post) marmar May 2012 OP
A Little Late but Spectacular FightingIrish May 2012 #1
Thanks for that link! eyewall May 2012 #4
Its the futuristic Hogwarts express! Drale May 2012 #2
LOL! I'd take a ride on either one! nt emmadoggy May 2012 #6
That is beyond cool! JustAnotherGen May 2012 #3
Wish we could have something like this. emmadoggy May 2012 #5
If it weren't for cave dwellers The Wizard May 2012 #7
Cave dwellers with offshore bank accounts. Also known as whores but without the heart of gold. nt valerief May 2012 #11
K & R :) n/t Tx4obama May 2012 #8
Looks a lot like the Spanish AVE GETPLANING May 2012 #9
Very slick! nt valerief May 2012 #10

FightingIrish

(2,716 posts)
1. A Little Late but Spectacular
Thu May 3, 2012, 01:25 PM
May 2012

I have been following this with interest because my son is currently teaching in Italy. It's not like I need another reason to return to Italy but this is a must on my next visit. Like almost everything the Italians do, this is really well done right down to the food served. There are a couple of good links at this link: http://www.medford-alba.org/home/hot-news-1/forgetthetraintaketheferrari

eyewall

(674 posts)
4. Thanks for that link!
Fri May 4, 2012, 02:44 PM
May 2012

Beautiful web info site, very impressive (as is the train itself).

Why can't public transportation be a source of national pride for Americans?

The Wizard

(12,482 posts)
7. If it weren't for cave dwellers
Fri May 4, 2012, 09:09 PM
May 2012

inhabiting Congress we could have these trains. But cave dwellers reign, even in the minority, thanks to the filibuster.

GETPLANING

(846 posts)
9. Looks a lot like the Spanish AVE
Sat May 5, 2012, 11:19 AM
May 2012

I take the AVE often from Madrid to Zaragoza or Barcelona. It also goes down south. Flying across the ground is the only way to describe it. It is so smooth, you have to look out the window to see if the train is moving or not. I'm not kidding.

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