85-788: The Florence–Rome high-speed railway line is a link in the Italian high-speed rail network . It is known as the ferrovia direttissima Firenze-Roma in Italian—meaning "most direct Florence–Rome railway" (abbreviated DD); this name reflects the naming of the Rome–Formia–Naples Direttissima opened in 1927 and the Bologna–Florence Direttissima opened in 1934. The line was the first high-speed line opened in Europe when more than half of it opened on 24 February 1977. It
170-436: A railway junction or where a spur or siding branches off. The most common type of switch consists of a pair of linked tapering rails, known as points ( switch rails or point blades ), lying between the diverging outer rails (the stock rails ). These points can be moved laterally into one of two positions to direct a train coming from the point blades toward the straight path or the diverging path. A train moving from
255-638: A barrier between the metal surfaces to prevent ice from forming between them (i.e. having frozen together by ice). Such approaches however, may not always be effective for extreme climates since these chemicals will be washed away over time, especially for heavily thrown switches that experience hundreds of throws daily. Heating alone may not always be enough to keep switches functioning under snowy conditions. Wet snow conditions, which generate particularly sticky snow and whiteout conditions, may occur at temperatures just below freezing, causing chunks of ice to accumulate on trains. When trains traverse over some switches,
340-460: A combined 64 million passengers. The Direttissima opened in 1977 as the first high-speed rail route in Italy and Europe , connecting Rome with Florence . The top speed on the line was 250 km/h (160 mph), giving an end-to-end journey time of about 90 minutes with an average speed of 200 km/h (120 mph). This line used a 3 kV DC supply. High-speed service was introduced on
425-426: A connection between two or more parallel tracks, allowing a train to switch between them. In many cases, where a switch is supplied to leave a track, a second is supplied to allow the train to reenter the track some distance down the line; this allows the track to serve as a siding, allowing a train to get off the track to allow traffic to pass (this siding can either be a dedicated short length of track, or formed from
510-601: A crossover can be used either to detour "wrong-rail" around an obstruction or to reverse direction. A crossover can also join two tracks of the same direction, possibly a pair of local and express tracks, and allow trains to switch from one to the other. On a crowded system, routine use of crossovers (or switches in general) will reduce throughput, as use of the switch blocks multiple tracks. For this reason, on some high-capacity rapid transit systems, crossovers between local and express tracks are not used during normal rush hour service, and service patterns are planned around use of
595-570: A key role. In November 2018, the first high-speed freight rail in the world commenced service in Italy. The ETR 500 Mercitalia Fast train carries freight between Caserta and Bologna in 3 hours and 30 minutes, at an average speed of 180 km/h (110 mph). The main public operator of high-speed trains ( alta velocità AV , formerly Eurostar Italia ) is Trenitalia , part of FSI . Trains are divided into three categories (called " Le Frecce "): Frecciarossa ("Red arrow") trains operate at
680-471: A major new multi-level high speed station at Belfiore designed by British architect Norman Foster . The Florence–Rome segment consists of the older " Direttissima " (literally: most direct ) line between the two cities, with a length of 240 km (150 mi). The first high-speed line in Europe, the " Direttissima " was completed in between 1977 and 1992. This segment is being upgraded by Rete Ferroviaria Italiana . Entering Rome, high-speed trains have
765-464: A maximum of 300 km/h (185 mph) on dedicated high-speed tracks; Frecciargento (Silver arrow) trains operate at a maximum of 250 km/h (155 mph) on both high-speed and mainline tracks; Frecciabianca (White arrow) trains operate at a maximum of 200 km/h (125 mph) on mainline tracks only. Service on the high speed lines is provided by Trenitalia and the privately owned NTV . Several types of high-speed trains carry out
850-427: A regular crossing. Double outside slip switches are only used in rare, specific cases. A crossover is a pair of switches that connects two parallel rail tracks , allowing a train on one track to cross over to the other. Like the switches themselves, crossovers can be described as either facing or trailing . When two crossovers are present in opposite directions, one after the other, the four-switch configuration
