Railways of the Habsburg Empire in what is now Italy

From the description of the fragmentation of Italy prior to the risorgimento, it can be seen that all railway lines built north of the Po and east of somewhere west of Milan, prior to the 1860s, were built in the Habsburg Empire, starting with the lines built by the Austrian Südbahn to Trieste, via Ljubljana, and to Venice both via Trieste and south from Villach directly into the Veneto. By 1845, the line west from Venice to Padua was in operation, and the rest of the line west to Milan under construction, all to Südbahn standards (including lefthand running on double track). The line south over the Brenner Pass to Verona was likewise built under Austrian rule and auspices.

The later Austrian State Railways (kkStB), although post-dating the risorgimento, was nonetheless responsible for lines built into what is now the Alto Adige (then the South Tyrol), and into the area east of the Veneto that eventually became Italian territory.

All of these lines, and their locomotives and rolling stock prior to the dates of joining Italy, are part of the history of Railways of the Habsburg Empire, as well as of Italian Railways. Of course, railways built in Lombardy after 1860, such as the connection south to Milan from the Gotthardbahn at Chiasso, and the connection south from the Simplon Tunnel route at Domodossola, were built by later Italian railways, and have no part of Austrian railway history.

Thursday, May 11^th, 2006

Venice to Naples

Because we're leaving so early this morning (before the hotel has any staff on), we must carry our own luggage to the back door for loading onto a boat. Some people do not get the word, even though it was said at least four times, and have to take their bags on the boats and train with us.

Today's journey requires crossing back to the mainland, and crossing the Po River valley to Bologna, where we change trains, then continuing southward on the relatively high-speed line across the Apennines to Florence, continuing through Rome to Naples, all of the latter on a Eurostar Italia tilting 'high-speed' train. Getting to the station, of course, requires another trip by water on the Grand Canal and the side canal leading directly to the station. Meanwhile, after making its own water trip through Venice, our luggage will ride by bus down the Autostrada to Naples, taking much longer than we do to get there. Our first train has the usual first-class compartments, with our seats distributed among more than the minimum of five because the reservations computers are (according to Werner) incapable of making group reservations.

The route south is the same as the route into Venice, as far as Padua.

Padua to Bologna

The double-track, left-hand running line to Bologna turns south-southwest at the west end of Padua station, with the connectors from the north and the northwest trailing in on the west side, and the freight bypass trailing in on the east side.  The line heads past Padua Campo di Marte, where all the lines come together, and across the flat Po valley, through flat plains with trees bordering the fields, crossing a river on a through truss bridge, past Abano, Terme Euganee-Abano-Montegrotto, Batagglia Terme, Monselice, where a non-electrified line heads away southwest, and San Elena Este, turning south-southeast past Stanghell and Rovigo, where there is an island platform plus side platform/station on the east side, a freight yard on the west side of the station, and non-electrified lines leave to both southeast and southwest, south past Arguà and Polesella, southwest past Canaro and Occhiobello, and south, crossing the River Po on a long through truss bridge, past Pontelagoscuro to Ferrara, which has two island platforms with a side platform and the station to the east and a yard to the west.

South of Ferrara, non-electrified lines depart to east-southeast and west-northwest, and a line to the east coast of Italy heads southeast while the Bologna line heads southwest, past Cornoella, Poggio Renatico, and Galliera, and south-southwest past San Pietro in Casale, San Giorgio di Piano, and Castelmaggiore to Bologna Corticella, where a freight-only line edges away southwest to join the north side freight bypass, which then bridges overhead, with another freight connector leaving on the west side before the passenger line curves east-southeast  to join the line coming east from Mantua and Milan, with carriage sidings and shops in the vee between the lines. There is a wye on the north side, with a line from the yard at Bologna Arcoveggio, and a line trails in on the south side from the yard at Bologna Ravone, before the lines enter the west end of Bologna Centrale station, which has eleven through tracks served by five island platforms, with additional center tracks between at least two pairs of platforms and a side platform with the station on the south side, plus four west end bay platforms next to the station buildings..

In Bologna, our next train arrives on the same platform (but not the same track) at which we arrive, thus making the transfer easy, although there would have been plenty of time to make the transfer in any case. A Eurostar Italia is an entirely open-plan train, with first-class seating on the 2+1 arrangement, many but not all in facing groupings but some in airline-style seating. Our reservations are all in the same carriage, but not grouped in any meaningful fashion. because of this, I don't get to sit with Chris and end-up sitting on the "1" side, facing Judy Decker, the whole way. The train reverses in both Florence and Rome, so neither of us has a forward-facing seat the whole way. Chris sits directly behind me for the whole trip, in an airline-style seat. We had met Judy on previous trips, especially the 1995 and 1998 AAPRCO Convention trips, but also at NRHS Conventions, and she and I have a long conversation about traveling on 'rare' mileage excursions, both past and (we hope) upcoming. 

Bologna to Florence

At the east end of Bologna Centrale, a non-electrified line edges away on the south side of the line, and the line down the Po valley to the east coast continues straight ahead, under a freight line bridging overhead, as the non-electrified line curves to pass beneath and the line to Florence turns away south, west of the overhead bridge, with the freight line from the bridge trailing in on its east side and freight yards to the west side. The line is four tracks wide at this point

This is the newer line across the Appennines to Florence, which replaced a still extant older, curvier, hillier line further west sometime in the last quarter of the twentieth century. The line passes Bologna San Ruffillo (island plus two side platforms), and edges south-southwest, double track, left hand running, through a short tunnel and past Pianoro, turning southwest through the 7,135 meter long Tunnel di Monte Adone to Monzuno Vado, passing through another short tunnel, and turning south past Grizzana (two side platforms), a medium-length tunnel, and San Benedetto Val di Sambro-Castiglione dei Pepoli to the very long (18,507 meter) Tunnel del Appennino, exiting at Vernio-Montepiano-Cantagallo, which has two island platforms with a side platform and station to the west.

The line continues south, on the west side of the Appenines, past a short tunnel, Vaiano, which has two island platforms with a side platform and station to the west, and another short tunnel, to Prato (3 islands plus west side platform and station), where it curves southeast to join the traditional line from its north side, into the station which has four island platforms  with the station and a side platform on the west side, followed by a yard on the west side, and then, with speed limit 140/150/155 km/hr, passes Calenzano, Pratignone, Il Neto, Sesto Fiorentino (island plus 2 sides, station to east), Zambra and Florence Castello, followed by a yard on the west side and the north leg of the wye with the Pisa line. The line from Pisa trails in on the west side, and a bypass line departs on the west side before Florence Rifredi (4 island platforms with umbrella sheds), with the bypass line passing beneath to Florence Statuto on the east side, before the line from the south trails in on the east side, with the locomotive depot in the vee between them, and both enter the stub-end station at Florence San Maria Novella together.

Florence San Maria Novella

Florence San Maria Novella, named after the church across the piazza to the south of the main facade, has seven dual-sided stub-end platforms, plus two side platforms, serving sixteen stub-end tracks, with the station buildings across the south end and along the east side. Four of the tracks on the west side are separated slightly from the rest of the station, with some buildings in between. All platforms have umbrella sheds covering them. The signal control tower is on the west side of the station throat.

Florence to Rome

The line to Rome departs Florence San Maria Novella to the north, turning east almost immediately. A non-electrified, freight-only line, departs to the northeast and the bypass line from north of Florence Rifredi (which passes through Florence Statuto on the way) trails in on the north side as the lines turn south through Florence Campo di Marte (4 islands, 2 sides), and then east. The "Direttissima" high-speed line to Rome, which replaced a still extant older, curvier, hillier line on approximately the same routing, opened in stages between 1976 and 1992, turns away south-southeast on a flying junction not long after that turn to the east, crosses the River Arno on a through truss bridge and passes through 11 km long Tunnel San Donato, after which it bridges above the traditional line, throws off a connector to that line on the west side, with a flying junction, passes through two short tunnels, after which a connector from the traditional line trails in on the west side with a flying junction, passes through another short tunnel, bridges over the traditional line, turns east and passes beneath that line into another tunnel, after which it turns southeast and passes beneath the traditional line again, and through another short tunnel.

There is a wye with flying junctions on the east side connecting with the traditional line into Arezzo, a branch off that traditional line passes overhead, and the high-speed line turns south. A connector back from Arezzo trails in on the east side with a flying junction, on a stretch where the traditional line runs parallel just to the east, and the high-speed line then runs through the mountains, passing through three more, medium-length tunnels before another connector to the traditional line departs on the east side with a flying junction. Following another medium-length tunnel, the traditional line again runs close by on the east side for awhile, through its Città della Pieve, with another connector trailing in with a flying junction  before the high-speed line runs through a short tunnel, a medium-length tunnel and another short tunnel, bridges over the traditional line twice on a short distance, throwing off a connector on the east side with a flying junction, bridging over that line twice in a somewhat longer distance, during which it runs alongside to the west through Orvieto, after which a connector trails in with a flying junction on the west side just before the high-speed line enters 7,390 meter long Tunnel Castiglione.

The line bridges over a non-electrified line, throws off another connector with a flying junction to the traditional line and receives one back with a flying junction near that line's Bassano in Teverina, and passes through 9,317 meter long Tunnel di Orte, emerging to bridge the traditional line again, receive a connector from Gallese Teverina on the west side with a flying junction, bridge over that line again, pass through a short tunnel, turn south, pass through 5,710 meter long Tunnel di San Oreste and six more, shorter, tunnels, and come along the west side of the traditional line at the joint station of Sette Bagni (four island platforms), remaining along the west side of the traditional/suburban line until the high-speed line passes beneath a north leg of a wye junction and trails into the south apex of that wye just north of Rome Nomentana, where another connector trails in on the east side. There is a huge array of carriage sidings on the east side of the line, where the four suburban tracks are separated from the east side of the main line, somewhat south of Sette Bagni.

The line continues south on viaduct past Rome Tiburtina, turns southwest to a complex set of junctions at which lines depart on both sides, and then curves northwest to join with the line coming from the south near Porta Maggiore to head into the Rome Termini stub-end station.

Rome Termini

Rome Termini has nine dual-sided platforms, with umbrella sheds, plus two side platforms in the main body of the station, four tracks served by shorter platforms (not ending at the main circulating area) on the north side, and five tracks served by shorter platforms (not ending at the main circulating area) on the south side. There are station buildings and facilities at both the northwest end of the station, facing the piazza with the bus station outside, but also along the southwest side of the station, extending along the street on that side. There is a pedestrian subway to all of the main platforms from the facilities on the southwest side. There is a large signal control tower on the south side, east of the ends of the platforms

Rome to Naples (Centrale)

From Rome Termini, the main line to the south (not the new high-speed line, opened in late 2005, which uses the European Train Control System, and can only be used by the new ETR-500 train sets equipped with that system—which we saw, but did not ride) continues southeast at Porta Maggiore, where a line leaves to the south and another crosses below connecting from the north, with a connection trailing in on the southwest wide, and turns south at Rome Casilina (island platform plus side platform to the west, on suburban line only) to pass above the suburban lines and head south past Torricola,  and Pomezia-San Palomba, where it turns south-southeast, freight yards on the west side, Campoleone (2 or 3 islands plus side platforms, where a line heads south and the main line turns southeast, and Cisterna di Latina (island plus two sides, station to west), Latina, Sezze Romano, and two short tunnels to Friverno-Fossanova, where a non-electrified line trails in from the north and a line heads away south.

The line passes through the 7,561 meter long Tunnel di Mont'orso, and turns east to Monte San Biagio, east-southeast to Fondi-Sperlonga, southeast through a short tunnel and the 7,454 meter long Tunnel Vivola to Itri, east along the coast to Formia, where a non-electrified line trails in from the west,  and Minturno-Svauri, east-southeast  to Sessa Aurunca-Roccamonfina, and southeast through the 5,378 meter long Tunnel di Monte Massico past Falciano-Mondragone-Carinola and Cancello-Arnone on the coastal plain to Villa Literno, which has four island platforms plus some low-level platforms on the east side.

At Villa Literno, the coast-route line into Naples continues straight ahead, while the line to Naples Centrale swings east, past Albanova and San Marcellino-Frignano to a large wye on the northeast side, where it turns south to Anversa (island plus side platforms, station to the west) and then southeast past San Antimo-San Arpino, Frattamaggiore-Grumo, and Casoria-Afragola, turning just west of south, bridging over two local lines, and turning west with carriage sidings on the south side and the signal box on the north side, to the stub-end terminus at Naples Centrale. This station has nine dual-sided platforms, with station facilities in a modern glass-walled building at the west end, fronting onto Piazza Garibaldi. Piazza Garibaldi station is adjacent, at a lower (subterranean) level on the south side of the ground level platforms.

Arriving at the Central Station in Naples, two minibuses collect us at the station on Piazza Garibaldi and take us to out hotel, which proves, somewhat to our surprise, to be at the top of a hill in CapodiMonte, a couple of miles out the back of the city, at the end of a narrow road that the luggage-carrying bus cannot traverse, with no meaningful way for any of us to go anywhere in the city, or anywhere else for dinner, without making use of the hotel's van for that purpose. Many of the rooms have a lovely view over the city and the bay to Mt. Vesuvius and Sorrento, but not everyone in the group thinks that that compensates for the hotel's obvious limitations. Few, if any, of us accept the proffered excuse that this has been done because Naples is too dangerous for us to go walking around by ourselves! Everyone on this tour is an adult and should be permitted to make his/her own decisions (informed, as necessary) on matters like that, not treated like schoolchildren on an excursion. (The attitude of treating us like the latter will become even more obvious when arrangements are altered without notice or the offer of options, the following afternoon.)

Naples

Naples was founded by the Greeks and embellished and enlarged by the Romans. It is overshadowed by Mount Vesuvius, a still-active volcano, whose past eruptions have been responsible for preserving artifacts of the Greek and ancient-Roman eras (the latter, especially) to the present day. Present-day Naples, Italy's second largest city, is one of the most chaotic urban areas to be found anywhere, especially in Europe. Yet it also has one of the most scenic settings of a major city in Europe, draped around the Bay of Naples and the hills surrounding that bay. The center of Naples is relatively compact, located on a gentle slope north of the harbor area, but unfortunately we did not get to visit that area in any depth.

A tour of Naples, led by a local guide, has been arranged and takes place as soon as our bus has arrived to take us on it. This transpires to be later than advertised, due to some combination (we're never told) of the bus taking longer than anticipated to drive down from Venice and the necessity to use the hotel's van to shuttle the luggage from a location out on the nearest main street into the hotel. In fact, when the second group of people is shuttled to the bus, it becomes clear that some of the luggage still has not been transferred to the hotel. (The van can carry only half the people at one time, half of whom have to stand during the shuttle between hotel and bus, or vice versa.) The bus itself is a surprise, being different from the one we had had on Monday and Tuesday, with a different driver. (Apparently, the original bus company had been bought out in between.) The local guide is also a surprise, having a strong British Midlands accent, albeit with every noun ending in -a.

From the main street where we board the bus, we head west-southwest on the main highway to the Vanero exit, and then proceed through Vanero, southwest and then south, turning west along the south side of a station and continuing west until we have a good view of the islands of Ischia and Prochida, off the western coast. and then make a counter-clockwise hairpin turns onto a road heading east down the steep hillside with a slowly descending grade providing clear views south over the Gulf of Naples., including Capri, the Sorrento Coast, Vesuvius and Naples itself. We then descend into Naples along the Via Francesco Caracioto along the sea front, then on Portenova, then turning north-northeast, north-northwest, and east-northeast, between the Royal Palace to the north and the harbor to the south, then west-northwest, south-southwest past the castle, southwest on Via San Carlo past the eponymous theater (the famed local opera house), making a loop adjacent to the Piazza del Plebiscite and returning northeast and north-northeast, and then continuing north through the center of town and then up the hairpin turns back to the transfer point for CapodiMonte, where we again use the hotel's shuttle to get back to the hotel.

We are allowed out of the bus exactly once, during the tour, to take photographs of the bay from the top of the cliffside grade. This is a good location, but nothing we see on this tour shows any basis for the saying "see Naples and die". Once we get to downtown, the biggest interest is in the rush-hour traffic, with four lanes of cars heading north on a street marked for two northbound lanes and one contra-flow bus lane, motor-scooters weaving in and out like their drivers were immortal, and pedestrians doing likewise. No-one pays any attention to traffic lights, which the guide says is because 'they don't stop for red lights since they're not communists'. The traffic is of such great interest because we can't really see the city from the bus, and we're not allowed off it!

The included dinner is good, but not so great that we all want to eat in the hotel dining room the following night (which is, however, effectively forced on us).

Friday, May 12^th, 2006

Naples to Sorrento and Vesuvius

After the usual games with the hotel van, the bus takes us downtown, with more fun traffic to watch, but the driver mistakes which station we're going to and takes us first to the stations on the east side of Piazza Garibaldi before taking an additional ten minutes to locate the CircumVesuviana station (Napoli Porta Nolana), at which we thus arrive late. On the surface, this was of little importance, since we have a special train for the day, but even special trains need paths to run in if they are not to be subject to excessive delay.

Esmeralda, the guide provided by the railway, is waiting for us and takes us to the special train waiting on the furthest left platform in the surprisingly-extensive station on this narrow-gauge electric line.

 The train departs about seven minutes late. The railway's crew serves us pastries and coffee (and other drinks) as we head south on their commuter line, through the communities along the Bay of Naples, and then west to Sorrento on the south edge of that bay.

Napoli Porta Nolana has six double-sided platforms and one side platform, serving a total of thirteen tracks, all of them underground. There is a circulating area at the west end of the station, with steps leading up to a concourse at street level on the east side of the street. The station throat, where the tracks start to come together, is still underground, with the line reduced to four tracks by the time it reaches the first station, still below ground. The 950 mm gauge line is electrified with overhead catenary.

The Cirsumvesuviana line starts out heading east, past the underground Via Gianturco station (center island and two side platforms), where a line departs on the north side, and then emerges into the open air, still below ground level, climbing and heading southeast on viaduct, bridging over the FS line heading south along the coast, with the locomotive yard on the north side  to San Giovanni a Teduccio (2 side platforms), and east to Barra (island platform plus two side platforms), where the lines split with the carriage shops in the vee of the junction. The line going to the east side of Vesuvius continues straight ahead, while the double track line heading for Sorrento turns southeast, past Santa Maria del Pozzo (2 side platforms) and San Giorgio a Cremano (island plus west side platform), south through a tunnel past San Giorgio a Cremano Cav. di Bronzo (two side paltforms) and Portici-Bellavista (two side platforms plus north end bay on west side), and southeast again past Portici via Liberta, Ercolano (island plus west side), Ercolano Via Doglie (2 side platforms), Torre del Greco (island plus west side), Via San Antonio (2 side platforms), Via del Monte(2 side platforms), alongside Vesuvius,Via dei Monaci (2 sides), Via Agnano (2 sides), where it curves east-southeast among the grapevines, Via Leopardi (island plus west side), Via Viuli (2 sides), Trecase (2 sides) and Torre Annunziata Città, which has a side platform to the east, two islands, and a side platform with station building to the west.

East of the latter, with through truss bridges over the main highway, a single track line departs to the northeast to head for Poggiomarino, while the main line turns southeast, through open countryside dotted only with villas until the end of the 19th-century, on the lava flow from 79 AD, to Pompeii Villa dei Misteri (2 side platforms), and then south past Ponte Persica (2 side platforms with center through track), Pioppaino (2 sides with center through track),  and Via di Nocera (2 sides), turning west-southwest and reducing to single track through a short tunnel to Castellamare di Stabia (island plus north side platform) and Castellamare Terme, and then through longer single-track tunnels past Pozzano and southwest to Scraio, on a ledge behind the town between tunnels, Vico Equense (island plus north side platform), a viaduct over a deep ravine, and Seiano, between tunnels, and Meta (2 sides), the far side of the tunnels, Piano (2 sides plus east end bay on south side), San Agnello (2 sides, station to south), and the terminus in Sorrento, which has two double-sided platforms, with a side platform and station buildings to the north, serving five tracks.