935-442: A section of a second, continuous, parallel line), and also allows trains coming from either direction to switch between lines; otherwise, the only way for a train coming from the opposite direction to use a switch would be to stop, and reverse through the switch onto the other line, and then continue forwards (or stop, if it is being used as a siding). A straight track is not always present; for example, both tracks may curve, one to
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#17327733236121020-417: A switch in this direction is known as a trailing-point movement and switches that allow this type of movement without damage to the mechanism are called trailable switches . A switch generally has a straight "through" track (such as the main-line) and a diverging route. The handedness of the installation is described by the side that the diverging track leaves. Right-hand switches have a diverging path to
1105-490: A train could potentially split the points (end up going down both tracks) if the points were to move underneath the train. During trailing moves, the wheels of a train will force the points into the correct position if they attempt to move, although this may cause considerable damage. This act is known as a "run through". In the United Kingdom, FPLs were common from an early date, due to laws being passed which forced
1190-417: Is a lever and accompanying linkages to align the points of a switch by hand. The lever and its accompanying hardware is usually mounted to a pair of long ties (sleepers) that extend from the switch at the points. They are often used in a place of a switch motor on less frequently used switches. In some places, the lever may be some distance from the points, as part of a lever frame or ground frame. To prevent
1275-425: Is a short piece of rail placed alongside the main (stock) rail opposite the crossing. These ensure that the wheels follow the appropriate flangeway through the frog and that the train does not derail. Check rails are often used on very sharp curves, even where there are no switches. A switch motor or switch machine (point motor or point machine) is an electric, hydraulic or pneumatic mechanism that aligns
1360-410: Is called a double crossover . If the crossovers in different directions overlap to form an ×, it is dubbed a scissors crossover , scissors crossing , or just scissors ; or, due to the diamond in the center, a diamond crossover . This makes for a very compact track layout at the expense of using a level junction . In a setup where each of the two tracks normally carries trains of only one direction,
1445-525: Is co-financed in equal measure by Italy and Austria and 50% by the European Union. As of 2020, half of the tunnel's length has been excavated and it is due to be opened in 2032. A new high speed line between Verona and Fortezza is constructed on the Italian side and is about 180 km (110 mi) long. The line will have a design speed of 200–250 km/h (120–160 mph) and will quadruple
1530-474: Is electrified at 3 kV DC , and supplied by substations at 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) intervals. Ansaldo STS upgraded the signalling and train protection system with ETCS level 2, and it was first activated on the section between PM Rovezzano - Arezzo South interconnection in December 2020. This was the first phase of the adjustment plan to AV/AC (High Speed/High Capacity) standards proposed by RFI . It
1615-433: Is measured as the number of units of length for a single unit of separation. In North America this is generally referred to as a switch's "number". For example, on a "number 12" switch, the rails are one unit apart at a distance of twelve units from the center of the frog. In the United Kingdom points and crossings using chaired bullhead rail would be referred to using a letter and number combination. The letter would define
1700-425: Is possible to modify the simpler types of switch to allow trains to pass at high speed. More complicated switch systems, such as double slips, are restricted to low-speed operation. On European high-speed lines, it is not uncommon to find switches where a speed of 200 km/h (124 mph) or more is allowed on the diverging branch. Switches were passed over at a speed of 560 km/h (348 mph) (straight) during
1785-529: Is proceeding, with Rete Ferroviaria Italiana working on the necessary updates to allow trains to speed up to 360 km/h (220 mph). On 28 May 2018, the Ministry for Infrastructures and Transportation and the National Association for Railway Safety decided not to run the 385 km/h (240 mph) tests required to allow commercial operation at 350 km/h (220 mph), thus limiting