Sorrento is an exquisite, well-developed, seaside resort nestled above a small cove on the north side of the peninsula that forms the southern boundary of the Bay of Naples. The height of the cliffs on which the terraces are set makes it difficult to visit the waterside itself on a short visit, but the narrow streets connecting the churches, hotels, and restaurants on the clifftops are relatively level and easy to negotiate. Sorrento is also the northern anchor of the tourist region comprising the Amalfi Coast, which is located on the south side of the peninsula, and is easily visited from the resort town just to its north..

Because of its late departure, the train is about five minutes late into Sorrento. Due to the apparently-unplanned need to take a WC-break before leaving the station, we're even later by the time the group sets off into town, walking through the town as a group to the terrace providing the beautiful views over the bay. On the way, we pass numbers of restaurants and hotels which would have been great places for a tour group to visit while in the area, with the masses of tourists apparently unfearful of their safety. In the event, we have about an hour in which to visit a couple of baroque churches (San Feuri, Basilica San Antonio Abate), patronize a restaurant for morning coffee, or shop, before it's time to return to the station.

Another unplanned WC-break (there are only four opportunities for this, all day long) means our train is 18 minutes late leaving Sorrento, and is thus more than 30 minutes late arriving at Torre Annunziata. Here, we find that we 'need' another local guide (it had apparently been OK for Esmeralda to show us around Sorrento) for the afternoon's activities, and in spite of us being half an hour later arriving, a discussion of at least 20 minutes transpires among the guides and tour leaders before someone feels the need to announce, to whomever is in earshot, that the bus has been delayed due to a road accident. Some more time elapses before another WC-break is announced, and then we all troop off down the street.

Word gradually filters back to those of us who were not really in earshot the first time that the bus has been delayed, and that we're thus going to visit the Roman Villa at Oplontis, originally planned for later in the afternoon, first. On the face of it, this is a reasonable decision, but communications have been poor. At the villa, once owned by Nero's second wife, Poppea, before being buried by the volcanic eruption in 79 AD, printed materials are handed out, as are tickets, and the local guide, whose English is deplorable, tells the group we must make a quick tour since the bus will be here in half an hour. She then takes longer than that with her spiel at the first stop down in the villa, several layers below the current ground level.

Oplontis, in the 1st-century AD, was in effect a suburb of Pompeii, favored as a resort area along the Campani coast by high-ranking members of the Roman hierarchy. The Villa of Poppea was started in the middle of the 1st-century AD, and later expanded. It was adorned with spectacular wall paintings in what is know as Pompeii's "second style", many of which are still extant and can easily be seen by the visitor, today. Because of the layout of the excavations, today's visitor starts at the back of the house, and is first presented with the salon and the interior peristyle, while in its heyday the house would have been entered through the atrium on the south side. The northwest corner includes the kitchen, hot and tepid baths, a large sitting room, dining room, and a small bedroom. There is another sitting room on the east side of the atrium, east of which is a colonnaded 'portico' area, with many small painted rooms leading off it, leading to a large quadrangle. On the east side of this are reception areas bordering the large pool, on the west side of which are a series of guest rooms whose walls are richly-decorated. A corridor heading west takes the vistor past the latrines and back to the interior peristyle where our tour started..

Many of us discover we can see the villa better at our own pace, using the printed materials and taking photographs at our own pace, although we do end up doing rooms two to seven after the rest of the villa, having missed them the first time around.  By the time the bus shows up, after more like an hour than 30 minutes (i.e. it's now about 3 pm), even the slow tour is done and we board the bus. However, no-one uses the bus microphone to tell us what has been decided, and thus it's a complete surprise to everyone except the 'local' guide and the bus driver when we stop only a third of the way up Vesuvius (550 m.), at a nondescript location next to a closed restaurant and a garbage dump, and the 'local' guide announces that we will now all take a walk to a lava field.

I promptly ask Werner, who is sitting adjacent to me, how far this walk will be, since the itinerary called the walk that it described "optional". it transpires that Werner has no idea what is going on, but he asks and comes back with an answer as to how long the walk will take, which isn't what I asked. With no further information, almost half the tour participants decline to go on the walk, which I later determine from an information sign involves a 55 meter elevation change in each direction, as well as being more than half a mile in each direction (among copious poison ivy, it turns out). Meanwhile, those of us who stayed behind have no facilities whatever. When the waking group returns, the bus heads off back down the mountain with no explanation whatever. In later discussions with other tour participants, most people would have preferred to drive further up the mountain than take the walk to the lava beds, and only one person would have chosen the walk.

When I later ask, somewhat less than politely, why Esmeralda had not made an announcement of the change in plans, using the microphone on the bus, I'm told that she didn't know about the changes, either, that the 'local' guide was forced on them, and that no-one still present is responsible for what has happened. My former employer has a concept called 'accountability', that even the US Government seems to acknowledge, but on raising that idea, I'm told 'we're in Italy', as if that's a useful answer. Treating a group of mature adults as if they're recalcitrant schoolchildren on a mandatory field trip is completely unacceptable on a tour at this price level! :-(

On retuning to the station, the group forces (yes, forces) the fourth WC-break of the day before reboarding our train, which then sits in the platform for some time before we're told that it must take an alternate route back to Naples due to 'trouble on the line'. This means that an already late expected return to Naples will become even later. The train leaves 70 minutes late, and is more than 90 minutes late at the Naples terminus.

The alternate return route takes that single track line heading northeast out of Torre Annunziata Città, turning east at Boscotecase and southeast at Boscoreale (2 side platforms), bridging over a single track FS line just southeast of the latter, and turning east at Pompei Savi past Pompei (island plus two sides; northern two tracks are stub end) and Scafati (2 side platforms), northeast to San Pietro, north to Cangiani, and then northeast, trailing into the south side of the other main line, into Poggiomarino, which has an island and two side platforms, with the station on the south side. Stations with no platforms mentioned are all single platforms on the south side of the single track.

The single track line back to Naples heads out that same, west, end of Poggiomarino, heading west-northwest past Flocco, bridging over that same FS line as the branch, and Terzigno (2 side platforms), where it turns north, continuing past Rione Casilli (east side platform on single track), San Giuseppe (2 sides, station to west), Lavinio-San Leonardo, on the east side of Vesuvius, where the line turns north-northwest, Orraviano (island plus west side, extra track to east), Rinoetrieste, where it turns west, Somma (2 sides), Mercato Vecchio (single platform on west side), and Santa Anastasia (2 sides, station to west), turning southwest past Madonna dell'Arco (single platform on east side) to Gindazzi and west again past Pollena-Trocchia (2 side platforms, station to south), Cercola (2 side platforms, station to north), where double track starts, Vesuvia del Ves (2 sides) and Ponticelli (island plus side platform to north) to the junction with the Sorrento line at the east end of Barra.

The trip around the back side of Vesuvius is quite interesting, and the bus trip back to the hotel is marginally faster due to missing the height of rush hour, but even those who had made plans to use the hotel shuttle to go elsewhere to eat now feel captive to the hotel for dinner. Werner is notable for his absence while most of the rest of us are eating in the hotel restaurant.

Saturday, May 13^th, 2006

Naples to Palermo

After breakfast, this morning, two minibuses take us back to the station on the east side if Pizza Garibaldi, taking a route through town that differs from any we've taken before, either on arrival or with the big bus. The station from which we're departing shares some of the main-level facilities with the stub-end Centrale station, but is actually four tracks located as a sub-surface through station named Piazza Garibaldi. We're quite early for our train, but Werner insists that everyone must gather on the sub-surface platform before they can be allowed to wander the station or patronize shops and cafes. This may be a reasonable decision, but coming after Friday's insults to our intelligence, it smacks of more 'control the schoolchildren' group management.

Again, the first-class cars are compartment stock, and again our 30 seats are distributed across more than five six-seat compartments, albeit all in the same carriage. Everyone in our compartment is a group member, though, all congenial companions: Norm and Beverly Severin and Dave Wiley, and eventually, Bob Miller. The Severins live in Lexington, KY, and turn out to know Wes Ross. Norm spends a goodly part of the early portion of the trip following where we are on my railway atlas.

Naples (Piazza Garibaldi) to Paola

Piazza Garibaldi station has four subterranean through tracks, arranged as an island plus two side platforms, below and to the south (and west) of the surface-level platforms at Centrale. The two stations have adjoining circulating areas, connected internally, but the walking route from the main circulating area to the escalators down to Piazza Garibaldi could be more obvious from the south side of Centrale than it actually is.

At the east end of the station, the tracks reach the surface along the south side of the line out of Centrale, with carriage sidings to the north and suburban EMUs in a yard on the south side, and pass through Naples Gianturco, with a suburban line heading away to the northeast beneath the other tracks on the north side. Tye main line turns south as a connector from the line coming from the north that turns into Centrale trails in on the east side. The double track line, running in a trench, then passes beneath the bridge carrying the Circumvesuviana overhead, passes the Naples commercial port, on the west side of the line, and turns southeast along the coast, with little more than a single row of houses between the line and the beach.

The line passes Naples San Giovanni Barra, Pietrarsa San Giorgiao a Cremana, Portici Ercolano, Torre del Greco, and Santa Maria la Bruna (2 island platforms), turning east, following the coastline, to Torre Annunziata, where a non-electrified spur trails in from the southwest (from a promontory on the coast), and the line turns southeast, edging away from the coast, to Torre Annunziata Centrale, where a single track branch trails in from the northeast (the same one crosses by the three Circumvesuviana lines), and a branch leaves to the south to go to Castellamare di Stabia (on the coast just before the coastline turns southwest towards Sorrento), while the main line turns east, away from the coast, to Pompei (2 islands plus 2 side platforms), Scafati, Angir, Pagani, Nocera Inferiore, where another branch line leaves heading north, and Nocera Superiore (2 islands plus 2 side platforms), where a line leaves heading south-southeast, before turning southeast, through the 10,265 meter Tunnel San Lucia, to Salerno (2 islands plus a third being built, in 2006, on the east side, four north end bays on the west side, station on the west side), where that other line trails back in on the west side and a non-electrified line trails in from the north. There is a locomotive depot on the east side, followed by carriage sidings, with the signal box on the west side, south of the station.

The line reaches the coast of the Gulf of Salerno just south of Salerno, and just east of the Amalfi coast, briefly, before turning away east-southeast, past Pontecagnano, Pontecorvino, and Battipaglia (all of which have two side platforms), where a line heads away east and the main line turns due south. The line passes San Nicola Varco di Eboli (2 side platforms, with two through tracks in the center), Albanella, Capaccio-Roccadaspide, and Paestum (island plus two sides), reaching the Gulf of Salerno coast again briefly before Agropoli-Castellabate (island plus two sides), where it turns south-southeast through a short tunnel to Torchiara, southeast on separate viaducts through a longer tunnel to Autino (island plus east side, station to east), south past Omignano-Salento (island plus two sides) and Vallo della Lucania-Castelnuovo (island plus two sides), west-southwest past Casal Velino (2 side platforms plus two center through tracks) to the coast, at Ascea (island plus two sides), southeast through two tunnels to Pisciotta-Palinuko (island plus two sides, station to southwest) and Caprioli (island plus two sides, station to south), east, away from the coast, past San Mauro la Bruca (two sides), a tunnel, Centola (2 sides), a viaduct across a ravine, then running through a deep valley, Celle di Bulgheria-Roccagloriosa (island plus two sides, station to the south), the 5,150 meter Tunnel di San Cataldo, and Torre Orsaia, southeast to the coast again at Policastro Russentino (2 sides, station to northeast), and east along the coast (of the Gulf of Policastro), with mountains directly to the north, past Capitello (2 islands, station to north) and Vibonati (2 sides, station to north) to Sapri (2 islands plus side and station to north).

The coast and the line now turn south of south-southeast, and run together for a very long distance down the Tyrrhenian Sea side of the "toe" of the "boot" (Salerno is already as far south as is Taranto, on the "instep" on the other coast), across a viaduct and through a longish tunnel to Acquafredda (2 sides), through two shorter tunnels to Maratea (island plus two sides), a longer one to Marina di Maratea, another tunnel and then open coast line with the beach just meters away past Praja-Ajeta-Tortora (island plus 2 sides, station to west), through a short tunnel to San Nicola Arcella (2 sides), through a curving tunnel behind a headland to Scalea-San Domenico Talao (island plus 2 sides), a little (very little) further inland for a stretch past Marcellina-Verbicaro-Orsomarso (island plus 2 sides, station to west) and Grisolia-Santa Maria (2 sides), and back to the shore at Cirella-Majerà (2 sides, station to west), continuing along the coast past Diamante-Buonvicino, Belvedere Marittimo (2 islands), across a through girder bridge, Sangineto (2 sides) and Capo Bonifato (2 islands), turning southeast through three short tunnels, and then south-southeast past Cetraro (island plus 2 sides), acquapessa (2 sides), Guardia Piemontese Terme (2 sides), a through truss bridge, and Fuscaldo (island plus two sides) to Paola, which has three island platforms and the station to the east, and a carriage maintenance depot on the west side.

Paola to Villa San Giovanni

South of Paola, there is a large wye with a newish line heading east through a long tunnel, and then the junction on the east side with the replaced line, currently out-of-service, over the mountains. The line south along the coast passes San Lucido Marina (island plus east side), Torremezzo di Falconara (2 sides), Fiumefreddo Bruzio (2 sides), a through truss bridge, Longobardi (2 sides), Belmonte Calabro (2 sides), Amantea (island plus 2 sides), a tunnel, a through truss bridge, Campora-San Giovanni-Serra d'Aiello (2 sides), where the line turns south-southeast, Nocera Tirinese (2 islands), and Falerna (2 sides), turning east-southeast, along with the coast, with Sicily visible to the southwest, to Gizzeria Lido (2 sides with 2 center through tracks) and then leaving the coast to Lamezia Terme Centrale (2 islands plus west side platform/station and two north end bays, goods yard to east), where a non-electrified line from the coast of the "instep" trails in from the northeast.

The line turns south, to San Pietro a Maida-Maida, and then southwest past Curinga (2 sides) to Eccellente (island plus 2 sides), where the traditional line along the coast continues ahead, while a cutoff line leaves on the east side, rising on an embankment and then a viaduct, continuing southwest on a ledge on the mountainside (to the southeast) and passing through three tunnels to Vibo Valentia-Pizzo (island plus 2 sides), and then turning south through a tunnel, onto viaduct and southwest through another tunnel and then the 6,095 meter Tunnel Francica to Mileto (island plus 2 sides), and on more viaduct and through another tunnel to the junction where the traditional line trails in on the west side before Rosàrno (3 islands plus 2 sides), continuing southwest past Gioia Tauro (2 islands plus west side platform/station; goods platform to east), where a 950 mm gauge line crosses between its station on the coast and its lines eastward and southward, and reaching the coast again at Taureana (2 sides, station to northwest). There is a short tunnel, Palmi (island plus 2 sides), two longer tunnels with a little harbor below, between them, and a castle on a headland, south of them, Bagnara (island plus 2 sides, station to southeast), a short tunnel, Favazzina (2 sides), as the line turns west-southwest, a tunnel, Scilla (2 sides), a longer tunnel, Villa San Giovanni Canatello (island plus 2 sides), and a turn to the south, with Messina visible across the eponymous strait, into the station at Villa San Giovanni (2 islands plus two sides, station to east, dock to west), where trains for Sicily are split apart and switched onto the adjacent train ferry.

The train-ferry across from the mainland to Messina is interesting. Werner originally tells us not to leave the train, but group members conclude that we're safe to do so, provide we're back on the train before the ferry berths at the dock. This proves to be the case. The first class car (the only one on the Palermo section of the train, which splits to go in two different direction on Sicily) runs hot due to an air-conditioning failure, and most group members find alternate seats in second-class cars for the run along the north coast of Sicily.

Messina

Trains are removed from the train ferry and placed in separate platforms at Messina Centrale, since the two portions of a train being ferried across will typically go to different places—one south to Syracuse, and one west to Palermo. Messina Centrale has three island platforms plus a side platform and station buildings to the west, with the Messina trams running on the square outside to the west. The locomotive depot is on the west side at the south end of the station, with a roundhouse at the south end, and the signal box in the middle of the tracks heading south. The ferry docks are to the north of the station. There are freight yards on the docks on the east side, as well as loading platforms on the west side.

Messina to Palermo

South of the station, the line heads south-southwest, and the line to Palermo then turns away west and north through a series of tunnels under the city, then west past Camaro and northwest through 5,445 meter long Tunnel Peloritana and Gresso before turning west to follow Sicily's Tyrrhenian Sea coast, with a number if islands visible to the north and northwest, past Villafranca Tirrena-Sapponara (2 side platforms), where the line reduces to single track, Kometta Messinese, Spadafora-San Martino, Venetico (north and center low-level platforms), Roccavaldina-Scala-Torregrotto, Pace del Mar (north island plus side/station to south), double track begins again, San Filippo-San Lucia (2 sides) and Milazzo (2 islands plus south side platform/station, goods yard to north plus sidings to south, west of station), turning south behind a headland to Barcellona-Castoreale (2 islands plus south side platforms/station, yard to north), east-southwest along, but not on, the coast past Terme Vigliatore, Novara-Montalbano-Furnari and Falcone, on the coast again, northwest to Oliveri-Tindari, turning west through a couple of tunnels to Mongiove Siculo, west-northwest to Patti-San Pieri Patti (island plus 2 sides), northwest, single track again, past a closed or freight-only station at Patti Marina to San Giorgio, around a headland, through a tunnel and west-southwest, with a through-truss bridge over a river to Gidiosa Marea, Piraino San Angelo and Brolo-Ficarra (low-level platforms south & center, station to south), and west-northwest, across another through-truss bridge over a river and a through-girder bridge over a river, and through two short tunnels to Capo d'Orlando-Naso, which has several low-level platforms with the station on the north side.

The coastline then smoothes out, heading southwest past Zappulla and San Marco d'Alunzio Torrenova, west-southwest across a through-truss bridge over a river and past San Agate di Militello (2 islands plus north side platform/station), across another through-truss bridge over a river, past San Fratello-Acquedolci (low-level platforms to south and center), across a deck-girder bridge over a river, and past Torre del Lauro (2 sides), and west past Caronia (low-level platforms to center and south, station to south), across both a through-truss bridge and a through-girder bridge, past San Stefano di Camastra Mistreta (low-levels center and south, station to south), a closed or freight-only station at Torremuzza-Reitano, across a deck-girder bridge, past Tusa, two tunnels, Pollina-San Mauro-Castelverde (station to south, south and center low-level platforms), two more tunnels, Castelbuono (station to north, north and center low-level platforms), three more tunnels, Cefalù (station to north, north and center low-level platforms), a turn west-southwest, Lascari-Gratteri (2 sides), Campofelice (station to south, south and center low-level platforms), Buonfornello, and Fiumetorto (island plus south side platform/station), where the line from Catania trails in from the south and double track begins.

From Fiumetorto, the line turns west-northwest, through a tunnel, past Termini Imerese (2 islands plus north side platforms/station; yards and sidings at a lower-level to northeast, serving the harbor, which has a long jetty extending into the sea), across a through-truss bridge and past Trabia (2 sides, station to south), northwest past San Nicola (Tonnara), a station with two island platforms, Altavilla Milicia (3 low-level platforms), and Casteldaccia (island plus two sides), north to San Flavia-Solunto-Porticello (island plus two sides), west behind a headland to Baghera (station to south, south and center low-level platforms), Villabate-Ficarazzelli, on the coast again, and Palermo Brancaccio, where a line departs to the west, and northwest into Palermo Centrale, which has five platforms serving ten tracks, station buildings to the west end of the stub-end platforms, and yards to the south, east of the station.

On arrival at Palermo, the bus is waiting to take us to the hotel, and the far end of the downtown area, where at least we have access to Trattorias for dinner.

Italian Railways

After 1860, the Austrian Milan to Venice line became the Italian Lombardo-Venezia and was joined by the Adriatico in developing lines in northern Italy, adding to the lines in the Piedmont region that had been engineered by Isambard Kingdom Brunel in the 1840s. The line between Florence and Rome was built piecemeal between 1859 and 1875, with a routing somewhat dictated by the pre-unification interests of the former separate states. Italian railways were nationalized in 1905.

The first steps at electrification took place in 1911. Trials of the 3000 volt DC system started in 1925, with the decision to standardize on this system taken in 1934, with final conversion from earlier systems taking place in the 1960s. Nonetheless, some of the later advances in steam locomotion—the Caprotti poppet valve gear and the Crosti pre-heating boiler— were developed in Italy in the years after electrification had begun. Steam locomotion in Italy also lasted until the 1960s.

The 'direttisima' line between Bologna and Florence was built in the 1920s and 30s. A new, more direct, line, also called 'direttisima', between Florence and Rome was built in the 1970s and 80s, and finally opened in 1992. A 'direttisima' line between Rome and Naples, opened in 1927, replaced an earlier meandering and difficult routing. In the 2000s, even these improved lines are being replaced by a new set of high-speed lines, electrified at 27kV AC, connecting all the major cities of Italy north of Naples, initially in a hub and spoke system centered on Milan with routes radiating thence to Turin, Genoa, Venice and down the spin of Italy to Bologna, Florence, Rome and Naples, the latter already open but building up slowly in operations during 2006. (We used the 1927 route between Rome and Naples.)

Main-line services in 2006 are operated mainly by the following motive power. All electric locomotion is operated on the Italian standard of 3000v DC, except where noted.

Electric Locomotives

Class E402, built 1994+ by Ansaldo, Breda, Fiat, Bo-Bo wheel arr., 5,600 kW, 220 km/hr
Class E405, introduced 2003, Bo-Bo wheel arr., power 5,000 kW, 200 km/hr max speed
Class E412, built 1997-99Bo-Bo wheel arr., 6,000 kW, 200 km/hr, dual voltage (also 15 kV)
Class E424, rebuilt 1986-93 by FS, Bo-Bo wheel arr., power 1,500 kW, 120 km/hr max. speed
Class E444, built 1967+ by Savigliano, etc., Bo-Bo wheel arr., power 4,200 kW, 220 km/hr
Class E464, introduced 1989 by Adtranz, Bo-Bo wheel arr., 3,000 kW, 160 km/hr max. speed
Class E484, Bo-Bo wheel arrangement, dual voltage (also 15kV)
Class E632, built 1982+ by Savigliiano/TIBB, B-B-B wheel arr., 4,320 kW, 160 km/hr max sp.
Class E633, built 1979+ by Savigliiano/TIBB, B-B-B wheel arr., 4,320 kW, 130 km/hr max sp.
Class E636, built 1940-52 by Breda, etc., Bo-Bo-Bo wheel arr., power 1,890 kW, 110 km/hr.
Class E646, built 1959-67 by Breda, Bo-Bo-Bo wheel arr., power 3,780 kw, 145 km/hr max sp.
Class E656, built 1975+ by Sofer, etc., Bo-Bo-Bo wheel arr., power 4,200 kW, 160 km/hr

Electric Railcars

Class ETR-460, built 1992+ by Fiat, 9-car set with 6 cars powered, 5,880 kW, 220 km/hr
Class ETR-470, built 1992+ by Fiat, 9-car set w. 6 pow., 5,880 kW, 220 km/hr, dual v. (15 kV)
Class ETR-480, built 1992+ by Fiat, 9-car set w. 6 pow., 5,880 kW, 220 km/hr, dual v. (25 kV)
Class ETR-500, built 1992+ by Alstom, etc., 2-power + 11 trailer, 4,400 kW, 300 km/hr, dual v.
Class 582, built 1987-89 by Breda, 2 and 4-car sets, power 1,218 kW, 140 km/hr max. speed.

Diesel Locomotives

Class D145, built 1982-89 by Savagliano/ABB, Bo-Bo wheel arr., 620/680 kW, 100 km/hr
Class D245, built 1965-69 by Reggiane, C wheel arr., power 258 kW, 32/65 km/hr max. speed
Class D445, built 1974-?? by Savagliano, etc., B-B wheel arr., power 1,250 kW, 130 km/hr

Diesel Railcars

Class 668, built 1956+ by Fiat, etc., 1-A-1 wheel arr., power 170 kW, 130 km/hr max. speed

Class, built, wheel arrangement, horsepower, maximum speed

Sunday, May 14^th, 2006

Palermo to Acireale

We're up quite early this morning, to catch the one and only Sunday train across the center of Sicily to our location for the next few days. The bus takes us back across town, where our two-car EMU awaits us at the station.

From Palermo to Fiumetorto, the route is the same as that used on arrival in Palermo, the previous day.

Fiumetorto to Biocca

The route from Palermo to Catania turns away from the Messina line east of Fiumetorto, heading south as single track, but still electrified with 3kV DC overhead catenary like the vast majority of the main lines in Italy. The line climbs into the mountains that comprise the center of Sicily, and passes Cerda (station to east, east and center low-level platforms), where a mountain on the west side looks as if it may have been volcanic, eons ago,  and Sciara-Aliminusa (station and platform to east), where it turns west and then southwest, through a valley that looks like the Simi Valley, northwest of Los Angeles, did thirty or more years ago, past Causo (station and platform to east), two tunnels, and Montemaggiore Belsito (station to east, east and center low-level platforms), turning south again, across windswept upland with abandoned cottages and through a short tunnel to Roccapalumbra-Alia (goods siding and locoshed on east side, north of station, station to east, east and center low-level platforms, water tank on west side), where a line south to Agrigento, on the south coast, continues ahead on the rolling uplands, while the Catania line edges away on the east side before turning east, through an upland valley with new (in 2006) citrus orchards, past a closed or freight-only station on the north side at Marcatobianco, Valledolmo, a tunnel, and Vallelunga (station to south, south and center low-level platforms, extra track to north), turning south past Villalba (station and platform to west) and Marianapoli (station and platform to east), and then passing through the 6,482 meter long Tunnel di Marianapoli beneath the watershed and into land that drains to the east coast of the island, past Bosco Saline (station and platform to west) and turning east past Mimiani-San Cataldo (station and platform to south) to Caltanissetta Xirbi, where the station is on the north side, with a side platform and two island platforms, with a goods yard on the south side.

Another line from Agrigento trails in on the south side at the west end of Caltanissetta Xirbi. The line then heads very curvily eastward, trying to follow the contours of the upland valleys, past a closed or freight-only station at Imera (station to south, south and center low-level platforms), Villarosa (station to north, north and center low-level platforms), a through girder bridge over a river and many tunnels, Enna (station to south, south and center low-level platforms, goods sidings to north), two more tunnels, a counter-clockwise hairpin turn northwest, and then turns northeast and east-southeast, past Pirato (station to north, north and center low-level platforms), Dittaino (station to south, south and center low-level platforms, goods sidings to south), a multi-span through girder bridge over the river, and Raddusa-Agira (station to south, south and center low-level platforms), east past a closed or freight-only station at Libertinia and northeast past one at Sparagogna, and then southeast on a descending segment of line on the south side of a valley from which Mt. Etna is clearly visible to the northeast, past a deck girder bridge, Catenanuova-Centuripe (station to north, north and center low-level platforms), Muglia (station and platform to north), Sferro (station to south, south and center low-level platforms), Gerbini and a closed or freight-only station at Portiere Stella, turning northeast across a through-truss bridge over the river to Motta Anastasia, where a non-electrified single-track line trails in from the north, and east past a closed or freight-only station at San Martino Piana (station to north, north and center low-level platforms), to the point where the line trails into the main line north from Syracuse, heading northeast at Bicocca, where the station is on the west side with a side and island platform and a goods yard on the east side.

The segment of the line from Bicocca to Acireale is described as part of the Messina to Syracuse route description—see below..

At Roccapalumbra-Alia, where a number of the local passengers in the car with us alight, there is some kind of market in progress on the station platforms, with many kinds of breads and other local specialties on sale. Several people observe the highway that follows the track for much of the way across the interior of Sicily, questioning the cost-effectiveness of a road that is, in many places, built as long stretches of viaduct that smooth out the hills and valleys, and curves, of the terrain, but no-one questions the electrification of the railway line through this same countryside!

In Catania, we transfer to an InterCity train for the ten minute ride to Acireale station. Here, the bus meets us and presents us all with the biggest shock (it is more than a nasty surprise) of the trip: the itinerary tells us that we can wander Acireale, visiting its cathedral and a villa with gardens, but the bus takes us several miles out of town and several hundred feet down in elevation, to a virtually isolated convention hotel and 'resort' that, while in a spectacular location (Acireale Mare), has only limited facilities for tourists not attending organized conventions there, with only a small village (San Tecla) at least half a mile away with any possibility of buying necessaries (such as additional water beyond that Werner is supplying on some trains) or eating outside of the limited capabilities (and hours) of the hotel. Even in that village, nothing is open on a Sunday noontime or afternoon, or during 'siesta' afternoon hours on other days.

It is impossible to get anywhere to use the two free afternoons without either commandeering the hotel bus, or paying for taxi rides to destinations at least several miles away. This makes those afternoons effectively useless to those of us who would wish to ride additional trains while in the area, or even to sightsee. From what I hear, only three (yes, three) people, other than Werner, think this is a good location for a three-night stay. Others are outraged, or perhaps merely horrified. Werner brushes off all complaints, leads a walk over to the village (where, indeed, nothing is open on Sunday afternoon), and tells us the hotel van is available to take us to and from Acireale station, which turns out not to be true. Some people, who try to find Sunday lunch in the village first, then have to raise a fuss to get lunch in the hotel because it's almost 2 pm by the time they head for the restaurant. (Conventioneers typically have separate meal facilities provided for them during their stays here, and are not expected to want to leave the facilities during their conventions.)

The included dinner this evening is excellent, but some people are too angry to care.

Monday, May 15^th, 2006

Around Mt Etna

At breakfast, it transpires that members of our group must eat at the four tables we were allocated for the included dinner, one of which is unstable.

We leave earlier than planned, since Werner says the railway has invited us for a shop visit, but due to traffic congestion in Catania, get to the railway only eight minutes before our special train is due to leave, which it does on the originally-stated schedule.

CircumEtnea, Catania Borgo to Giarre

At Catania Borgo, the 950 mm gauge single track line is heading west, the station is on the south side of the line, there are yard facilities north of the line to the east, and a grade crossing just west of the station. West of the station, and still well within Catania, the line starts to climb, passing Cibali (platform on north side, grade crossing to west) on this curving line, bridging over the autostrada and turning west-northwest at Misterbianco (station to the south, south and center low-level platforms) and starting to climb steeply, past Belpasso (station on south side) and Valcorrente (platform to north), and turning north, past Paternò (station to west, west and center low-level platforms), Scalilli and San Maria di Locodìa, northeast and then northwest past Biancavilla (station to west, west and center low-level platforms) and Adrano (station to west), north again past Passo Zingaro (station to west), where the line is well up on the slope of Mt. Etna with a deep valley below, to the west, to Bronte, where the station is on the west side, there are west and center low-level platforms, and there is a locomotive shed on the east side of the line.

The line heads northeast out of Bronte, through open lava fields, first from 1964 and then from 1872, past the highest point on the line (976 meters, elevation), turning north past Maletto (station to east, east and center low-level platforms), and then curvily east-northeast, across lava fields from 1536, now covered in bushes with yellow flowers, to Randazzo (elevation 2,511 ft.), where the station is on the north side, with three low-level platforms. The Giarre line out of Randazzo, heads east, down the Alcántara Valley, on a section of line reconstructed in 1981 because of damage by old lava flows, past Calderara (station to south, south and center low-level platforms) and Mojo (station to south), east-southeast past Solicchiata (station to north, north and center low-level platforms), north-northeast, across lava flows from 1923, and then east-northeast to Castiglione, south, through several tunnels to Linguaglossa (station to east, east and center low-level platforms), southeast past Terremorte, east and then south past Piedmonte (station to east, east and center low-level platforms), where there are views over the coastal plain to the east and Taormina to the northeast, Santa Venera (station to west), Mascali, Cutula, and Giarre, where the station is on the west side, and the entire facility is located on the west side of, and adjacent to, the FS station at Giarre.

The railway company is very hospitable, not only handing out breakfast items but also distributing  fresh local oranges, more than once. Naturally, those receiving the oranges proceed to eat them, which in a single closed railcar puts so much orange aroma into the air that it reaches levels that trigger Chris' allergy to oranges, fortunately not at the acutely dangerous level but enough to make her visibly ill the rest of the day and unable to eat the included lunch. There is really nowhere on the railcar to go to get away from this level of what, to Chris, is severe air pollution.

The views of Mt. Etna are magnificent, and the railway's choices for runpast locations are excellent, especially after we transfer to the restored 1937 Fiat railcar, high up on the mountain, at Bronte, a location where more food is provided (pizza, various kinds of rolls, et.), and we can view the railway's preserved, but not restored, steam locomotive (1894 0-6-0T #10). At Randazzo, we all walk to a hotel where an excellent five-course lunch is provided, leading many of us not to need dinner this evening. Following lunch, one of the railway personnel leads some of us on a quick photographic expedition to one of the local churches before returning to the train. The lack of a common language proves not to be a barrier as this man shows us the delights of the church.

Leaving the train at Giarre, we board the bus to head back to the hotel. Werner asks the bus driver to stop at a supermarket, in an attempt to meet the needs of those needing additional water, snack food, etc., but none is found until after we have passed the road to the hotel, which leads some tour members to complain loudly (e.g. "the tap water tastes just fine at the hotel') about the demands of those who wish to go to the supermarket. Eventually, one is found in Acireale, but the visit to it does delay everyone's return to the hotel by about an hour. By now, Chris has regained her appetite at least somewhat, so we have to find something at the supermarket for her to eat that night. Werner appears oblivious to the problem, even when Chris is visibly ill at the lunchtime hotel.

Tuesday, May 16^th, 2006

Taormina

This morning, we take the bus north along the coast to the ancient town of Taormina, passing first along the costal section of the town to drop one participant off at the Taormina railway station. In doing so, it becomes clear that it would have been possible for the group to stay at a good hotel, right down on the coast in Taormina, with good access to both town and railway station. Just as with the Sorrento/Naples case, there clearly were more acceptable choices that could have been made.

From the beautiful seafront of Taormina, the bus turns up the steep road climbing up to the ancient Greek and Roman settlement on the top of the hill, to the bus parking area beyond which we must transfer to the local shuttle bus to continue up to the main square, where we get off and walk up to the main gate of the old town, where our local guide is waiting.

Settlement at Taormina, built on the top and sides of Mt. Tauro, dates to the arrival of the Greeks in the 3rd-century BC. The Greeks built the original version of the amphitheater on the top of the moutnain, later rebuilt by the Romans, who also left behind the Odeon (for musical performances) and the Naumachia (for mock naval battles). Today's piazza is on the site of the Roman forum, and is bordered by the 13th-century cathedral and 14th-centiry palace.

The local guide takes us up the ruins of the Roman amphitheater on the top of the hill, explaining why the town and the amphitheater are there, and what we see both of and from the ruins on the hilltop (with magnificent views both of the coastline and Mt. Etna). This is interesting, as is the town itself, but not interesting enough to justify Werner's absolute claim that "you haven't seen Italy until you've been to Taormina". After the tour of Taormina group members are given several options: return to the hotel with Werner at noon, be dropped off at the railway station to travel by ourselves, with the assurance that a telephone call to the hotel from Acireale station will produce the hotel van to return us to the hotel, or remain in Taormina for the afternoon, meeting a bus at the bus park at 4 pm for the return to the hotel. In the event, only the first of these plans was realized properly (I presume).

Chris and I are among a small group that chooses to be dropped off at the railway station, with the intent of taking a train thence to Syracuse and after a short (or longer) stay there, return to Acireale for the hotel van connection back to the hotel. Those who choose to stay in Taormina later report that the bus didn't pick them up until 5:30 pm, the driver having apparently misunderstood his instructions.

Taormina to Syracuse, and back to Acireale

The bus drops five of us off at Taormina station (Don Jones, Dave Wiley, Bob Miller and ourselves), and we all take the train to Syracuse.

Messina to Syracuse

From the junction with the line west to Palermo, the double-track line heads south-southwest, along the Mediterranean coastal plain, which varies from very narrow to quite wide, past the Contessa freight yard on the west side, and then, with various multi-span through-girder bridges along the way, past Tremestieri, Galati, Giampilieri, Scaleta Zanclea, Alì Terme (station to west, three low-level platforms), Nizza di Sicilia, single track, two through-truss bridges and a stone arch bridge, Roccalumera Mandanici, Furci, San Teresa di Riva, San Alessio Siculo-Forza d'Agro, a tunnel, Letojanni, where it turns south through several tunnels, and then east-southeast, around the headland and through more tunnels, to Taormina Giardini, where the station is on the north side with north side and island platforms.

The line turns southwest, and then moves away from the coast with a large coastal plain on its east side, past Alcantara (2 side platforms, station to west), Calatabiano (2 side platforms, station to west), and Fiumefreddo Sicilia (2 side platforms, station to west), turning south past Mascali (2 side platforms, station to east), a tunnel, Giarre-Riposto (2 side platforms, station to west), where the Circumetnea station is on the west side, bridging over that line,  and turning west-southwest  past Carruba (island plus west side platform/station), and Guardia-Mangano-San Venerina (2 side platforms, station to west) and south through tunnels, gradually rising above the coastal plain, to Acireale, where the station is on the west side, with west side and two island platforms, and freight tracks to the east, with stuffed-and-mounted 2-8-0 740.072 (of a class built in the early 1910s) on the west side, south of the station buildings. There is another tunnel as the line turns southwest, past Cannizzaro (2 side platforms), and through another tunnel to Catania Centrale, down at sea level again, where the station is to the west with three island platforms to the east and freight tracks beyond them, and there is a stuffed-and-mounted 2-6-0T (likely of class 880, built by Breda in 1922) on the west side, south of the station buildings.

The line turns southwest, across a viaduct over the city, with the harbor directly east of the line, through a tunnel under the city, and then south-southwest again past Catania Acquicella (station and side platform to east, island platform to west), a large freight yard on the east side with a goods shed at its north end, Bicocca, where the station is on the west side with a side and island platform and a goods yard on the east side, and the line to Palermo heads away west. The now single-track line continues south-southwest, across the flat open plain, past a rail-served industry  on the east side, just south of Bicocca, a through-girder bridge over a river, a through-truss bridge over a river, Passomartino, and a through-girder bridge over a river, then turning south at the south end of the plain, through a tunnel to Lentini di Ramazione (2 side platforms, station to west), where a non-electrified line turns away west, and southeast past Lentini (station to southwest, sw and center low-level platforms).