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#17327733236121870-545: Is proposed to raise the maximum speed from 250 km/h (155 mph) to 270 or 280 km/h (170 or 175 mph). It has additionally been proposed to re-electrify the line at 25 kV AC in the past but this has been abandoned. High-speed rail in Italy High-speed rail in Italy consists of two lines connecting most of the country's major cities . The first line connects Turin to Salerno via Milan , Bologna , Florence , Rome and Naples ,
1955-533: Is the major north–south corridor of the high-speed network. The Milan–Bologna segment opened on 13 December 2008. Its construction cost was about 6.9 billion euro. The 182 km (113 mi) line runs parallel to the Autostrada del Sole , crossing seven provinces and 32 municipalities . There are eight connections with historic lines. At the Reggio Emilia interconnection a new station designed by
2040-519: The European Union 's Trans-European high-speed rail network , which connects Berlin and Palermo . The 254-kilometre (158 mi) railway between Rome and Florence developed from several different lines by several different companies for different purposes and as a result was curvy and slow. Over the years there had been many studies, proposals and projects for deviations to straighten the line but nothing came of them. After World War II , it
2125-637: The Turin to Trieste corridor runs for 85 km (53 mi) and opened in February 2006. The Novara to Milan segment opened on 12 December 2009, allowing a 59-minute journey between Milan Centrale and Turin Porta Nuova (45 minutes from Milan Porta Garibaldi to Turin Porta Susa ). Combined, the two segments are 125 km (78 mi) long, of which 80% (98 km [61 mi]) are in
2210-560: The Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava was opened in June 2013. Calatrava has also designed a signature bridge where the line crosses the A1 motorway. The line travels through a new multi-level station at Bologna (Italy's principal railway junction) designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki . The Bologna–Florence segment opened on 12 December 2009, allowing a 37-minute journey between
2295-557: The A35 motorway and opened for service on 11 December 2016. Between Brescia and Verona the new high-speed line will parallel the A4 motorway for 30 km (19 mi) of its 48 km (30 mi) total length, and a 7.4 km (4.6 mi) tunnel will be constructed at Lonato del Garda . This section was scheduled for completion in 2023. The final 75 km (47 mi) stretch between Verona and Padua will be constructed by quadrupling
2380-495: The French world speed run of April 2007. The US Federal Railroad Administration has published the speed limits for higher-speed turnouts with No. 26.5 turnout that has speed limit of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) and No. 32.7 with speed limit of 80 miles per hour (129 km/h). Under cold weather conditions, snow and ice can prevent the proper movement of switch or frog point rails, essentially inhibiting
2465-647: The Italian and the French high speed rail networks. It would take over the role of the current Fréjus railway . The project costs €26 billion, with the Mont d'Ambin Base Tunnel , a 57.5 km (35.7 mi) trans-alpine tunnel between Italy and France, costing €18.3 billion. Although the plan was highly controversial, the Italian senate approved funding in mid-2019, with the project tentatively due to be completed in 2032. The Brenner Base Tunnel will link Verona , Innsbruck , and Munich , and thus connect
2550-653: The Italian, Austrian and German railways. The tunnel is the most important link in a series of projects that will create a single connection from Berlin in Germany to Palermo in Sicily as part of the Trans-European Transport Networks . The tunnel crosses the border between Innsbruck in Austria and Franzensfeste in Italy. The total costs of the tunnel are estimated at €8.4 billion, of which 40%
2635-606: The Rome-Milan line in 1988–89 with the ETR 450 Pendolino train, with a top speed of 250 km/h (160 mph) and cutting travel times from about 5 hours to 4. The prototype train ETR X 500 was the first Italian train to reach 300 km/h (190 mph) on the Direttissima on 25 May 1989. The Italian high-speed rail projects suffered from a number of cost overruns and delays. Corruption and unethical behaviour played
Florence–Rome high-speed railway - Misplaced Pages Continue
2720-630: The UK and most other Commonwealth countries, the term points refers to the entire mechanism. In professional parlance, the term refers only to the movable rails and the entire mechanism is named turnout or points and crossings . Turnout and switch are terms used in North America in all contexts. In some cases, the switch blades can be heat treated for improvement of their service life. There are different kinds of heat treatment processes such as edge hardening or complete hardening. The cross-section of
2805-694: The arrangement may also be called a double switch , or more colloquially, a puzzle switch . The Great Western Railway in the United Kingdom used the term double compound points , and the switch is also known as a double compound in Victoria (Australia) . In Italian, the term for a double switch is deviatoio inglese , which means English switch . Likewise, it is called Engels(e) Wissel in Dutch and, occasionally, Engländer ("english one", literally "Englishman") in German. A single slip switch works on
2890-461: The case. A mechanism is provided to move the points from one position to the other ( change the points ). Historically, this would require a lever to be moved by a human operator, and some switches are still controlled this way. However, most are now operated by a remotely controlled actuator called a point machine ; this may employ an electric motor or a pneumatic or hydraulic actuator . This both allows for remote control and monitoring and for
2975-431: The crossing are often connected to move in unison, so the crossing can be worked by just two levers or point motors. This gives the same functionality of two points placed end to end. These compact (albeit complex) switches usually are found only in locations where space is limited, such as station throats (i.e. approaches) where a few main lines spread out to reach any of numerous platform tracks. In North American English,
3060-512: The current 90 km/h (56 mph). Construction started in 2019 at a cost of €415 million. The work on both tracks is expected to finish in 2023. Eventually, further improvements as part of the entire €8 billion project will enable a maximum speed of 250 km/h (155 mph) on the line. The upgrade of the line will reduce the journey time between Palermo and Catania to one hour and 45 minutes in 2025, saving one hour. The Turin–Lyon line will connect Turin , Lyon and Chambéry , and join
3145-474: The current two tracks of the existing low speed line. It has been budgeted at approximately €5 billion and is expected to be completed by the end of the works on the Brenner Base Tunnel. A line from Salerno to Reggio Calabria is currently in the planning stage. It is expected to be operational by 2030. The new line will be 445 km (277 mi) long and cost €22.8 billion. It will reduce
3230-402: The diamond instead of inside. An advantage over an inside slip switch is that trains can pass the slips with higher speeds. A disadvantage over an inside slip switch is that they are longer and need more space. An outside slip switch can be so long that its slips do not overlap at all, as in the example pictured. In such a case a single, outside slip switch is the same as two regular switches and
3315-473: The dynamic effects created by trains passing each other. Communication with drivers consists of an adaptation of the Italian RS4 Codici train protection system with in-cabin repetition of signals using nine codes and earth to train telephone communication. The minimum radius of curves is 3,000 metres (9,800 ft), enabling an operating speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). Connections between
3400-404: The earlier type of interlocking. A railroad car 's wheels are primarily guided along the tracks by coning of the wheels, rather than relying on the flanges on the insides of the wheels. When the wheels reach the switch, the wheels are guided along the route determined by which of the two points is connected to the track facing the switch. In the illustration, if the left point is connected,
3485-463: The existing national rail network at Frosinone Nord, Cassino Sud and Caserta Nord. On 13 December 2009, work was completed on the last 18 km (11 mi) of the line between Gricignano and Napoli Centrale . In the Campania region, the line passes through Afragola where a major new transfer station has been built, designed by Iraqi-born architect Zaha Hadid . The Turin to Novara segment of
Florence–Rome high-speed railway - Misplaced Pages Continue
3570-487: The existing railway. The contract for this was let in August 2020 with completion scheduled for 2027. The section between Verona and Vicenza is to be constructed first. A line from Milan to Genoa was approved in 2006 at €6.2 billion; construction work started in 2011. Work between Genoa and Tortona was temporarily halted due to funding problems, but restarted in 2019 and now is expected to be completed by 2026. On
3655-481: The following corresponding radii: Switches are necessary for the operation of a railway, but they do pose a number of risks: Switch-related accidents caused by one or more of these risks have occurred, including: The switch rails or points ( point blades ) are the movable rails which guide the wheels towards either the straight or the diverging track. They are tapered, except on stub switches in industrial sidings, which have square ends. In popular parlance in