The line then heads northeast across a through-girder bridge and then east through a tunnel, and southeast to Agnone di Siracusa (station to southwest, sw and center low-level platforms), east, through tunnels, to the coast again at Castelluccio Siculo, southeast and through tunnels behind a headland past Brucoli, (station to north, extra track to south), with a large high-rise residential area to the south, turning sharply clockwise back to the west, with the high-rises now to the north, bridging across a lagoon to Augusta (station to south, side and island platforms, extra tracks to north), on the shore of a large natural harbor, curving south along the shore of that harbor, through a short tunnel and over several bridges past Megara Giannelena (station to west, west and center low-level platforms), petrochemical plants on both sides of the line, and Priolo-Melilli (station to west, west and center low-level platforms, four extra tracks to east), curving south-southeast, past a power-plant on the east side, to Targia (station to southwest, sw and center low-level platforms) and then eastward, across a through-truss bridge, through several tunnels, a junction where a non-electrified line from the west trails in on the south side, carriage sidings on the south side the city, to Syracuse, which has three stub-end double-sided platforms and two side platforms, serving eight tracks, with the station on the south side and the stub-end to the east, adjacent to the port facilities just southwest of the station on the shore of another natural harbor. There is a 2-8-0, 710.452 (dating from earlier than 1911), cold and dead at the end of a siding in the freight yard, southwest of the station.

In Catania, the car we're riding in is invaded by a large school group returning to their home town from a field trip. This group is very noisy, and some of them practice their English language skills on us. Suddenly, Judy Decker, the tour member who had left us at Taormina station in the morning, appears from elsewhere in the train and says that the car she is riding in is almost empty. Judy has been to Messina, and back on this train, since last we saw her, having tested empirically the statement that reservations are required on Italian InterCity trains, and had to take a different train north to Messina as a result. The other three depart with Judy, but we stay put and the kids and their teachers get off at the next station.

We have been given a set of train timings that supposedly permit us to travel without reservations, but the timetables that Dave and I have clearly show that this is in error for all projected returns from Syracuse following the first one, some 80 minutes after we arrive there. Dave checks this out with the station staff, and discovers that not only are reservations required, but for one of those trains a supplement would be required as well! Chris and I elect to sit down at the station cafe and have a drink, while the others set off for the center of town, returning at different intervals until all are back, with only Don Jones having reached the town center. 

We all return on that first train, and leave it at Acireale. Dave had tried to get the hotel to agree to have the van here to meet us, but it isn't here. A 'phone call to the hotel gets a van sent, which turns out to be a taxi, which turns out to require us to pay for the ride! At the hotel, we meet the Carters, who tell us their tale of woe regarding the late return from Taormina, as we try to determine if any restaurants in the village are open (we're told 'Tuesday is their non-opening day'), eventually finding that one is, and walking over to it for an excellent dinner, but a return in the dark, somewhat delayed by Chris' (ultimately successful) attempts to find the ATM in the village on an unlit road between village and hotel. (Incidentally, the walk between hotel and village isn't level, requiring a substantial climb up to the gate of the hotel in either direction.)

Wednesday, May 17^th, 2006

Acireale to Rome

Werner's response on being told that we had to pay for the ride back from Acireale station is "not everything in life is free", which is true, but there are things we thought we had paid for as part of the tour fees! Werner has also decided that we will all take the bus all the way to Messina, this morning, no exceptions possible, on the partial grounds that we would be able to take photos of the loading operations for the train ferry, which turns out to be untrue. So, we take the bus to Messina, which is fine as long as the highway exists, but not fine when we get into heavy traffic in the city. At the station, we wait for our train section to arrive from Syracuse (via Acireale), and board the carriage, taking the same reserved seats we could have had from Acireale, before any of the train is loaded on the ferry. Since I want to see the other side of the line from Saturday's southbound trip, I sit on the corridor side of a compartment that also includes Pete & Sylvia Smykla, and Bob & Shirley Carter.

The train is then loaded on the train ferry, as before. The ferry has five internal tracks, laid out symmetrically, and all connected to a single line at the open end. Our section occupies one track, and the Palermo section another tracks, such that the ferry is balanced. There are two adjacent loading docks in both Messina and Villa San Giovanni, each with a track-outfitted ramp that lowers to cover the gap between the end of the dock and the end of the ferry. Idler flats are used between the switcher and the passenger cars to ensure the locomotive never crosses the ramp. After watching the loading of the Palermo section and the closing of the ramp, a number of us go up on deck to watch the crossing, making sure we're back on the train before unloading operations begin.

The route from Messina to Rome is the same one we took southwards, except for a small segment in Naples. Several people, having observed the night trains running between Milan, Rome, and the Sicily destinations/origins of Palermo and Syracuse, wonder why the group could not have taken a night train from Sicily to Rome, since the northbound route is essentially the same as the southbound route, thereby saving a full day on the tour for other activities. (My guess would be that there are not 30 first-class berths on the typical night train on this route, and that FS would not have been willing to add first class cars for the group, given their inability or unwillingness to handle group reservations.)

Naples (Piazza Garibaldi) to Villa Literno

From the west end of Piazza Garibaldi, the double track line heads west, in tunnel under the center of the city, past an underground local station at Piazza Cavour past an underground station at Montesanto, with two local lines heading away on the north side at the west end, and west-southwest past an underground station at Piazza Amadeo, to the west end of the tunnel at past the erstwhile terminal station (for coast-route trains from the north) at Naples Mergellina (2 islands plus a south side that is under construction in 2006), through a short tunnel turning west to Naples Piazza Leopardi (2 islands), and continuing west past Naples Campi Flegrei (north side platform plus three island platforms), Cavallegeri Aosta (2 side platforms), along the hillside above the bay, Bagnoli-Agnano Terme (2 side platforms) and another tunnel turning north to Pozzuoli Solfatara (2 side platforms).

The line then heads north, still well within the urban area, now with views of Ischia and Prochida out to sea to the west, through another tunnel, past Quarto di Marano (2 side platforms), another tunnel, and Giugliano-Qualiano (2 side platforms, station to east), until it trails into the west side of the main line coming west from Naples Centrale just south of Villa Literno.

On arrival in Rome, in early evening, we walk the claimed three blocks to the hotel (which turn out to be almost six), where we discover that the hotel has overbooked, and is short one double and two single rooms. The hotel has obtained alternate accommodations at a hotel halfway back to the station. Werner (we believe) selects which people to send to that hotel, including Chris and me. He assures us that when the bus arrives with the luggage, our bags will be delivered to our rooms in that hotel, and the manager tells us we're welcome to have breakfast at the main group hotel. Our room is fine, but David Minnerly and Paul Falon, the other victims, later report that their rooms are tiny and unsatisfactory. With tickets for breakfast at the group hotel, and assurance that our luggage will be delivered to our rooms, Chris and I eat at a local restaurant, where we have successive conversations with a couple from the US and a younger couple from the English Midlands.

Back in the room, I observe Paul Falon dragging his own bag along the street, at about 10 pm. I suggest that Chris call Werner on this, but instead she walks over to the other hotel and acquires our luggage (this requires two trips), the other hotel's only comment being "are you taking all your luggage", implying they have no intent of bringing it. Werner is nowhere to be seen. When I complain about this the following morning, he says "you have paid for porterage and should receive it, so you should have called me", but he should have been supervising the delivery of the luggage, and after his comment in Acireale that morning, why would we expect that we had paid for everything that evening? However, after this incident Werner stops acting so preoccupied (as he had seemed for at least a week) and starts behaving like the Werner we had known from previous trips.

Thursday, May 18^th, 2006

Rome

Rome was built on the site of earlier Etruscan settlements in the Latium region, with the earliest portions of Rome built on what became the Capitoline Hill east of an eastward bend of the River Tiber, south of the modern center of Rome and the Vatican City across the river. To the people of ancient Rome, this was the center of their world, containing three major temples—to Jupiter, protector of Rome, Minerva, goddess of wisdom and war, and Juno, a guardian goddess. The ancient Roman Forum, where the citizenry gathered, was to the east and below the level of the Capitoline Hill, with the Palatine Hill to its south. Constantine's Arch, from a much alter period, is east of the ancient forum, with the Colosseum—the arena where sporting events and gladiatorial contests were held, northeast of that. The public baths (Baths of Caracalla) were to the southeast of the Colosseum, east of the palatine Hill, and were fed by an aqueduct coming from the east parallel to the Appian Way, the major road into and out of town from/to the southeast.

The later forums (fora) of Caesar and Augustus were located northwest of the ancient forum, hard by the northern end of the Capitoline Hill, with the much later forum of Trajan, built-up as a marketplace, to the north of them. Today, the bombastic excrescence of the Victor Emmanuel II Monument disgraces the western side of the Capitoline Hill at this point. The public buildings of the renaissance-era city, including facades in a piazza designed by Michelangelo, lie atop the northern end of the Capitoline Hill, totally hidden from the northern aspect by the bombastic monument. Many of these buildings are now museums.

Vatican City, center of the Roman Catholic Church, is on the west side of the Tiber at its major bend just north of the ancient center of Imperial Rome. from the bend, a monumental street heads directly west, through an archway, to the west front of St. Peter's Basilica. The major buildings of the Vatican itself are adjacent to the basilica, on its northern side, with the Sistine Chapel adjacent to the north side of the church, and the Vatican Museum extending away from that to the north. The residential apartments are to the east of the museum, on the north side of the colonnade in front of St. Peter's, with those occupied y the Pope on the top floor, overlooking the square enclosed by the colonnade. Vatican City extends along the north side of the Tiber at this point, and includes the crenellated circular Castle of St. Angelo, on the river.

Most of the center of modern-day Rome lies along the south and east sides of the river, within the bend across from Vatican City and north of the ancient center. Buildings such as the Farnese Palace and church of St. Andrea del Valle are within this area, while the famous tourist location of the Spanish Steps are towards the northeastern corner, just within the remaining city walls in that area. The central railway station in Rome, named Termini, is on the eastern side of the modern city center, just inside the Aurelian Walls on the east side (one of the two sets of walls that once encircled Rome).

Rome is the administrative capital of modern Italy, and is its largest city.

The Vatican's Sistine Chapel is the most difficult sight to get to in Rome, and perhaps the most important. The Vatican permits entry of tour groups only until 9 am, after which visitors must enter as individuals and the Vatican is re-configured to require all visitors to take a four-mile itinerary through the museums before getting to the Sistine Chapel. To make sure that we get in line early enough to enter prior to 9 am, we must leave the group hotel on the bus by 7:15 am, in light of which Werner has persuaded that hotel to start breakfast at 6:45 am. For that reason, those of us at the alternate hotel walk over to the group hotel for breakfast this morning, getting finished by 7:10 and heading for the bus. One or two people don't seem to understand the importance of timeliness this morning, saying that the bus can't be leaving, because they're still just getting to breakfast.

Most of us are on the bus by 7:15, where Werner is talking with the local guide. One person shows up at 7:23, after Werner has given the instruction to depart, but before the bus has actually done so, and one at 7:25, who is left behind. From the front of the group hotel, the bus turns north at the east front of Santa Maria Maggiore to the west face of Rome Termini station, and then heads northwest, past the bus station and into a road tunnel, emerging from the latter to run between the Borghese Gardens on the north side and the old city walls on the south side, and then across the Tiber, somewhere northeast of Castel Sant' Angelo, into Vatican City, where we head west through an area that is setting stalls up for a marketplace, finally turning south down a side street to a point that the local guide thinks is the closest we can get the bus to where we need to go.

Of course, the morning traffic is worse at 7:25 than it would have been at 7:15, and it is almost 8 am by the time the bus drops us off near the line-up point at the Vatican, and just after 8 am when we get into the line (just ahead of two Japanese tour groups, because Chris cuts across the street to do so). Werner and the local guide are concerned that we are too late to make the group cutoff, but the two of them head off for the ticket office, and 15 minutes later, come back with tickets. By this time, the line has just started to move, and we are safely inside the main tourist entrance by 9 am. There are devices just back of the main entrance that permit the guide to give a pre-tour of the inside of the Sistine Chapel, since giving presentations isn't possible inside, and we're all outfitted with radio headphone sets to be able to hear our guide, and only our guide. At this time of day, groups are permitted to short-circuit some of the required itinerary, but it is still necessary to walk though some long galleries, including those with tapestries and with large maps (cartography), and make a circuit of some smaller ones, before reaching the Sistine Chapel.

Visiting the Sistine Chapel provides one of the greatest experiences of our lives, taking in the Michelangelo frescoes on the ceiling and end wall, with the tour of St. Peter's Basilica an important but somewhat distant second. After St. Peters, we have time to visit gift shops and cafes before we reboard the bus in front of Cafe San Pietro on Via de la Conciliazione. The bus turns southeast through a tunnel to the banks of the Tiber, south-southeast on the west bank (Trastevere), past Isola Tiberiana (the island in the river), across Ponte Poldena, north on the east bank, then east and south on Via Petrocelli, past the Temple of the Vestal Virgins, southeast on Via Del Greco along the southwest side of the Circus Maximus, makes a u-turn and heads back to the northwest and turn across the northwest end of the Circus Maximus, with the Palatine Hill in front, onto Via Dei Chubis, back on Via Petrocelli heading north, past the Teatro di Mocello, makes a loop in front of the Victor Emmanuel II monument, and then head east-southeast past the Senate palace, between Vespasian's Forum and the Roman Forum, passing clockwise around nine-tenths of the Colosseum, south-southwest under the Aqueduct, east-southeast past the Baths of Caracalla, north past St. John in Lateran, west on Via Labican, past the north side of the Colosseum again, and the south side of the former house of gold, north on Vei Degli ??, east on Via Cavour to the back side of Santa Maria Maggiore,  and the main station again, northwest past Fontane della Naiadi, west-southwest on Via Nazeroli, and north-northwest in a tunnel to the spot where we are dropped off to head west on foot to the Trevi Fountain. After that walking visit, and back on the bus, we head north-northwest, turn east-northeast on Via Barbieri, southwest on Via Cavour and southeast on Via Liberani to the group hotel.

The ancient Roman ruins are interesting, but we see them only from the bus (the local guide seems to think getting photos of the grandiose and bombastic Victor Emanuel II monument is more important than any of the ancient roman ruins). We do get out of the bus to walk to the Trevi Fountain, near the end of the tour (had I known it was the end of the tour, we'd have left the group here), where an unexpected delay, on my part, using toilet facilities that aren't apparent until after we've purchased the gelati (soft ice-cream), leads first Chris, and then me, to have great difficulties with a melting and dripping chocolate gelati. Other group members have great fun taking photos of the result, and showing them around afterwards.

We should have seen more of the sights of Rome by ourselves during the free time in the afternoon, but one too many 6 am wake-up alarms means that after we have been to the station to secure the one remaining train reservation that we need for after the tour is over, we return to the hotel and take a nap. Later, we head back to the group hotel for the start of our evening event. From there, the bus takes us southeast to to vicinity of the Port Maggiore, just on the south side of the embankment carrying the lines into and out of Roma Termini, near a section of the old city walls on the east side of which the tramway has a large carbarn. Here, we wait for almost an hour until the vintage tramcars comprising the rolling restaurant appear out of that carbarn, pick us up, and head south, alongside the old city (Aurelian) walls, through the Aqueduct and past the church of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem and an imperial residence. The tram stops when the crew discovers that the power is turned off on the line ahead due to planned maintenance work.

Eventually, we're attached to a motorized tow, and proceed southward, turning southwest past the gate to the New Appian Way, turning west-northwest in front of St. John in Lateran, in the part of Rome developed as the capital of Italy in the second half of the 19th-century, past the Diocletian Aqueduct. We turn south-southwest, and the tow is removed, after which we proceed under electric power again, turning west-northwest onto Via Labican, and then pulling around the southeast side of the Colosseum to park on a bluff above Constantine's Arch, where the major portion of dinner is served. We're stopped here for at least ninety minutes, late in the evening. Later, we continue past the Imperial Palace and across the southeast end of the Circus Maximus, where the ancient Appian Way starts, and with a distant view of St. Peter's, all lit up. We turn southeast onto Via Valentina, pass the pyramid and some walls from the 6th-century, BC, then more Aurelian Walls to the Porta San Paolo, where the bus is waiting for us, to the surprise of the tram crew and guide. It takes us back, past the Colosseum and on the Via Cavour to the group hotel, whence Chris and walk back to our hotel..

The entire tram tour is on part of Line 3, heading away from Porta Maggiore towards Trastevere. The views of the Coliseum and Constantine's Arch by the combination of full-moon and floodlighting are fascinating, but the rest of the "tram tour" is somewhat disappointing, and the late hour of its conclusion (we leave the tram for the bus near midnight, with the tram crew expecting to take us much further!) difficult to deal with, given the requirements for arising in the morning (even if somewhat later than usual) to catch a train.

Artifacts of Ancient Cultures

Ancient Rome lasted until the sack of the Goths in 410 AD, after which the travertine limestone buildings and monuments fell into disuse. (Even the Aurelian walls surrounding the city, built in the 270s, AD, did not protect the city.) The artifacts of ancient Rome were protected, not by being buried in lava, but by being built of a stone that was not susceptible to  exposure decay in the atmosphere of the times (as opposed to today's). Earlier structures, built out of porous tufa, are not as well protected from exposure to the atmosphere, and have suffered accordingly.

However, the civic leaders of the renaissance were not as respectful of ancient buildings as those of today might be, and built on top of ancient structures, as for example in the Piazza del Campidoglio, architected by Michelangelo on the Capitoline Hill. The vast majority of the bronze statues from the period have been lost, for a variety of reasons including being melted down for other uses, while many of the marble statues have been moved to other places (including the museums that today sit on top of the Capitoline Hill). The original doors of the Senate House in the Roman Forum are today the main doors of St. John in Lateran, while copies adorn the restored Senate House. Pope Paul III looted the statues from the Baths of Caracalla for his own refurbishment of the Farnese Palace! Much of the travertine limestone from the Colosseum was plundered for use in other buildings, especially during the renaissance; some of the stone was even used in building the new St. Peter's!

Other artifacts were gradually buried by later detritus, if not built structures, and have only been re-exposed in recent centuries. (Excavations started at the end of the 18th-century.) The archeological core from the Capitol to the Baths of Caracalla, including the Roman Forum, the Colosseum, the Arch of Constantine, and the Circus Maximus, was made a protected zone in the re-unified Italy of the 1870s. However, some destruction of the ancient artifacts took place in the 1920s, as Mussolini's government built broad new avenues through the "protected" areas.

The artifacts preserved in Rome are generally the civic structures of the ancient metropolis. Those preserved in the Pompeii area by the Vesuvian eruption of 79AD, are mostly of the residential structure variety, ranging from common dwellings to the Villa of Poppea, and show a quite different aspect of the Ancient Roman  culture from those that have been preserved and excavated in Rome.

Apart from the oldest parts of some churches (St. John in Lateran, Santa Maria Maggiore), there are very few artifacts remaining in Rome from the thousand years between the Gothic sack of Rome and the beginning of the Renaissance.

Friday, May 19^th, 2006

Rome to Florence

Werner's instructions to those of us at the alternate hotel are to meet at the station at 9 am, but when we leave the hotel and turn towards the station, we're surrounded by group members heading in that direction. Chris and I go to the station facilities on the south side of the station to buy a book I had seen the day before, and then walk through the pedestrian subway to the assigned platform for our train. However, that platform is torn up for reconstruction, so we must walk to the west (stub) end of the platform and find the rest of the group there. The alternate track for our train is not listed yet, and there are clearly many people awaiting that even to head for the platform. The train is coming from Naples, reversing here before continuing onward to Florence and Milan

 The route is the same as we had used coming south the previous week. On arrival in Florence, we walk over to the hotel in the next street over, and deposit our hand luggage in a safe storage room since our rooms are not yet ready. Chris and I eat lunch in a Chinese Restaurant on the corner of that street, returning to the hotel just after 1 pm and securing our room key. Our guided tour of the city is not until later in the afternoon, so there's time to relax (but not nap).

Florence

Historic Florence is located mainly on the north side of the River Arno, in a location protected by hills both to the north and south; the historic center is quite compact, lying within the area once circumscribed by the city walls and now delimited by the broad traffic-congested avenues that run where the walls used to be. In its present form, the historic center dates to the Renaissance era of the 15th-century, built under the leadership of the Medici family.

Florence is a city whose historic central area is not usable by road traffic (at least during the day), so the bus is only useful to take is close(r) to the first destination, and pick us up later to go to an overlook on the far side of the River Arno that gives a great overview of the city.  From where the bus drops us off, we walk to the city's Academy of Fine Arts, where we wait for Sandra, our excellent local guide, to get us tickets to go in to see Michelangelo's statue of David. From there, we walk south to the Duomo (cathedral), where we tour the (empty) interior and the south side and west from of the exterior, as well as the exterior of the Baptistry, particularly the gold doors on the east side, in the piazza outside the west front. Then we walk south, again, from the southwest corner of the pizza outside the Duomo to the next piazza southward, the one in front of the Town Hall. This is a medieval square, much of it rebuilt after war damage, that is interesting, but not as interesting as, say, Prague's Old Town Square.

In front of the Town Hall are many statues, including the copy of 'David' in its original location, and a lot more under a roof (but open to the north, to the square) on the south wall, west of the Town Hall. From there we walk south, through a colonnaded street all in shadow, and through some arches, to the north bank of the Arno, just east of the Ponte Vecchio, the old bridge with the buildings on it. Unfortunately, we're on the shady side of this, but it's good to see, anyway. We then walk east, along the north bank of the river, to where the bus arrives to collect us (summoned by Sandra's 'phone call); it takes us across the river on a modern bridge, and then up on a hill on the south side that provides a magnificent overlook of the old city, the river, and the hills to the south.

The statue of David, inside the museum, is very striking. The copy outside the town hall, with little to give it scale, is much less striking. In the Duomo, there is a clock that indicates time in hours (over a range of 24) since the last sunset. Here, finally, is the answer to what Pagliacco is singing about when he says his show will be at 'venti-tre ore' (23 hours)—it means an hour before sunset! Walking from the town hall to the ponte vecchio, and then to the bus, we encounter a full-scale invasion of the USC Trojans Marching Band! The walk from the bridge to where the bus is going to meet us is greater than the walk back to the hotel would have been, but then we would have missed the excellent overlook.

Back at the hotel, following the required bus trip around the outside of the former city walls, east, northeast, and north of the city, that is three times the distance straight across the old city, Chris and I patronize a local Pizzeria (much smaller than the one across the city that others had left the bus to go to) for light refreshment before bed.

Renaissance Art

Every time there is an option between a day out on the train and extra time in a city, we take the train option. This means we don't go around the art galleries and villas in Florence, so that we don't see as much great art as we might have; on the other hand, it also means that we don't overload on a surfeit of good, but not great, art.. As it is, we see the seminal masterpieces of Renaissance art, as well as the most important buildings in the cities we visit in Italy. In particular, as far as Renaissance art is concerned, we see Michelangelo's sculpture of David in Florence (and his Pieta in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican), Michelangelo's frescoes on the ceiling and end wall of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, and Leonardo da Vinci's painting (would that it had been a fresco) of the Last Supper on the end wall of the refectory of Santa Maria della Grazie in Milan.

Michelangelo's David was sculpted in 1504, when the artist was 29, and on exhibit in the open air outside the Palazzo Vecchio until 1873, when it was moved inside the Galleria dell' Accademia to protect it from any further environmental degradation. We find the statue of David, captured as he contemplates hurling the fatal stone at the brow of Goliath, much more impressive inside the gallery, where its scale (it's 17 ft. tall) can be appreciated, than we find the copy outside in the pizza in the original location, where it is somewhat dwarfed by its surroundings. Also located in the same gallery are some of the sculptures that Michelangelo did complete for his projected tomb for Pope Julius II. The Four Prisoners were sculpted between 1521 and 1523.

Michelangelo's Pietà, now enclosed by glass in its side chapel in St. Peter's, a sculpture of Jesus' dead body laid across his mother's lap, was created in 1499, when the sculptor was only 25. It is one of the most expressive sculptures I've ever seen.

The frescoes on the ceiling and the west end wall of the Sistine Chapel were by no means an unknown quantity to us—we have books covering them in exquisite detail both in their former state in which everything seemed to be a shade of brown, and in their more recent restored state. Nonetheless, being in the same space as these frescoes, observing them directly, albeit at the greater remove of 20 meters than in the enlarged segments in the art books, is quite breathtaking. Indeed, there is so much to see that the allotted time interval for this crowd of people is barely enough for even a first pass at looking at everything—there's little or no time to pay attention to the wall frescoes that are not by Michelangelo.

The ceiling frescoes on the 500 square meter ceiling were created at the behest of Pope Julius II, between 1508 and 1512. The main panels chart the biblical stories of Genesis (Creation, Expulsion from Eden, Noah), and are surrounded by panels covering other subjects from both the Old and New Testaments, as well as the Classical Sibyls. The ceiling was restored in the 1980s. The west wall contains as huge fresco of The Last Judgment, created by Michelangelo at the behest of Pope Paul II between 1536 and 1541, and restored in 1993.

Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper is painted on the end wall of the Refectory (dining room) of the monastery of Santa Maria della Grazie, to the southwest of the walled city of Milan. Unfortunately for posterity, this is a wall painting, not a fresco, and with its location in a room often filled with dining friars, as well as on a wall that suffered from dampness, its has deteriorated considerably over the centuries. Depicting the moment when Jesus says "one of you will betray me", and showing the reactions of the Apostles to this astonishing statement, the painting was executed in 1495-97, in tempera applied directly to the dry wall. To the extent possible for such a state of decay, the painting was most recently restored between 1993 and 1997.

Again, even though the work itself is already very familiar from reproductions, the impact of seeing the painting itself, full size, with structural setting, nonetheless has a strong impact. In fact, with the loss of detail due to the advanced state of decay, the painting, at least to me, has a much greater impact from far enough back in the space to be able to encompass its full width and the relationship of its structural perspective to that of its setting, than it does from the closest distance to which a spectator is allowed to approach, in 2006.

Saturday, May 20^th, 2006

Florence to Lucca, Aulla, Pisa, and return

Some tour members are staying in Florence today for an in-depth tour of the Uffizi and the Villa Medici with Sandra. Others are taking the train only as far as Lucca, where they will spend the day, while a third set will ride with Werner the length of a mountain valley from Lucca to Aulla and return. Some of the latter group will return directly to Florence, while others will return via Pisa. Everyone except the five people staying in Florence takes the same morning Regional Train from Florence to Lucca. On the way to the station, Chris and I stop to buy coffee.

From Florence to Prato, the route is the same as covered between Florence and Bologna.

Prato to Lucca

From Prato, after the Bologna line turns away north-northeast, the double-track line to Lucca continues northwest across flat plains in a broad valley between mountains to the north and south, with speed limit 150 km/h, past Prato Porta al Serraglio (island platform), a small yard on the southwest side, and Montale Agliana, turning west past a goods shed on the north side, and extra track to the south, east of the station, to Pistoia (2 islands plus side platform and station to the north), with a locomotive depot west of the station, at the west end of which, the older line to Bologna turns away north while the now single-track Lucca line heads west-southwest, past Serravàlle Pistoiese (station to north, north and center low-level platforms) and a tunnel, southwest and then west, in the ever broadening valley, past Montecatini Terme-Monsummano (island plus side/station to north), Montecatini Succursale (station and platform to the north, with a grade crossing within the platform), Borgo a Buggiano (low-level platforms) and Pescia (island plus side/station to north; station being rebuilt in 2006), south through a deep cutting and then over a through-girder bridge over a stream, past Montecarlo-San Salvatore, southwest to Altopascio (station and platform on south side, goods siding to north), northwest to Porcari (single platform on northeast side), and west past Tassignano-Capannori (island plus side platform and station to north, goods shed to northeast) to Lucca, where the non-electrified line from Aulla trails in on the north side at the east end of the station, there are two island platforms with a side platforms and station buildings to the north, and bay platforms on the north side at each end of the station..

At Pistoia, our train passes a steam excursion train, headed by restored steam 2-6-0 (or, to the locals, 1-3-0) 625.100, built by CM Saronno in 1914, with beautifully restored and painted vintage carriages. Because we pass this train on an adjacent track, it is hard to photograph.

Lucca to Aulla

The single-track non-electrified line to Aulla turns away from the line to Florence at the east end of Lucca station and heads north-northeast, past San Pietro a Vico (station and platform on east side), north past Ponte a Mariano (2 low-level platforms, station to west, goods station to southwest), north-northwest, entering a narrow valley extending northward out of the main east-west valley, with not much room for anything beyond road, railway and river, past Piaggione, and then broadening out a bit, with a large rail-served plant on the east side, and a concrete through-girder bridge over the river. The line turns northeast past Diecimo-Pescaglia (2 low-level platforms, station to west, goods shed to west), with the line on the west side of the valley, a tunnel, and Borgo a Mozzano (station and platform to west, goods shed to northwest), north, with an old stone arch bridge crossing both river and railway past Bagni di Lucca (goods shed to southeast, station and platform to east), a tunnel, with the line now on the east side of the valley, and Calavorno (station to west), northwest, with the line now in the middle of the valley, past Ghivizzano-Coreglia (station to east, east and center low-level platforms), a through-girder bridge across the river, Piano di Coreglia-Ponte all'Ania, a viaduct across the river, and Fornaci di Barga (station to east, east and center low-level platforms).

The line continues north past Barga-Gallicano (goods shed to southeast, station to east, east and center low-level platforms), a 2-span bowstring through-girder bridge across the river, Castelvecchio Pascoli (station and platform to west), and two more viaducts across the river, with the valley narrowing to just railway, river, and road on the west (far) side of the river, a tunnel, after which the valley broadens out again to Fosciandora-Ceserana, west past two tunnels, a viaduct over the river and another tunnel to Castelnuovo di Garfagnana (goods shed to southeast, station to east, east and center low-level platforms), and northwest across two more viaducts over the river, the second with an old stone arch bridge below it, to Pontecosi, a viaduct above the town, and two tunnels, Villetta-San Romano (station to northeast, northeast and center low-level platforms), a viaduct over the river far below, and another tunnel, Poggio-Crregine-Vasli (station to southwest, southwest and center low-level platforms) directly at the tunnel exit, a short tunnel exiting onto a viaduct above the river far below, three more tunnels, Camporgiano (station to southwest, southwest and center low-level platforms), three tunnels, a viaduct, four more tunnels, and a viaduct across an east side valley directly at the end of the tunnel, to Piazza al Serchio (station to northeast, northeast and center low-level platforms).

The line then heads west, through a lengthy tunnel between the heads of valleys, onto a viaduct directly at the tunnel exit, to Minnuciano-Pieve-Casola (station to southwest, southwest and center low-level platforms), southwest through another tunnel that starts right at the end of the station, almost immediately to Equi Termi (station to southeast, southeast and center low-level platforms), a viaduct across the river, two more tunnels and two more viaducts, and Monzone-Montedei Bianchi-Isolano (goods shed to northeast, station to north, water tank to northwest). The line continues north past a tunnel, a bridge over the river, a viaduct over both river and valley, a viaduct over the river, Gragnola (station to west, west and center low-level platforms), and a viaduct over the river, and west through a tunnel and past Fivizzano-Gassano (station to north), two viaducts across the river, Fivizzano-Rometta-Soliera (goods shed to northeast, station to north, north and center low-level platforms), a viaduct across the river, Gerricciolo, a viaduct across the river, Pallerone, a through-girder bridge across the river directly into a tunnel, and a viaduct over the river, turning north into the old station at Aulla, where a de-electrified and disused line trails in on the west side, south of the station, and continues, north of the station, which has the station and a side platform on the west side and an island platform on the east side; the only active track is the one on the east side of the island platform.

It seems that all of the goods sheds that we see at country stations like those on this line are closed, and the stations are only open for passenger service.

Based on perusal of my system timetable, I had concluded that it should be possible to get from Aulla to Pisa via an alternate route, taking one train (that originates in Parma) down to the coast, and then another along the coast. However, the line from Parma to the coast turned out to be one place where a new high-speed line has actually been constructed, passing through Aulla at a different station (and crossing over the Lucca line while it is in that last tunnel before Aulla), which Werner discovers and points out to us, too late to be able to make the connection. So, we return the same way we had come, with the rest of the group.

Lucca to Pisa

From Lucca, the double-track line heads west to Montuolo, on the flat neo-coastal plain of agricultural fields, west of which it splits, with the more northerly single track continuing west and then northwest to Viareggio, on the coast, while the more southerly single track turns southwest, with hillsides just to the east of the line, to Ripafratta (station to east), and then south, past Rigoli and San Giuliano Terme (2 side platforms, station to east), with an imposing headland on the east side of the line just south of the latter, before turning southwest to the wye with a line coming south from Viareggio at Pisa San Rossore, where there are station platforms on both sides of both the east and west legs of the wye with the station buildings in the vee between them. The line south of the apex of the wye continues across the river Arno to another wye at the west end of Pisa Centrale.

It transpires that the return DMU from Aulla continues on to Pisa, so some of us (Chris and me, the Douglasses, Don Jones and Judy Decker) continue in that direction. Along the way, a fellow-passenger tells us that the Duomo (where the leaning Tower is located) is much closer to the Pisa San Rossore station than to the downtown Pisa Centrale, so we disembark at the former, just as the return steam excursion with 2-6-0 625.100 enters from the opposite direction, allowing us to get photographs of that train arriving and departing. We then walk the half mile or so over to the Duomo, and observe the buildings there, including the famous tower. It's too late to go inside the cathedral, so we don't. At this point, the others decide to try to find some other historic buildings, while Chris and I walk directly south to the town center, crossing the river, and continuing onward to the Central station, a distance of well over a mile. We arrive in plenty of time for my expected onward train to Pisa.

Pisa to Florence

At the west end of Pisa Centrale, which has four island platforms with umbrella sheds, and a side platform with the imposing station buildings on the north side, serving nine through tracks, there is a wye with the line coming south from Viareggio and the line coming north from Livorno, with a branch from Pisa Aeroporto trailing in on the south side just west of Centrale station. On the east end of the station, a line departs to the south to join the Livorno line, and a non-electrified line heads south-southeast to Vada, while the double-track line to Florence heads east-southeast, past a Maintenace of Way depot on the south side, Navacchio (island plus 2 side platforms), San Frediano a Settimo (2 side platforms), Cascina (2 side platforms), Pontedera-Cascina Terme (2 islands plus north side/station, extra track to the south), a through-truss bridge over a stream in an area of open fields, and La Rotta (2 side platforms), turning east-northeast across a through-girder bridge over a stream  to San Romano-Montopoli-San Croce (2 side platforms), and east, with hills now visible both north and south of the plain, past San Miniato-Fucecchio (2 side platforms), and Empoli (2 islands plus north side platform/station), where a non-electrified line trails in on the south side, west of the station, and there is a goods yard on the south side, east of the station.

The line continues, with speed limit 140/150/160 km/h., across a through-girder bridge over a river, past a new station under construction in 2006, and a junction with a new stretch of line under construction in 2006 that continues eastward, northeast past Montelluro-Capraia (2 side platforms), north on a deck girder bridge over the Arno, east, along the north bank of the river with a much lower speed limit (80/85/90 km/h.), and northeast to Carmignano (2 side platforms), southeast across a through-girder bridge over a stream, with the speed limit rising to 95/100/105 km/h., to Signa (island plus station/platform on north side, extra track on south side), and east across a through-girder bridge over a stream, after which the line under construction in 2006 crosses the river from the south side, and crosses overhead, descending on the north side of the existing line to join with a flying junction.

There is a station at San Donnino-Badia (2 side platforms), and the line continues east past La Piagge (2 side platforms), where the speed limit is 90/95/100 km/h., to Florence Cascine (3 low-level platforms, station to south), where a freight-only line to Florence Porto al Prato turns away southeast and the main line turns northeast to a large wye on the west side of the line north out of Florence, with the south leg turning east to trail into the main line on the west side, north of Florence Rifredi, whence the route to Florence San Maria Novella is the same as when arriving from Bologna.

Back in Florence, we walk down into the central pedestrianized area and have dinner at a trattoria in the square outside the Duomo and the Baptistry, then walking back to the hotel and preparing for the following day.

Sunday, May 21^st, 2006

Florence to Milan

Once again, we all walk over to the station, some of us stopping to buy coffee on the way.

 Again, we have to wait for the track number to be posted, since this train has come from Naples and Rome this morning. Again, our reserved seats are not completely contiguous, but we have less difficulty than usual getting everyone seated this morning.

Bologna to Milan

Florence to Bologna is the same route taken on the southbound journey, a week earlier. From Bologna, the line towards Milan heads directly west-northwest at the west end of the station, where the line to Padua and Venice turns away to the north, with the locomotive and carriage depots in the 'vee' of the separating lines. West of these, with two pairs of tracks heading west and a third set being built on the north side of the line, a freight line curving around the west side of the city passes beneath the main line, west of which the double track traditional line south across the Apennines to Pistoia turns away southwest and then south, and the double track line north to Verona (the north pair of extant tracks) turns away north-northwest, past the yard at Bologna Panigale Scala, with a connection between the lines to the north and south passing beneath the Milan line west of the junctions. As the line, which here comprises two tracks, gets west of these facilities, construction for the abuilding (in 2006) double track high-speed line parallel to (and on the north side of) the existing line is quite evident, both in the Bologna area and for many miles to the west.

A freight-only line trails in on the north side, just east of the station at Lavino (island platform plus two side platforms), after which the line heads northwest for awhile, with the new construction alongside to the north, past Anzola dell'Emilia (two side platforms), a bridge over a river, Samoggia (2 side platforms), a flying junction with connectors between the old and abuilding lines, after which the new line moves away to the north, and Castelfranco Emilia (2 island platforms on this otherwise double track line), along the southern edge of the Po Valley, with speed limits 120/125/130 km/hr. along the traditional line, past a flying junction with a connector from the high-speed line trailing in from the east (i.e. on the north side) into Modena, which has four island platforms plus the station and a side platform on the south side, with yards on the north side.

West of the latter, a non-electrified line heads north to Verona, and the main line turns southwest through an industrial area before resuming a west-northwesterly course along the southern edge of the Po Valley. There is an intermediate station with two island platforms at Rubiera, after which the speed limit becomes 140/160/180 km/hr, there is a very long bridge over a river, and the speed limit drops to 130/135/140 km/hr. There is a freight yard on the north side, and a non-electrified line trails in from the south at the east end of Reggio Emilia (2 islands plus south side platform/station), where the line turns north-northwest, non-electrified lines head north and west, and the main line turns west-northwest again.

The line passes Villa Cadè (2 side platforms) and San Ilario d'Enza (2 island platforms, station to the south), and a concrete bridge over a river, where the speed limit (after being higher again) falls to 140/150/160 km/hr. A non-electrified line trails in from the east on the east side of Parma (2 island platforms, station to the south), the line south to Aulla turns away southwest on the west side of Parma, where there is a yard on the north side, and the main line continues west-northwest, across a concrete bridge over a broad river, past Castelguelfo (2 island platforms plus a couple of side tracks on the north side). Another connection from the Aulla line trails in from the southeast on the east side of Fidenza (2 island plus south side; yard tracks to north), west of which a line heads north to Cremona and a branch heads away southwest, with a roundhouse on the north side of the northbound line. The main line edges northwest, past Alseno (2 side platforms), Fiorenzuola (2 island platforms), Cadeo (2 side platforms), and Pontenure (2 side platforms), and across a bridge over a river where the speed limit is 80/85/90 km/hr, to Piacenza, where a non-electrified line trails in on the east side, there are carriage sidings to the north, and the station has 3 island platforms plus a side platform and station buildings to the southwest. There is a turntable on the southwest side, west of the station.