3740-418: The frequency of trains, or applying anti-icing chemicals such as ethylene glycol to the trains. The divergence and length of a switch is determined by the angle of the frog (the point in the switch where two rails cross, see below) and the angle or curvature of the switch blades. The length and placement of the other components are determined from this using established formulas and standards. This divergence
3825-408: The high-speed lines and the old Florence–Bologna lines are implemented through grade-separated crossings above or below the line rather than crossing over the opposing track on the level. The switches between the two running lines are capable of supporting speeds of up to 100 km/h (62 mph), while the 15 switches to connecting lines support speeds of up to 160 km/h (99 mph). The line
3910-494: The left and one to the right (such as for a wye switch ), or both tracks may curve, with differing radii , while still in the same direction. Switches consume a relatively high proportion of a railway maintenance budget. Simple single-bladed switches were used on early wooden railways to move wagons between tracks. As iron-railed plateways became more common in the eighteenth century, cast iron components were made to build switches with check rails. In 1797, John Curr described
3995-408: The left wheel will be guided along the rail of that point, and the train will diverge to the right. If the right point is connected, the right wheel's flange will be guided along the rail of that point, and the train will continue along the straight track. Only one of the points may be connected to the facing track at any time; the two points are mechanically locked together to ensure that this is always
4080-466: The length (and hence the radius) of the switch blades and the number would define the angle of the crossing (frog). Thus an A7 turnout would be very short and likely only to be found in tight places like dockyards whereas an E12 would be found as a fairly high speed turnout on a mainline. On the London, Midland and Scottish Railway , switch curvatures were specified from A (sharpest) to F (shallowest), with
4165-432: The line from Milan to Venice high speed trains still have to use the conventional line between Brescia and Padua . The remaining portion from Brescia to Padua is under construction at a cost of €9.82 billion, while the rest of the line is already in operation. The line is built for a speed of 250 km/h (160 mph). The section between Brescia and Verona will be completed in 2026 while construction should finish on
4250-455: The line is projected for 2027. Palermo and Catania , Sicily 's largest cities, are currently connected by a single-track railway which limits speed and capacity of the line. Currently works are under way to achieve higher speeds and a double-track layout, with the first section of 38 km (24 mi) being under construction between Bicocca and Catenanuova. This will enable a higher maximum speed of 200 km/h (124 mph) compared to
4335-457: The maximum commercial speed on the existing Italian high-speed lines to 300 km/h (190 mph) and cancelling the project. TGV trains also run on the Paris -Turin-Milan service, but do not use any high-speed line in Italy. The following high-speed rail lines are in use. 25 kV 50 Hz The table shows minimum and maximum (depending on stops) travel times. The Milan to Salerno
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#17327733236124420-490: The most important element of the project: the 5,375-metre-long (17,635 ft) Paglia viaduct over the Paglia river , which is made up of 205 25-metre-long (82 ft) linear spans of and five 50-metre-long (160 ft) arched spans and is the longest viaduct in Europe. It was expected that the first 138-kilometre (86 mi) section of the line from Roma Termini to Città della Pieve would take five years to complete, but it
4505-407: The movable switch blades were connected to the fixed closure rails with loose joints, but since steel is somewhat flexible it is possible to obviate this looseness by thinning a short section of the rail's bottom itself. This can be called a heelless switch . Turnouts were originally built with straight switch blades, which ended at the pointed end with a sharp angle. These switches cause a bump when
4590-407: The narrow end toward the point blades (i.e. it will be directed to one of the two paths, depending on the position of the points) is said to be executing a facing-point movement . For many types of switch, a train coming from either of the converging directions will pass through the switch regardless of the position of the points, as the vehicle's wheels will force the points to move. Passage through