West of Piacenza, a line heads due west, while the line to Milan turns away north, across a through truss bridge crossing the Po River and its wide flood plain, and passes beneath a large, but low, viaduct, with flying connections between the lines, that will carry the high-speed line above this part of the valley. After the line passes through San Stefano Lodigiano (2 side platforms), a line from Cremona trails in on the east side at Codogno (2 islands plus northeast side platform and station buildings), where the main line turns northwest to Casalpusterlengo, after which a non-electrified line heads away west, Secugnano (2 islands), Lodi (island plus 2 sides, station to northeast), Tavazzano (2 side platforms), flying junctions and a double track line under construction that passes below, with much construction on the northeast side of the line northwest from that area, San Zenone al Lambro, Melegnano, San Giuliano Melanese, Borgo Lombardo and a freight-only station at Metanopoli, to a junction with the line coming north from Genoa at Milan Rogeredo, which has two side platforms.

Milan

The center of Milan is almost surrounded by main line tracks, except on the west side, and has four suburban-line terminal stations and one long-distance terminal station located on the fringes of the city center, with a main-line tunnel built in the 1990s passing beneath the north-side of the center, where the financial district is located. Lines, mostly on viaduct, along the east side and the north side of the center city connect the lines heading inward to three of those suburban-line terminals and the long-distance terminal, while a line across the south side connects with the line out of (but not into) the remaining suburban-line station (Porto Genova).

The lines from Bologna and Genoa, now joined into an eight-track wide formation, come in from the south on the east side of the city, passing a large wye on their west side connecting with that line across the south side, and then a line curving away west to the Porta Vittoria suburban-line terminal station. Double track suburban lines coming in from the west pass beneath the main line viaduct, heading both for Porta Vittoria and the line passing beneath the city, and the main lines following the same route in from the west (from Brescia and Verona) trail in on the east side of the lines heading north along the east side of the city, followed by tracks from a freight terminal on that side of the line. The main lines turn north-northwest, with carriage sidings on that side of the line, past Milan Lambrate station (6 island platforms), and then split three ways, with one set of tracks heading south-southwest, past carriage sheds in the vee of the junction, into Milan Centrale long-distance terminal station, one continuing west-northwest on viaduct passing above other tracks heading into and out of that station, and one set turning away north to join the tracks heading north-northeast out of that station, through Monza where they split in various directions including Como and the north, Lecco, and Bergamo.

Tracks curving west from the lines out of Milan Centrale cross over the double track line coming north-northeast from Porta Garibaldi, and trail into the north side of the line crossing the viaduct above them (described above), and join with tracks trailing in on their north side from the Monza line, to head west-northwest and then west as a four track formation, passing above suburban lines to and from the Milan Nord suburban-line terminal and the west side of the tunnel under the city, and connecting with a wye on the south side to/from the Porta Garibaldi suburban-line terminal station (which also has connections north-northeast that join the Monza and east-side lines already described). West of this wye, the lines head west-northwest, past Milan Certosa (2 islands, 2 side platforms), with goods sidings on the south side of the line, followed by container loading facilities on that side and then carriage sidings with Eurostar Italia trains in them, with the formation at least six tracks wide and flyover facilities permitting some groups of tracks to cross over others, followed by "Cargo" facilities along the south side of the tracks, curving west-southwest past Rho (island and 2 side platforms), with more carriage sidings on the south side of the line, and then split into lines heading west to Novara and Turin, and northwest to Gallarate and Brig.

Milan Centrale station is oriented to the north-northeast, with a massive concrete station building in the early fascist monumental style arrayed across its southern end. Inside the terminal buildings, there are several sets of stairs and/or escalators gradually raising the operating level from the level of the plaza outside to the south up to the level of the concourse at the end of the stub-end platforms, at least three storeys up. The area at plaza level has all of the ticket windows in it. There is an area for buses and taxis at each end of the terminal building, with direct entrances to stairs and/or escalators leading to the concourse level at each end. The concourse is split into two parts, one separated from the ends of the tracks that has concessions for coffee, pastries, cigarettes, and newspapers and the like within it, and one across the ends of the tracks themselves. There are 22 tracks in the station, each served by a passenger platform on one side (two tracks to a platform) and a service platform at a lower-level on the other side of it (also two tracks to a platform. These tracks are covered by an overall glazed roof comprising three large barrel vaults in the center and two smaller barrel vaults on the outer edges,. Tracks 1 to 3 are in the smallest western vault, 4 to 9 in the larger western vault, 10 to 15 in the center vault, 16 to 21 in the larger eastern vault, and track 22 (only) in the smaller eastern vault.

The tracks on the outer edges (not all of the tracks in the outer vaults, though, being only tracks 1 and 2 on the west, with 3 somewhat longer, and the last one or two on the east) are shorter than those in the main station, beginning perhaps halfway out the main platforms, suggesting they were added after the buildings along the sides had been completed. There are carriage sidings on both sides of the collected tracks in the station throat, and signal boxes on stilts elevated above groups of tracks in the throat. Even through the tracks in the throat of the station nominally permit trains from any platform to reach any track, and vice versa, trains heading to and from the Genoa lines generally use the tracks on the far eastern side of the station, while trains to and from the lines to the Simplon and Gotthard Tunnel routes into Switzerland tend to use the tracks on the far west side of the station. The external frontal appearance of the station is pure nationalistic bombast, facing down the broad boulevard leading to the Reppublica square some distance away to the south-southwest, which has not been much moderated by the construction within the plaza of the various entrances to the Milan Metro (subway) stations now located beneath the road surfaces in the plaza area.

On arriving in Milan, the group walks over to the hotel, only some five blocks away, and in spite of the early hour for arrival, we get into our rooms immediately. Then we have time available for lunch before our mid-afternoon guided tour of Milan, but that presents a difficulty—this is Sunday, and there are no restaurants available anywhere in the vicinity, since this is the financial district. Most of us swallow hard, hold our noses, and eat an acceptable but ridiculously expensive lunch in the hotel restaurant. A few people walk back over to the station and find a place to buy a sandwich. Some participants opine that being stuck somewhere with no alternative to the hotel for lunch two Sundays in a row constitutes really poor tour planning. 

Milan

Milan is Italy's third largest city, and its financial capital. From 1706 until 1859, except in the Napoleonic years, Lombardy, of which Milan is the largest city, was part of Habsburg Austria, and prior to that, part of Habsburg Spain from 1540 to 1706, leaving the city with a long period of non-Italian history. However, back in the 15th and early 16th-centuries, Milan was the domain of the Sforza dukes and the d'Este family, at which time it was a full participant in the Italian Renaissance.

In mid afternoon, our local guide arrives, and the bus has also arrived with the luggage, so after the luggage is all unloaded, it's time for the city tour of Milan. This turns out to be entirely by bus, with small amounts of walking, the comment in the itinerary about 'an introduction to Milan's tramways' notwithstanding. (Werner comments that he never gets to see the text of the itinerary before it would be too late to correct any problems he might find in there.)

The tour starts out by heading east, to the front of Centrale station, and then south, down the main boulevard in front of the station, through Piazza del la Reppublica, continuing until the street starts to turn southwest and then west-southwest, where the bus pulls over, southeast of the Milan Duomo and we disembark, walking past a tram terminus and then along the south side of the cathedral to the square in front of it. What is immediately striking in this square is not the west face of the cathedral, for that is completely obscured by scaffolding, but the south face of the Galleria Vittorio Emmanuel II, a large neo-gothic edifice with arcades that cross in in the center of the building that was the prototype for many shopping arcades all over Europe (including those in Leeds)  We go into the Duomo (which requires a perfunctory bag search) for a permitted ten minute visit (a nuance that escapes Ellen, who thinks it gives her time to go down into the crypt), during which Chris and I manage not only to soak up the environment, but also to purchase a book on it (in English), and then return to the bus to continue the tour. Werner has to go back after Ellen!

We then head across the south side of the center of Milan, along the line of the old walls and their moats, and turn out just beyond the line of the old walls to the small former monastery at which Leonardo da Vinci painted the magnificent painting The Last Supper on the end wall of the refectory (the erstwhile monks' dining room). Due to limitations on the number of people who may enter the air-controlled refectory at any one time, we must go in as two groups, one hour apart. While waiting, there is the monastery church and its cloisters, architected by Bramante, to see, as well as the neighborhood of 19th-century streets and apartment buildings in the vicinity. Chris and I are in the first group of people, in through the airlock at the entrance, the limited number of visitors almost lost in the empty refectory, and then ushered out by a series of announcements that our time is almost up, up, and then that we're late (or someone is late) leaving. The way out passes through the gift shop and bookstore (naturally), after which we have over an hour to wait before the bus will leave. What there is not in this area is a cafe serving refreshments to the visitors. (But then, it's Sunday, so it would have been closed if there had been one.)

After a long look at the church and cloister, Chris and I find the bus and sit in it until it's time to leave. In the bus, we pass some of the sights of the center of Milan, including Cadorno Square, the front of Porto Garibaldi Station, the castle's main gate, the city walls in that area, palaces from the 1700s, various other (largely empty) downtown streets, the cathedral square, the north side of the Galleria, La Scala Opera House and the plaza opposite it, a city gate from the 1100s, the public gardens, and then Piazza de la Reppublica again and back to the hotel.

I find the sight of the Last Supper, in its context in the refectory, magnificent, its unfortunate faded condition notwithstanding. Bramante's architecture in the associated church pales by comparison. The west face of the Duomo is unfortunately hidden behind the scaffolding, and is impossible to appreciate. We find it helpful to see the physical relationship of the piazza outside the Duomo, the Galleria, and La Scala, since Chris and I will be returning to the latter for an opera performance this evening. (We purchased tickets from the La Scala website back in February!)

In early evening, Chris and I leave the hotel, walk over to the station and take the Metro Line 3 down to the Duomo station, whence we walk through the Galleria to the pizza in front of the opera house. Nearby, we find a place on the side of the Galleria for a light dinner before going into the opera house. Inside, we find that the seats the website sold me are, to my surprise, in the same box as one another, but that, in common with all other box seats beyond the first two, they have a restricted view of the stage. two other people in the same box have seats with no view of the stage whatsoever. However, the house has a system by which patrons may exchange their seats for better ones after nine o'clock, and since it is after that time by the beginning of the first intermission, one of the two people holding the front seats in our box kindly shows us to the place where this is done, and makes the request for us. We thus get two seats on the right side of Row H of the Orchestra, right down in front of our former first-level box, for the remaining three acts.

Teatro della Scala was named after the church of Santa Maria della Scala, on whose site it was built in 1776-78. It was bombed out in 1943, and re-opened in 1946. The theater was fully rebuilt from 2002-2004. It has an overall seating capacity of 2,015, divided between the orchestra floor, four tiers of boxes, and two upper galleries. Many of the boxes provide only restricted sight lines for occupants beyond the first two.

In the 2002-2004 rebuild, all of the 'technical' portions of the theater, behind the proscenium, that had accreted over the two centuries of the theater's existence, were completely demolished and replaced by a coherent set of facilities meeting twenty-first century technical and safety standards, as well as providing advanced theatrical capabilities for future productions. The auditorium and all the facilities in front of the proscenium have been restored to their original magnificence, consistent with the use of materials meeting modern safety standards. The backstage area now has a fly tower (surrounding the stage volume) that is 56 meters high, of which 18 meters are below ground level. In conjunction with the space on the (audience) left side of the stage, the entire stage volume is replicated four times: in place, above, behind, and to the side, to facilitate the preparation of stage settings and their exchange with those already in place on the stage, with a comparable space below stage to provide for separately movable portions of the stage itself.

The performance of Massenet's Manon, the opera that just happened to be on that night, last night of the regular season, is excellent, even though we've heard of none of the singers before, and the acoustics magnificent. By some trick of the acoustics, even though we're sitting way off to the side of the auditorium, the orchestral sound is arrayed across the front of the stage space, not across the orchestra pit. In fact, the conductor, Ion Marin, is visibly far off to the left of the space occupied by the orchestral sound!.

The performance ends about 11:30 pm, and we're back at the hotel some time after midnight, with another early morning departure coming up. But it was worth it just to have been to the opera at La Scala!

Great Cathedrals

The three "cathedrals" whose interiors were included in our walking tours are as interesting in their diversity of both architecture and state of preservation as they are in the elements which are similar in all three cases.

The Duomo (cathedral), Santa Maria del Fiore, in Florence, a relatively austere building (at least on the inside, where many of its surfaces are a flat smooth white) dating from the end of the 13th-century, was completed, structurally, by the Brunelleschi dome, finished in 1453, the largest to be built up to that time without scaffolding. The campanile, 20 ft. shorter than the dome, at 276 ft. tall, was designed by Giotto in 1334, and finished in 1359. The neo-Gothic facade was only added in 1871-87. Inside, the marble floor with the inlaid design dates from the 16th-centiry, the marble sanctuary and the high altar date from 1555, and paintings and stained glass date from the 15th-century. The frescoes inside the dome, depicting The Last Judgment, date from 1572-74. The clock above the entrance on the west wall was designed in 1443 by Paolo Ucello, with the 24th hour being the last before sunset.

The much more richly ornamented Baptistry, outside the west front, has ceiling mosaics depicting The Last Judgment, from the 13th-century, and gold doors, including those on the east side depicting "The Gate of Paradise", dating from 1401. (The originals of the doors are in the cathedral museum, with copies on the Baptistry.)

By contrast, the early baroque St. Peter's Basilica (it isn't actually a cathedral), in Rome, built between 1506 and 1626, is a riot of Baroque decoration on every conceivable interior surface. The largest basilica-style church in the world, St. Peter's is 610 ft. long, 449 ft. wide across the transepts, and 448 ft. high to the top of the dome. The latter, along with the portion of the church supporting it and the sections surrounding it, was designed by Michelangelo within the framework originally designed by Bramante. The three segments of nave and aisles in front of the dome area, transforming the church from a Greek cross to  Latin cross in form, along with the facade, were designed by Carlo Maderno in 1614. The facade was renovated in 1999. The side aisles are separated from the nave by massive piers, each decorated with two Corinthian pilasters, supporting great arches.

The interior decorative and structural design is by Bernini, including the canopy and sculpted columns above the high altar (1624), located at the intersection of the nave and transepts below the magnificent dome, just forward of the entrance to St. Peter's subterranean tomb, and the monument to Pope Alexander VII (1678), as well as the piazza fronting the church (1656-67). The many niches are filled with statues of the founders of various religious orders within the church. The aisles and the barrel-vaulted ceilings are all sumptuously decorated by Bernini. There are nine monuments to various popes within the church, along with several other funerary monuments. There are six side chapels on the sides of the forward extension of the nave and aisles. Unusually, there are almost no paintings of note within the church, not even as altarpieces. (What appear to be paintings have either been executed as mosaics, or are mosaic copies of paintings now in the Vatican Museum.)

The main facade has five entrances, the one on the extreme right being sealed from the inside and only opened in "Holy Years" (the Roman Catholic version of a Jubilee). The central bronze doors in the facade, dating from between 1439 and 1444, were transferred from the old basilica (while the other four doors in the facade are 20th-century creations).

The Gothic cathedral (Duomo) in Milan—515 ft. long and 301 ft. wide at its widest point—is one of the largest Gothic churches in the world. It was begun in the 14th-century (ca. 1386), and completed more than 500 years later (ca.1935). The main building was effectively complete by 1630. The roof has 135 spires and countless statues and gargoyles. The interior is divided into a nave and four aisles by 52 substantial pillars, with many remarkable stained glass windows providing the illumination. The many-styled facade is provided with bronze doors illustrated in bas relief

The great spire—340 ft. high to the top of the statue—was built between 1765 and 1774. Much of the exterior ornamentation was built after the completion of the main structure, especially in the 19th-century, by the end of which the Duomo found itself only an element in Milan's central Piazza (1865-74), rather than the dominant structure of the city. War damage in August 1943 was quickly repaired; the illustrated stained glass windows had been saved by removing them beforehand. Restoration of the great spire, drum, and many of the lesser spires took place in the last quarter of the 20th-century, while restoration of the facade was ongoing in May, 2006.

The crossing of the nave and the transepts is dominated by the two large sculptured pulpits above the feast-day altar, built at the end of the 16th-century at the behest of Archbishop Carlos Borromeo, who also reorganized the liturgical area of the church from this point back into the choir inside the apse, at that time. This area was again reorganized in the 1980s.

Monday, May 22^nd, 2006

Milan to Genoa and return

The aim for today is to ride a narrow-gauge electric tramway out of a station in Genoa back into the coastal mountains, and return. To do this, we must take the InterCity train from Milan to Genoa and later return. As with all (?) InterCity trains, this one runs out of Milan(o) Central(e)

Milan to Genoa

The line from Milan Centrale to Genoa starts out the same as the line in from Bologna as far as Rogeredo, and then head south-southwest on a double track line with left hand running. New construction will result in a line trailing in on the east side. The line passes Locate Triulzi, Villamaggiore, and Certosa di Pavia, each with two side platforms.  Rice paddies are flooded alongside the line in the middle of the Po valley, with irrigation canals crossed by a through girder bridge. On the north side of Pavia, the Pavia Scalo freight yard on the east side is followed by a non-electrified line trailing in from the east, with former locomotive workshops and then carriage sidings on the west side and and a freight house on the east side, just before Pavia station (2 island plus side/station to east). The line turns southwest through that station, and then a non-electrified line continues southwest as the line to Genoa turns away south-southwest, with a signal box adjacent to the junction, across a through girder bridge over the Po, past a cement plant on the east side, another through girder bridge over an arm of the Po, and  Cava Manara (low-level platforms, station to the east) to Bressana-Bottarone (2 side platforms, station to the southeast), where it turns southwest again as a line turns away towards the east, south of the station. The Genoa line continues past Lungavilla, and then turns west-southwest at Voghera (3 island platforms), where a line trails in from the east-northeast just east of the station and there are carriage sidings to the north.

The line turns southwest again at Tontecurone (2 side platforms, station to east), passing a goods yard on the east side and then on the west side to reach Tortona (2 islands plus side/station to east), at the south end of which a line turns away west whilst the Genoa line turns south, passing Carbonara Scrivia, Villavernia, and Cassano Soinola (each of which has two side platforms and station buildings to the east side), and then passing through a tunnel to Stazzano-Serravalle (2 side platforms, station to the west).  The line is now entering a mountain valley, with a viaduct over a river. Another line approaches on the west side, with a junction adjacent to east-side goods sidings on the north side of Arquara Scrivia (2 island plus east side platform/station), and then separates again with a burrowing junction and edges away below and on the east side, south of that station. The main line passes through a tunnel to Ronco Scrivia, where that other line, having passed through a narrow twisting valley, complete with avalanche shelters, appears again on the east side, across the river, joins to pass through the Ronco Scrivia station (2 island platforms, station to east), and then edges away again. The main line passes through the twisting 8,291 meter long Tunnel Succursale, across a viaduct over a curve in the valley, and then through a shorter tunnel to Mignanego, and then curves back and forth on a ledge on the mountainside west of a valley below, across viaducts and through eight more tunnels (grouped as three, two, one, and two between viaducts) into the Genoa urban area.

At a junction, a line continues directly south, while the main/passenger line curves southeast onto a viaduct crossing over several other rail lines below through the Genoa Rivarolo area, and then passes through another tunnel  to emerge at a junction with the line from Ventimiglia, on the south side, as it curves east-southeast through another tunnel into Genoa Piazza Principe station. This station has five island platforms and one on the south side serving eleven through tracks that pass through a tunnel under the city at the east end of the station, and five stub-end platforms serving nine stub-end tracks facing west. The station buildings are on the south side of the tracks, on te north side of the eponymous square where there is a bus station.