4675-408: The option of stopping at either the new intermodal station at Tiburtina , developed by architects ABD Associate led by Paolo Desideri, or Termini station . The Rome-Naples segment heads south from the Italian capital. Service on the first new high speed segment of the project started in December 2005. This line runs through 61 municipalities in two regions ( Lazio and Campania ) and connects with
4760-405: The other, alternatively to going straight across. A train approaching the arrangement may leave by either of the two tracks on the opposite side of the crossing. To reach the third possible exit, the train must change tracks on the slip and then reverse. The arrangement gives the possibility of setting four routes, but because only one route can be traversed at a time, the four blades at each end of
4845-600: The points with one of the possible routes. The motor is usually controlled remotely by the dispatcher (signaller in the UK). The switch motor also includes electrical contacts to detect that the switch has completely set and locked. If the switch fails to do this, the governing signal is kept at red (stop). There is also usually some kind of manual handle for operating the switch in emergencies, such as power failures, or for maintenance purposes. A patent by W. B. Purvis dates from 1897. A switch stand ( points lever or ground throw )
4930-581: The proper operation of railroad switches. Historically, railway companies have employees keep their railroad switches clear of snow and ice by sweeping the snow away using switch brooms (Basically wire brooms with a chisel attached onto the opposite end of the broom – quite similar to ice scrapers used today), or gas torches for melting ice and snow. Such operation are still used in some countries, especially for branch routes with only limited traffic (e.g. seasonal lines). Modern switches for heavily trafficked lines are typically equipped with switch heaters installed in
5015-476: The proper position without damage. Examples include variable switches, spring switches, and weighted switches. If the points are rigidly connected to the switch control mechanism, the control mechanism's linkages may be bent, requiring repair before the switch is again usable. For this reason, switches are normally set to the proper position before performing a trailing-point movement. Generally, switches are designed to be safely traversed at low speed. However, it
5100-410: The provision of FPLs for any routes traveled by passenger trains – it was, and still is, illegal for a passenger train to make a facing move over points without them being locked, either by a point lock, or temporarily clamped in one position or another. Joints are used where the moving points meet the fixed rails of the switch. They allow the points to hinge easily between their positions. Originally
5185-571: The region of Piemonte (provinces of Turin , Vercelli and Novara ) and 20% (27 km [17 mi]) in the region of Lombardy ( province of Milan ). To minimize its environmental impact on the area, almost the entire length of the Turin to Milan high-speed line was constructed parallel to the A4 Turin-Milan motorway . The Milan to Venice segment includes stretches from Padova to Mestre (for Venice), in service since March 2007, and Milan to Brescia , which runs alongside
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#17327733236125270-443: The right of the straight track, when coming from the point blades, and a left-handed switch has the diverging track leaving to the opposite side. In many cases, such as rail yards, many switches can be found in a short section of track, sometimes with switches going both to the right and left (although it is better to keep these separated as much as feasible). Sometimes a switch merely divides one track into two; at others, it serves as
5355-421: The same principle as a double slip, but provides for only one switching possibility. Trains approaching on one of the two crossing tracks can either continue over the crossing, or switch tracks to the other line. However, trains from the other track can only continue over the crossing, and cannot switch tracks. This is normally used to allow access to sidings and improve safety by avoiding having switch blades facing
5440-505: The second runs from Turin to Venice via Milan and Verona , and is under construction in parts. Trains are operated with a top speed of 300 km/h (190 mph). Passenger service is provided by Trenitalia and, since April 2012, by NTV , the world's first private open-access operator of high-speed rail to compete with a state-owned monopoly. 25 million passengers traveled on the network in 2011. In 2015, ridership increased to 55 million for Trenitalia and 9.1 million for NTV, for
5525-414: The section between Verona and Padua in 2029, including a 7.7 km (4.8 mi) tunnel between Lonato del Garda and Desenzano del Garda . The construction of the line from Naples to Bari began in 2015 and will cut Naples–Bari journeys from four to two hours. Totaling €6.2 billion for the whole project, the final €2.1 billion needed to complete the project was approved in 2019. The completion of
5610-421: The service: Current limitations on the tracks set the maximum operating speed of the trains at 300 km/h (190 mph) after plans for 360 km/h (220 mph) operations were cancelled. Development of the ETR 1000 by AnsaldoBreda and Bombardier Transportation (which is designed to operate commercially at 360 km/h (220 mph), with a technical top speed of over 400 km/h (250 mph),
5695-451: The shock, vibration, possibly in combination with slight heating caused by braking or a city microclimate, may cause the chunks of ice to fall off, jamming the switches. The heaters need time to melt the ice, so if service frequency is extremely high, there may not be enough time for the ice to melt before the next train arrives, which will then result in service disruptions. Possible solutions include installing higher capacity heaters, reducing
5780-460: The switch blades also influences performance. New tangential blades perform better than old-style blades. The crossing is the component that enables passage of wheels on either route through the turnout. It can be assembled out of several appropriately cut and bent pieces of rail or can be a single casting of manganese steel. On lines with heavy use, the casting may be treated with explosive shock hardening to increase service life. A guard rail
5865-423: The switch rails being about 25 mm (0.98 in) less high, and stockier in the middle. Apart from the standard right-hand and left-hand switches, switches commonly come in various combinations of configurations. A double slip switch ( double slip ) is a narrow-angled diagonal flat crossing of two lines combined with four pairs of points in such a way as to allow vehicles to change from one straight track to
5950-424: The system that he developed which used a single iron blade, hinged on a vertical pin that was tapered to lie against the plateway. By 1808, Curr's basic design was in common use. The use of a sprung rail, giving a smooth transition, was patented by Charles Fox in 1838. Prior to the widespread availability of electricity , switches at heavily traveled junctions were operated from a signal box constructed near
6035-405: The tampering of switches by outside means, these switches are locked when not in use. A facing point lock ( FPL ), or point lock , is a device which, as the name implies, locks a set of points in position, as well as mechanically proving that they are in the correct position. The facing point part of the name refers to the fact that they prevent movement of the points during facing moves, where
6120-579: The tracks through an elaborate system of rods and levers . The levers were also used to control railway signals to control the movement of trains over the points. Eventually, mechanical systems known as interlockings were introduced to make sure that a signal could only be set to allow a train to proceed over points when it was safe to do so. Purely mechanical interlockings were eventually developed into integrated systems with electric control. On some low-traffic branch lines, in self-contained marshalling yards , or on heritage railways , switches may still have
6205-500: The train traverses in the turnout direction. The switch blades could be made with a curved point which meets the stockrail at a tangent, causing less of a bump, but the disadvantage is that the metal at the point is thin and necessarily weak. A solution to these conflicting requirements was found in the 1920s on the German Reichsbahn. The first step was to have different rail profile for the stock rails and switch rails, with
6290-501: The travel time from Rome to Reggio Calabria to three hours and forty minutes. This compares to five hours of current travel time for the existing railway between Salerno and Reggio Calabria, excluding the section between Rome and Salerno. The project is divided into seven functional lots: Railroad switch A railroad switch ( AE ), turnout , or [ set of ] points ( CE ) is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains to be guided from one track to another, such as at