Arriving in Genoa, we say goodbye to the Carters, who are, in effect, leaving the tour here, since they're not going on the Casella train ride, not taking the same train back to Milan, and not going to the farewell dinner tonight due to their early-morning departure on Tuesday. The rest of us head out into the piazza, where there is a large statue of native-son Christopher Columbus, and board a bus on line 34 to take us east through the center of town to the meter gauge Casella line's station, which proves to be on an arch over the street, up a long flight of stairs. Here, our 1929-vintage car and 1924-vintage electric locomotive await us for our trip up and into the coastal mountains. Chris and I end up sitting with Werner and Ruth on this car.

Genoa to Casella

The Casella line's terminal station in Genoa (at "Piazza Manin") has four tracks served by an "island" and two side platforms, all stub end, with the station buildings south of the stub end of the tracks, on the arch over the street below. The line's climb begins right at the country end of the platforms, with the line heading north-northwest along a ledge on the east slope of a mountain, with residential areas of urban Genoa below on the east side. After passing through a tunnel to San Panteleo, the line turns generally north-northeast at San Antonino, curving along the east and then south faces of the mountainside, heading east, north, northeast past Cappuccio, east, north, east, north past Poggino to Trensasco, on the north side of the mountain crest, northeast to Campi, now along the north slope of the mountains, north-northeast to Pino, northeast to Torrazza, and east-northeast through tunnels and past Sardorella, with wooded hills on all sides except where there is a town or village.

The line now heads generally north, but with many twists and turns back and forth, turning west, north, northeast past Vigomorasso, northwest past San Olcese-Chiesa, climbing steeply and curving clockwise to the east-southeast and then counter-clockwise to the west-northwest past San Olcese-Tullo, from which it is possible to look back and down on the facilities at San Olcese-Chiesa, and then clockwise to the east, then northeast past Busalletta and on viaduct alongside the road below to the northwest, to Molinetti, and north past Miusci to Crocetta, curving east through another tunnel into the stub-end at Casella Deposito, where there are sidings and a car shed on the south side of the line and a station building to the north, and reversing  northwest and then north-northeast, bridging across a river in Casella Deposito, to the terminus at Casella, where the platform and station building are on the west side of the line at the south edge of the village..

The train has carried a box van up the line, dropping it off in the yard at the line's base at Casella Deposito, the last stop before Casella, where the train also reverses. Werner is expecting only a 20-minute stop at Casella, the end of the line, but in fact we're here nearer to 90-minutes before the vintage train reappears for our trip back across and down the mountain. Many of us make sure we have seats on the other side of the car for the return journey. While we're waiting for the return train, I observe once again that Norm Severin has an advantage over the rest of us in communicating with Werner, since Norm speaks German fluently from his residence in the country from age 3 to age 15, during and after WWII.

Back in Genoa, we hurry down the stairs to catch the line 34 bus back to the FS station. What at first seems like it might be a tight connection becomes otherwise when a bus shows up within ten minutes, and we have 20 minutes to wait on the platform for our train. Somewhat surprisingly, for an FS InterCity train, our car turns out to be an open salon with seating on the 1+2 plan, rather than the usual 3-a-side compartments we've had on these trains. There's some discussion on the train as to why what appears to be an upgraded line, running 'parallel' to a traditional line, actually has closed stations along it. Eventually, we conclude that the 'upgraded' line may have been built as long as 40 or 50 years ago, and had local passenger services in its early years.

This evening, we have a 'farewell dinner' at what the itinerary calls a 'local restaurant. On Sunday, the local guide had indicated, from the bus, the direction she thought it was in, but that doesn't seem to be anywhere near where we actually go. The guide leads us down into the Metro at central station, taking line 2 around the northwest and then west side of town to a Metro station adjacent to the FS station at Porto Genoa, on the southwest side of town, diametrically opposite the location of the hotel. From there, we walk down a side street, then down another, crossing a footbridge over a canal, and walking alongside the canal to a trattoria that has no room large enough to accommodate the whole group at adjacent tables. Some group members are angry at the amount of walking involved, while others are angry that we're not all seated together.

At the end of the acceptable but not magnificent dinner, some people take taxis back to the hotel, while others ride back across the center of Milan on tram line 2, with the guide. On arriving at the hotel, we say our goodbyes to those with early-morning departures, whom we will not see at breakfast.

Trams

Our encounters with the tram systems in Italy were disappointing—the trams dinner in Rome spent half the time sitting still, and our single tram ride in Milan occurred only as a result of special pleading on the return from the farewell dinner. Nonetheless, we were at least peripheral observers of the extensive tram systems in Rome and Milan, as well as seeing one end of the (new in 2002) 7.2 km line in Messina, in front of the station building there.

Milan has by far the biggest tramway system in Italy, with 208.8 km of route miles. The system is, in fact, larger than those in Vienna and Berlin, which are otherwise the largest in Europe. The system was started in 1878, and has a gauge of 1445 mm (10 mm larger than standard gauge). The oldest trans currently in use date from 1928, with the most recent built in 2004. There are currently just fewer than 500 trams in operation.

Rome has 18.4 km of 950 mm gauge and 75.5 km of 1445 mm gauge. There are 22 narrow gauge trams, built in 1953, 1962 and 1992, and around 250 "standard" gauge trams, built between 1948 and 2003.

Tuesday, May 23^rd, 2006

Milan to Tirano, Verona, and return

For the next two days, we're traveling by ourselves out of Milan, filling in stretches of line that connect to the outer points of the 2004 Swiss trip, and riding along the shores of spectacular alpine lakes Como and Maggiore. We'll also fill in the circle on this trip, back to Verona.

 Milan to Tirano

The line to the north-northeast heads directly out of Centrale station, under the viaduct carrying the circle lines, with connecting tracks joining on the east and west sides to create an eight-track formation just before Milan Greco Pirelli (3 islands plus side platform and station to the west), continuing north-northeast with a formation reduced to six tracks wide with carriage sidings on the east side, all on viaduct, past Sesto San Giovanni (2 islands plus side/station to west, with freight yard to the east), past that continuing freight yard on the east side, to Monza (2 islands plus 2 side platforms, station to the west). North of the latter, the Como/Gotthard line swings away northwest while the Tirano/Bergamo line continues northeast, with a non-electrified line diverging on the southeast side and then curving to pass beneath. After passing Monza Sellighi (2 side platforms with central tracks on a four track formation), the line reduces to a two track formation past Arcore (island plus side platform/station to the northwest), and then out into the countryside, with a line trailing in from the west, just west of Carnate Usmate (island plus side platform/station to the northwest), the now single track Tirano and Bergamo lines split at the east end of the latter, with the Bergamo line heading east and the Tirano line heading northeast, past Osnago (side platform to southeast), Cernusco Merate (side platform to southeast), where it curves north, and Olgiate Calco Brivio (two side platforms), where it is heading northeast. The line climbs a hillside above a town on the southeast side, passes through a tunnel, and turns north past Airuno (2 side platforms), then northeast again through a double-track tunnel to a junction with the line coming northwest from Bergamo, just south of Calolziocorte-Olginate (island plus east side platform/station), and then turning north, into the beginnings of the mountains, past Vercurago-San Girolamo (2 side platforms, station to east) and Lecco Maggiauico (2 side platforms, station to east) to Lecco, where a non-electrified line trails in on the west side, south of the station, there are carriage sidings on the east side and maintenance-of-way sidings on the west side, and the station has two island platforms plus a side platform and station to the west. .

North of Lecco, the single track line edges north-northwest, through tunnels, on a ledge above the towns and villages on the east side of Lake Como, just a very short distance away, past Abbadia Larriana (station and platform to the west), a tunnel, Madello del Lario (2 side platforms, station to the west), where it turns north, Olcio, another tunnel, Lierna (2 side platforms, station to the west), Fiumelatte (station and platform to the west), across from the entrance to another arm of the lake that heads southwest to the town of Como, Varenna Esino, Regoledo, Bellano-Tartavelle Terme (2 side platforms, station to the west), more tunnels, Dervio (station and platform to the east), more tunnels, Dorio, where it turns northeast, still following the lake, with more tunnels, Piona (2 side platforms, station to the west), and Colico (2 island platforms, station to the east).

The line now turns due east, away from the lake, with a line edging away on the north side to head for Chiavenna, and continues east up a narrowing Alpine valley, past Delèbio (two low-level platforms, station to the south), a through girder bridge over a river, Rogolo (platform and station on north side), Cosio-Traona (two low-level platforms, station to the south), Morbegno (three low-level platforms, station to the south), Talamona (station and platform on north side), a through girder bridge across the river directly into a tunnel in which it edges northeast before turning east again, with the valley still narrower with steep mountain slopes to north and south in the Bergamo Alps, past Ardenno-Masino (station/platform on south side), San Pietro-Berbenno (station/platform on south side), Castione-Andevenno, a through truss bridge over the river, Sondrio (island plus north side platform/station), Poggiridenti-Trevisio Piteda (station and platform on north side), Ponte in Valtellina (2 side platforms, station to the north), Chiuro (station to the south), San Giacomo di Teglio (station to the north) and Tresenda-Aprica Teglio (2 sides, station to the north), turning northeast past Bianzone (platform and station to the north) and Villa di Tirano (platform and station to the south) to the terminus at Tirano, where the line curves east to its platform and station on the north side of the track alongside the Rhaetian Railway terminus in the center of the town. There are two stuffed-and-mounted tank engines just west of the station—2-6-0T 880.046 and 880.051, both built by Breda in 1922..

From Milan to Lecco, this is a business train taking people out to Lecco for the day's meetings, etc. Beyond that, it is a train serving lake and mountain resorts, with quite a different clientele. In Tirano, we arrive at the FS station adjacent to the Rhaetian station on the line over Bernina Pass. After patronizing a supermarket, we eat at the same restaurant we had eaten at in 2004. It is very clear that these restaurants (there are others, closer to the stations than this) depend on the tourist trade arriving on the trains from Switzerland for their short layovers in Tirano, and that none of these trains has yet arrived, today. There are only three or four tables in use at the restaurant we're at. (The first train, the Bernina Express, is due at 12 noon, but in fact doesn't arrive until about 12:30 pm, leaving some of its riders concerned about their connection onto our FS train down to Lake Como, and with insufficient time to replenish their water supply. Since we've just bought a six-pack of water bottles, we sell them one for $2!) We leave the return train to Milan at Lecco, to take the local connecting train through Bergamo to Brescia, where we will pick up the Milan-Verona line.

Lecco to Rovato

The single track line to Bergamo and Rovato leaves the Lecco-Monza line on the east side, just south of Calolziocorte-Olginate, initially heading south-southeast, up on the valley side to Cisano-Caprino Bergamasco (2 side platforms, station to the east), then southeast through a valley with wooded hillsides to Pontida (platform/station to northeast), east through a tunnel into a broader valley, to Ambivere-Mapello (2 side platforms, station to the south), and then south to Ponte-San Pietro, where it meets the single track direct line from Monza coming from the west to forma  double track and turns east-southeast into the station (island plus south side platform/station). The line crosses a river on a viaduct just east of Ponte-San Pietro. A double-track line coming north from Treviglio trails in on the south side, and reduces to single track with goods sidings to the south, just west of Bergamo station (2 islands plus side/station to the north), where the single track line turns east past a viaduct over a river, Seriate (2 sides, station to the north) and Albano San Alessandro (platform/station to north, grade crossing within platform), east-southeast past Montelo-Gorlago (Island plus north side platform/station), and then southeast past Chiduno (platform and station to the northeast) and Grumello del Monte (2 side platforms, station to the northeast). A non-electrified branch trails in from the northeast, followed by a viaduct over a river, just north of Palazzolo sull'Oglio (island plus southwest side platform/station), and the line continues southeast past Cologne (platform and station on northeast side) and Coccàglio (2 side platforms, station to northeast) to Rovato, where it trails into the north side of the double track main line coming east from Milan just west of the station.

We have less than a 20-minute connection at Brescia, made shorter by the lateness of the local train, but we make the connection with no difficulty other than not knowing at which end of the train our reserved seats are. People sitting in our seats are disturbed by our arrival, since all seats on the train are otherwise taken. We wonder what they're doing on the train without reservations!

Milan to Verona

From the eight-track wide formation at Milan Lambrate, the line to the east curves away southeast, still on viaduct, joining the north side of the formation coming east from Porta Vittoria suburban-line station and turning east with the Milan Smistamento signal box, roundhouse, and freight yard on the south side of the line (and a station with at least three island platforms alongside it on the main line). The width of the formation reduces at Pioltello Limot (2 side platforms, station to the north), from more than four tracks west of that location to two tracks (plus more under construction) east of it, and the line continues east past Vignate (at least two platforms, but under construction in 2006), the Melzo Scala goods yard on the south side of the line, a locomotive storage area on the south side, Melzo (2 side platforms, station to the south), Trecella (2 side platforms, station to the north), and Cassano d'Adda (2 side platforms, station to the north). Additional tracks are being constructed along the south side of the line all through this area.

A double track line north to Bergamo heads away on the north side just west of Treviglio (2 islands plus side/station to the north), the eastern edge of the urban area, east of which another line heads southeast and the double track main line continues east, through flat plains past Vidalengo (2 side platforms, station to the north), Morengo-Bariano (2 side platforms, station to the north), Romano (island plus station/side platform to the south), Calcio (2 side platforms, station to the south), a bridge over a river below, and Chiari (2 side platforms, station to the south). The line coming southeast from Bergamo trails in on the north side, just west of Rovato, where the station has two island platforms plus a side platform and station buildings to the north, with extra tracks in the center between the islands and goods sidings to the south.

On the east side of Rovato, a non-electrified line to Edolo, in the Bergamo Alps, not far east of Tirano, departs on the north side. The main line edges east-southeast, past Ospitaletto Travagliato (2 side platforms, station to the north), a through girder bridge over a river, and a freight yard on the south side of the line at Brescia Scalo. Another non-electrified line trails in on the north side just west of Brescia station (three islands plus side platform/station to north; carriage sidings to the south). East of the latter, a non-electrified line turns away south and the double track main line turns southeast past Rezzato (2 side platforms, station to the north) and then east-southeast again through a flat agricultural plain past Ponte San Marco-Calcinato, where there is rail-served industry on the north side of the line, and Lonato (2 side platforms), east-northeast through a tunnel and across a viaduct above the town, past Desnezano del Garda-Sirmione (3 islands, station and side paltform to the north, goods shed to northwest), where there is a lake to the north of the town, southeast past the freight only station at San Martino della Battaglia, and east across a viaduct into Peschiera del Garda (island plus north side platform/station), and then on viaduct elevated above streets and then through tunnels past Castelnuovo del Garda (2 side platforms, station to the north), another tunnel, and the freight only station at Sommacampagna-Soma (2 side platforms, station to the north, old goods shed to the northwest, goods yard on south side). There are industrial and freight facilities on the south side at Verona Quadrante Europa, after which double track connectors head northeast to the Brenner Pass line and southeast to the Bologna line, a double track connection between those lines passes beneath, and east-facing double track connectors from both lines trail in, on the north and south sides respectively, with large yards and carriage sidings on the south side, at the west end of Verona Porta Nuova station.

After 90 minutes in Verona, during which we walk over to one of the gates in the old wall north of the station and then eat a light dinner (we had the big meal in Tirano), we take the train back to Milan. Now we really have completed the circle, since this is the continuation of the train from Munich to Verona that we had taken to start the tour, fifteen days earlier. Along the way back to Milan, we such much evidence of the construction of a new high-speed line along this route. At the hotel, we see the Severins, Douglasses and two others in the bar as we head up to the room.

Wednesday, May 24^th, 2006

Milan to Brig, Gallarate, Luino, Bellinzona and return

Today's trips will cover the line along the west end of Lake Maggiore, back to and through the Simplon Tunnel, filling in a link back to the 2004 Swiss trip, along the east shore of Lake Maggiore and through to Bellinzona, filling in another such link, and then back to Milan via Como, filling in a third link, but one we would have done on departure anyway. At breakfast, we see the Severins, and I ask Norm about the visit back to an old haunt that he had tried to make the day before (as he had told us at dinner on Monday). They had reached the location, in Caravaggio, but what was once a pensione and bar is now a bank!

Milan to Brig

The double-track line to Brig turns away northwest, west of Rho and passes Vantazago-Pogliano, Parabiago (platforms on tracks on the north side only), Canegrate (2 sides, station to northeast), where it turns north, and Legnano (2 sides, station to northeast), where it turns northwest again, passing over a double track east-west line below, and continuing northwest past Busto Arsizio (2 sides with two tracks in the center between, station to southwest) and the large freight yard on the southwest side at Gallarate Parco to Gallarate (2 islands plus southwest side platform/station).

North of the latter, a line heads north-northeast to Port Ceresio on Lake Lugano, another heads north-northwest to run along the east shore of Lake Maggiore, and the main line heads west-northwest past Casorate Sempione (2 sides, station to south), northwest past Somma Lombardo (2 sides, station to southwest), north past Vergiate (station and platform on east side only), and west-northwest through a tunnel to Sesto Calende, where another line from the east shore of Lake Maggiore trails in from the north as the main line turns south through the station (island plus side platform/station on southeast side), and a single track line continues south as the main line turns west at the far end of the station across a through girder bridge over a broad river before the junction.

The line soon turns north along the west shore of Lake Maggiore, past Dormoletto, an electrified and a non-electrified line trailing in on the west side, Arona (3 islands plus side/station to east; stuffed-and-mounted 0-6-0T on the east side, north of the station), a long tunnel followed by a short one, Meina, a turn north-northeast on a ledge above the town to the east, following the lake shore, a tunnel, Lesa (2 sides, station to west), Belgirate, where it turns north again, still following the lake shore, a turn northwest, a tunnel, Stresa (island plus east side platform/station with old goods shed north of station building), two tunnels, Baveno (2 side platforms, station to the east), tunnel, through truss bridge over river full of glacial flour, Verbenia-Pallanza (2 sides, station to the west), where it leaves the lake shore for a mountain valley, running through tunnels along the east side of that valley, Mergozzo (2 sides, station to the west),  and Candolglia-Ornavasso. The line turns west-northwest, through tunnels and avalanche shelters, up the narrowing mountain valley, which it now shares with a non-electrified line further south/west, past Cuzzago (2 side platforms), Premosello-Chiovenda (2 islands plus south side platform/station), and Vogona-Ossola (2 sides, station to south/west), and then turning north along the east wall of the valley, past Beura-Cardezza (2 sides, station to the west) and the freight yard on the west side of the line at Domodossola Druogno. past the locomotive sheds on the east side of the line, to the major station at Domodossola, where the traction current changes from the Italian 3000 V DC to the south to the Swiss 15 kV AC to the north. At this level, the station has three island platforms plus a side platform and station to the west, all with umbrella shed coverings. There are pedestrian subways connecting the platforms.

The non-electrified line on the west side enters station platforms at a lower-level at Domodosslo, and emerges on the east side as the electrified F.A.R.T line heading east through the mountains to Locarno, in Switzerland. North of Domodossola, the line to Brig climbs the east wall of the ever-narrowing valley, north past carriage sidings on the west side, followed by a deck bridge crossing a wide river bed with only a narrow river in it, Preglia (2 side platforms, station to the west), and then turning northwest, changing from lefthand running south of here to righthand running north of here, past a bridge over a side ravine and several tunnels along the east mountain wall, Varzo (2 side platforms on a four track line segment, station to the east), a clockwise spiral tunnel into the mountain wall, another tunnel along the mountain wall, the car shuttle terminal at Iselle di Trasquera, and the two single track 19,800 meter Simplon Tunnels through the Alpine massif to Brig, in the Rhône valley in Switzerland. Emerging from the tunnel, as the line turns west, there are carriage sidings on the south side and the river on the north side, then a large freight yard on the north side. The standard gauge station at this level (above street level) has four island platforms plus a south side platform and station buildings.  The more southerly platforms are used by SBB (Swiss Federal) trains, while the more northerly are used by Bern-Lötschberg Simplon (BLS) trains.  Immediately west of the station, the BLS double track line splits away and crosses the river on a through girder bridge and starts to climb the north mountain face, while the double track SBB line to its left runs west along the south bank of the river.