6375-461: The two cities. The Bologna-Florence high-speed section was particularly complex to build mainly because about 93% of its 78.5 km (48.8 mi) runs through tunnels under the Apennines mountain range. The line has nine tunnels, from 600 m (0.37 mi) to 18.5 km (11.5 mi) long, separated by short surface stretches (less than 5 km (3.1 mi) in total). Florence will have
6460-493: The two tracks in both directions every 16.2 kilometres (10.1 mi) allow trains to use either track in either direction or for all operations to operate on a single track if necessary. The rails are laid using a UIC 60 kilograms per metre (40 lb/ft) rail profile , with electrically welded rails attached to 2.30-metre-long (7 ft 7 in) prestressed reinforced concrete sleepers, spaced 60 centimetres (24 in) apart with Pandrol clips. The interconnections between
6545-406: The use of stiffer, strong switches that would be too difficult to move by hand, yet allow for higher speeds. In a trailing-point movement (running through the switch in the wrong direction while they are set to turn off the track), the flanges on the wheels will force the points to the proper position. This is sometimes known as running through the switch . Some switches are designed to be forced to
6630-414: The usual direction of traffic. To reach the sidings from what would be a facing direction, trains must continue over the crossing, then reverse along the curved route (usually onto the other line of a double track) and can then move forward over the crossing into the siding. An outside slip switch is similar to the double or single slip switches described above, except that the switch blades are outside of
6715-404: The usually flying junctions at each end of the local-express line. A stub switch lacks the tapered points (point blades) of a typical switch. Instead, both the movable rails and the ends of the rails of the diverging routes have their ends cut off square. The switch mechanism aligns the movable rails with the rails of one of the diverging routes. In 19th century US railroad use, the stub switch
6800-535: The vicinity of their point rails so that the point rails will not be frozen onto the stock rail and can no longer move. These heaters may take the form of electric heating elements or gas burners mounted on the rail, a lineside burner blowing hot air through ducts, or other innovative methods (e.g. geothermal heat sink, etc.) to keep the point & stock rails above freezing temperatures. Where gas or electric heaters cannot be used due to logistic or economic constraints, anti-icing chemicals can sometimes be applied to create
6885-533: Was completed on 26 May 1992, reducing the time of the fastest trains between the two cities to 1 hour and 20 minutes. The old line is referred to by Ferrovie dello Stato (the State Railways) as the Linea Lenta (meaning "slow line", abbreviated LL ) to distinguish it from the parallel high-speed line. In 2016 a contract was let for resignalling with ETCS level 2. The line is part of Corridor 1 of
6970-447: Was completed on 29 September 1985; the 20-kilometre (12 mi) section between Valdarno and Florence was opened on 30 May 1986 and finally on 26 May 1992 the 44-kilometre (27 mi) section between Arezzo and Valdarno was opened. The line has a largely straight path with a maximum grade of 0.8%, no level crossings or intersections of any kind with road or rail traffic, and the centre of tracks 4 metres (13 ft) apart to counteract
7055-453: Was finally decided to build a new line that was straighter, faster and especially shorter (237.5 kilometres (147.6 mi)) than the old Florence-Rome line ; it was also to be well-integrated with the existing line, rather than replace it. The project was approved and funded in late 1968 and early 1969. This was the first high-speed rail project—in the sense that "high-speed" is now used—to be commenced in Europe. On 25 June 1970, work began on
7140-470: Was not in fact opened until 24 February 1977. It was a milestone in the history of Italian railways, but progress was subsequently slowed by numerous obstacles, some of a political nature. The line had to be rerouted near Arezzo due to problems in driving a tunnel. The official opening took place with a train consisting of an FS Class E444 locomotive and Gran Comfort coaches. The 51-kilometre (32 mi) section of line between Città della Pieve and Arezzo
7225-482: Was typically used in conjunction with a harp switch stand . The rails leading up to a stub switch are not secured to the sleepers for several feet, and rail alignment across the gap is not positively enforced. Stub switches also require some flexibility in the rails (meaning lighter rails), or an extra joint at which they hinge. Therefore, these switches cannot be traversed at high speed or by heavy traffic and so are not suitable for main line use. A further disadvantage
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