The outbound train to Brig is late at Domodossola, where there are banners celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Simplon Tunnel, but on-time after the engine change there (from Italian 3000V DC to Swiss 15kV AC). In Brig, we hear a PA announcement of a train over the Lotschberg line being very late, but it isn't our, and we leave brig on time. However, the dual-voltage loco has trouble changing voltages in Domodossola, and we leave there quite late. We have only a 13-minute connection at Gallarate, and arrive there 15 minutes late (after a signal stop at the next local station north, which Chris and I mistakenly think is our stop and have to scramble back on board). However, the local train is a connection and waits for our train, so we make it OK. 

Gallarate to Bellinzona

From the north end of Gallarate station, the single track line heads north-northwest, past Besinate (single platform, station to the east), Mornago Cinbro (single platform, station to the east), a tunnel, embankment, a small lake on the west side, Ternate-Varanja Borghi (2 side platforms, station on the east side), where it turns north, Travedona-Biandronno (station and platform to the west), where it turns north-northwest again through a wooded valley, Besozzo (station and platform to the east), a viaduct followed by a tunnel, and Sangiano (station and platform to the east) before joining with the line coming north from Sesto Calende (trailing in on the west side of the line) and turning north through a double track tunnel followed by the actual junction between the lines, to Laveno Mombello (three low-level platforms, station to the west). After turning northeast and passing through a tunnel, the line runs along the east shore of Lake Maggiore, past Caldè (station to the west), a tunnel and Porto Valtruaglia (old goods shed and station to the west, low-level platforms and passing track), and then along a ledge above the lake, through tunnels, and over a viaduct across a river, then past a locomotive shed on the west side and goods yard on the east side to Luino, which has a long main platform and station buildings on the west side and a goods shed across the tracks to the east. The south end of Luino station is on the Italian 3000V DC overhead, while the northern end is on the Swiss 15kV and is served by SBB-operated trains bearing a legend indicating joint ownership by Ticino Canton and Lombardy Region.

North of Luino, after passing through two tunnels amid ledges above the lake, the line turns north, following the lake shore, and passes Colmegna (platform to the west), two more tunnels and a viaduct over a river, Maccagno (station/platform to the east), two more tunnels, and Pino Tronzano (station/platform to east). The line then turns east-northeast, following the lake shore, past a tunnel, and enters Switzerland, passing Ranzo-San Abbondio (platform/station to the south), Gerra (platform/station to the north), San Nazzaro (two low-level platforms, station to the north), Magadino-Vira (station to the west, with goods sidings on both sides), where it leaves the lake shore turning eastward, and Quartino (station to the north) before the line from Locarno trails in on the north side and the lines enter Cadenazzo (island plus platform/station to the south). The line continues east past San Antonino (2 side platforms, station to the south), where it turns northeast. The main line from Lugano and Chiasso trails in on the east side just south of Giubiasco (2 islands, sid platforms and station to the east, goods yard to the west), and the lines pass through the 30 meter Dragonata Tunnel and the 290 meter Schwyz Tunnel into Bellinzona, which has two island platforms and a side platform with station buildings to the west, with goods sidings and locomotive facilitites to the east.

The train change at Cadenazzo is between similar EMUs. We have an 11-minute connection at Bellinzona, reduced to 5 by the time we get there, but it's cross-platform so we have no trouble making it. (Other passengers have a shorter connection to a northbound train that requires rushing through the pedestrian subway.)

Bellinzona to Chiasso

Southwest from Bellinzona, which has two island platforms and a side platform with station buildings to the west, with goods sidings and locomotive facilities to the east, the double track line passes through two tunnels. At Giubiasco (2 islands, side platform and station to the east, goods yard to the west), the Locarno line continues straight ahead, along the broad valley floor, while the main line turns southeast and then southwest again as it climbs the east wall of the Ticino River valley, providing extensive views over the valley below and Lake Maggiore further west, eventually turning due south through the Monte Ceneri tunnels to leave the Ticino valley entirely, emerging at Riviera-Bironico (island plus side/station to the west). The line then descends in a southward direction towards Lake Lugano, passing through Mezzovico (2 side platforms, station to the west), where it turns southeast through the  75 meter Molinero Tunnel, and then turns southwest, through deeply wooded hillsides, Taverne-Torricella (island plus side/station to the east), where it turns south again, and Lamone-Cadempino (2 side platforms, station to the east) along the way, and then passes through the 924 meter and 943 meter Massagno Tunnels into Lugano, which has an island platforms and a side platform/station on the east side, all set onto a ledge behind the town with a funicular leading down from the east side of the town below..

From Lugano, the line runs along the west side of the eponymous lake, past Lugano Pendino (2 side platforms, station to the west) and through tunnels to Melide (island plus west side platform/station on the curve), where it turns east, crosses the lake on a causeway, and then continues south along the east side of the lake, through the 569 meter Maroggia Tunnel and past Maroggia-Melano (island plus west side platform/station). At Capolago (head of the lake) Riva San Vitale (2 sides, station to the west), the line leaves the lake, climbing up the wooded east side of a valley with the town below to the west to Mendrisio (island plus east side platform/station, goods ayrd to the west), passing through the 96 meter Coldrerio Tunnel, turning east and descending through Balerna (island plus east side platform/station), where it turns southeast, to the border station at Chiasso, just a few miles short of the Italian town of Como at the foot of Lake Como. Here, in Chiasso, the Gotthard Line of the Swiss Federal Railways meets the Italian State railways line north from Milan.

The Italian line is electrified on a different system from the Swiss line, so although trains can continue across the border, locomotives must be changed. Chiasso station has a main platform on the east side, and an island platform with two faces on the west. There are locomotive facilities for Swiss locomotives, including a roundhouse, on the west side of the line, north of the station, a goods yard on the west side of the station itself, and Italian locomotive facilities some distance down the line into Italy.

Milan to Chiasso

The line to the north-northeast heads directly out of Centrale station, under the viaduct carrying the circle lines, with connecting tracks joining on the east and west sides to create an eight-track formation just before Milan Greco Pirelli (3 islands plus side platform and station to the west), continuing north-northeast with a formation reduced to six tracks wide with carriage sidings on the east side, all on viaduct, past Sesto San Giovanni (2 islands plus side/station to west, with freight yard to the east), past that continuing freight yard on the east side, to Monza (2 islands plus 2 side platforms, station to the west). North of the latter,  the Tirano/Bergamo line continues northeast, while the Como/Gotthard line swings away northwest, past Lissone-Muggio (2 sides, station to the east), various lineside industries, Desio, where it turns north, Seregno (2 islands plus east side platform/station), where a line trails in from the east, south of the station, a non-electrified line heads west, north of the station, and the main line heads west-northwest, bridging above another line, and turning north as a line from Milan Nord trails in and Lamnago-Lintate (2 side platforms, station to the west).

The line continues just west of north, past Carimate (2 sides, station to the east), Cantù-Cermenate (2 sides, station to the east), a tunnel, and Cucciago (2 side platforms). A double track junction has a double-track avoiding line continuing due north, while the main line turns northeast to Albate-Camerlate (3 low-level platforms, station to the northwest) and then east, curving back to the north and passing under another line, then passing through a tunnel to Como San Giovanni (station and platform with south end bay to the east, one island with an umbrella shed and one without on the west side, extra tracks on the west side), behind the town above the eponymous lake to the east, and then angling north-northwest, with the bypass lines on the west side trailing back in again just south of the tunnel through the Swiss border to Chiasso.

In this 2+1 seating car, our seats are on the 2-side, while the family occupying the others also has the seats on the 1-side. We suggest that we take the 1-side, which works as far as Como (they departed at Lugano), after which we have to move over to our actual reserved seats. Back in Milan, we do some packing at the hotel, and then take the Metro down to the Duomo station, to visit the Rizzoli bookshop in the Galleria, and have dinner there. The waiter mistakes my order, and supplies only one plate of the Spaghetti Carbonara, but in the even that may have been enough food for both of us, following our soup (me) and salad (Chris).

Thursday, May 25^th, 2006

Milan to Frankfurt

This is our last day of train riding, this time with the luggage again, back north through Switzerland to Frankfurt Airport. We head over to the station in plenty of time, and board our train early. I don't notice that Chris has placed us in the wrong seats (one row off) until sometime later, but we change to the correct seats before there is a conflict.

The route from Milan to Bellinzona is the same as the last leg of Wednesday's trip. Lake Lugano is quite misty, today, after being crystal clear the day before.

Gotthard Tunnel to Bellinzona

From the south portals of the Gotthard Tunnel at Ariolo (island plus station/platform to the east), the line turns east-southeast through the 196 meter Stalvedro Tunnel as it descends the Leventina River valley on a ledge on the west wall of the valley, through Ambri-Piotta (island plus west side platform/station) and Rodi-Fiesso (island plus west side platform/station), along the west side of a very narrow valley, with rocky walls high above, and a high rocky massif visible to the north.

Just south of the latter, the line turns east-northeast, passes through the 353 meter Dazio Tunnel, the anti-clockwise 1568 meter Freggio spiral tunnel in the east (north) wall of the valley, crosses the valley in a south-eastward direction, through the 147 meter Monte Piottino Tunnel and the 276 meter Pardorea Tunnel. The line then passes through the 1560 meter clockwise Frato spiral tunnel in the west (south) wall of the valley, emerging heading due east and much lower in altitude than at the north entrance of the upper spiral, and then passing through the 304 meter Polmengo Tunnel and past a "gallery" for the Gotthard Base Tunnel (in 2006) on the east side. At Faido (island, plus east side platform/station), the line turns southeast, generally along the east side of the valley, with many waterfalls on the rock faces on both sides of the valley.

A little further along, the line turns due south and then south-southeast, past facilities for a gallery of the Gotthard Base Tunnel on the east side (in 2006), and then through Lavorgo (station on east side with refuge tracks for freights, also on the east side), after which the broad valley narrows considerably as the line enters the 466 meter Lume Tunnel, a passage beneath a highway viaduct just above, the 1508 meter anti-clockwise Planotondo spiral tunnel, the 72 meter Tourniquet Tunnel, another passage beneath the highway bridge above, and the 1547 meter anti-clockwise Travi spiral tunnel in the east wall of the valley, after which the line crosses, using a bridge that is located far beneath that highway bridge, to a narrow ledge on the west side of the valley, which is very narrow at this point.

The line continues through Giornico (2 side platforms, station to the east), where the line turns east and then south-southeast,  and a viaduct across the river taking the line to the east side of the valley past Bodio (2 side platforms, station to the east), where it turns southeast, the entrance to the Gotthard Base Tunnel on the east side, rail-served works for the organizations building the Gotthard Base Tunnel on the east side (in 2006), Pollegio (2 side platforms, station to the east), a locomotive depot on the east side, Biasca (island plus west side platform/station), where it turns due south with, in 2006, sidings on the east side at the facilities of the Gotthard Base Tunnel..

The double track line then continues through the 275 meter Crocetto Tunnel and the 64 meter Giustizia Tunnel, and then, with the line running along the east side of the valley floor, with steep wooded hillsides leading to rocky heights above, past Osogno-Cresciano, a rail-served rock quarry and a rail-served industry on the east side, Claro (2 side platforms, station to the east) and Castione-Rebedo (2 side platforms, station to the east), and a through girder bridge over the river, and gradually curves to the southwest, as a double track line with lefthand running, with goods sidings on the east side, as it reaches Bellinzona. Bellinzona station has a main platform on the west side and an island platform with two faces on the east side, and serves as the junction station for passengers changing to and from trains on the Locarno line.

Arth-Goldau to Gotthard Tunnel

South of Arth-Goldau, the line is double track throughout, but in places the lines take quite distinct paths due to the difficulty of doubling the line in its original location, especially along the east shore of Lake Luzern. Arth-Goldau station has a central set of platforms in the vee formed by the two lines from the north, with an eastern platform on the Zurich line and an island platform with two faces on the west side of the Luzern line. There are locomotive facilities and a goods yard on the east side of the line south of the station. The terminus of the Rigi to Arth-Goldau rack railway is on the west side of the Luzern line, at right angles to the main line and at a higher elevation than the main station.

From Arth-Goldau, the line heads east to Steinen (2 side platforms, station to the east), and then turns south through Schwyz (island plus east side platform/station). Heading southwest, the line comes alongside Lake Zurich again at Brünnen (island plus west side platform/station), There are four tunnels (1372 meter Morschach Tunnel and 2793 meter Frohnalp Tunnel before Sisikon, and 3,375 meter Stutzeck-Axemberg Tunnel and 98 meter  Neue Gruonbach-Galerie Tunnel south of Sisikon) along the newer segment of line along Lake Zurich, generally used by southbound trains, while the older section, generally used by northbound trains hugs the lake shore itself, with the lines coming together briefly at Sisikon (2 side platforms, station to the east). There are tunnels along the lakeshore segment also: 558 meter Morschach Tunnel, 584 meter Hocheluh Tunnel, 193 meter Franziskus Tunnel, and 1987 meter Ölberg Tunnel north of Sisikon, and 988 meter Stutzeck Tunnel, 171 meter Tellsplatten Tunnel, 1128 meter Axenberg Tunnel, 128 meter Sulzeck Tunnel and 108 meter Alte Gruonbach-Galerie Tunnel).

South of Flüelen (island plus west side platform/station), the line leaves Lake Zurich behind and begins the climb up the Reuss River valley, through Altdorf (2 side platforms, station to the east), a rail-served industry on the west side, construction works on the east side of the line on the valley floor (in 2006), for the Gotthard Base Tunnel, whose northern portal will be here, Erstfeld (island plus east side station/platform) and Amsteg-Silenen (island plus west side station/platform). After passing through the 183 meter Windgällen Tunnel, and bridging over a ravine onto a ledge on the east wall of the valley, the line turns southwest through the 709 meter Bristen Tunnel and then bridges over the river to Intschi, on the west side of the valley, where it turns south-southwest, passing through four short tunnels on a ledge above the river. Freight trains along here are kept short to run at passenger speeds with pairs of the older Re 4/4 electric locomotives.

After Gurtnellen (2 side platforms, station to the east), which is still on the floor of the valley, there is a short tunnel,  a clockwise spiral tunnel (the 1476 meter Pfaffenspring Tunnel) in the west wall of the valley, and three more short tunnels, followed by the three tunnels (1084 meter Wattingen Tunnel and 230 meter Rohrbach Tunnel; 1090 meter Leggistein Tunnel) and two reversals of direction, one on a bridge over the river between the second and third tunnels, and one within the third tunnel, as the line climbs the west side of the valley at Wassen, where the station (2 side platforms, station to the east, but on what is otherwise the west side of the line) is on the middle level and there are three different views of the village church from two different sides: one below, one at grade, and one from above. After one more long tunnel (1570 meter Naxberg Tunnel), several short tunnels with bridges over ravines between them, and a curve to due south, on a ledge with avalanche shelters, the line reaches Göschenen, on the west side of the valley, and enters the 10 mile long Gotthard Tunnel. Göschenen station has a main platform on the west side and an island platform with two faces on the east side. There is an appearance of a second tunnel on the east side of the main tunnel, but it contains only a headshunt for the sidings on the east side of the line, here. The branch line to Andermatt leaves on the west side of the line, south of the station, and climbs steeply up the valley wall with many twists and curves.

Arth-Goldau to Luzern

From Arth-Goldau, the double-track, lefthand running, Luzern line heads due west, through the 201 meter Rindefluh Tunnel, and then curves northwest and north, on a ledge up on the southern/western hillside, above the shore of the Immensee, below. After Immensee station (island plus platform/station to the west), the original single-track Gotthardbahn line to Luzern curves away west, while today's main line continues north before turning west, with the line from Zug and Zurich trailing in on the north side and making a flying junction with the Arth-Goldau line, away from the lake and into Rotkreuz (2 islands plus side/station to the south). West of the latter, a double track line curves away to the north and the Luzern line curves southwest, bringing Mt. Pilatus into view straight ahead, past Gisikon-Root (island plus side/station to the southeast), two local stations with two side platforms and stations to the southeast, and Ebikon (island plus side/station to the southeast), turning south as the Olten line trails in on the north side, passing the single-track line from Bern trailing in on the west side and the original Gotthardbahn single track trailing in on the east side, and then passing through the 326 meter Gütsch Tunnel and another tunnel, heading south, crossing a through truss bridge over the northwest outlet of Lake Luzern, and passing through the 199 meter Schönheim Tunnel, as the line curves east, after which the line curves north-northeast, alongside the narrow-gauge tracks coming from Hergiswil, into the terminal station in Luzern.

Luzern station is on the south side of the eponymous lake, with the new headhouse (replacing one that burned) across the north side of the stub-end tracks. There are eleven standard-gauge tracks and five narrow-gauge tracks, with the narrow-gauge tracks occupying track twelve and above. There are seven double-sided platforms and two side platforms, all within the compass of an overall roof, with the throat of the station facing south and the narrow-gauge tracks on the eastern side of the station. The locomotive facilities are in the vee of the standard gauge and narrow gauge tracks, south of the station. On clear days, Mount Engelberg is visible to the south from the station throat, usually with lots of snow on its summit, while Mount Pilatus, to the southwest, looms over the entire area..

Luzern to Basel

The line towards Olten and Basel is the same as the Arth-Goldau line past the junctions with the Gotthardbahn, Bern, and Rotkreuz lines, and then north on viaduct over city streets past Emmenbrücke (2 sides, station to the west), where another line heads away east and the double-track Olten line continues north, in open countryside with green fields, past Rothenburg Dorf (2 sides, station to the northeast), with a rail-served cement plant alongside to the southwest, west past Rothenburg (island plus side/station to the south), north, with a rail-served Pistor plant to the west, and then northwest, with a lake not far away on the northeast side, past Sempach-Neuenkirch (2 sides, station to northeast), Nottwil (2 sides, station to southwest), Oberkirch (2 sides, station to the southwest), and Sursee (2 sides, station to the northeast, operational goods shed southeast of the station buildings), where a non-electrified line heads away to the east.

This is north Switzerland, with rolling hills and broad agricultural valleys. There are mountains off to the southwest. The line turns west, past St. Erhard-Knutwil (2 sides, station to the north), a small lake alongside to the north, and Wauwil, north past a rail-served industry to the west, Nebikon (2 sides, station to the west), a rail-served industry to the west, Dagmersellen (2 sides, station to the east), among big dairy plants, Reiden (2 sides, station to the west), rail-served industry on the east side, rail-served industry and then goods yard on the west side, Brittnau-Wikon, five extra tracks on the west side, Zofingen (island plus east side platform/station), where a line turns away east, and Aarburg-Oftringen (west side station plus several low-level platforms), where a line from Rothrist trails in from the west south of the station, and then through a town with the River Aare across the street to the west to Olten, where lines trail in from a higher level on the west side just south of the station. Olten station has twelve total tracks arranged in a vee, with two islands and two side platforms in each part of the station and the station buildings in the vee.

North of Olten, with carriage shops and then a goods yard on the northwest side of the line, the line curves east to a major wye with burrowing junctions, where the Basel line takes the west-to-north leg (with the east apex on the line to Zurich), after which the traditional line turns away to the west and the main line enters the 8,134 meter Hauenstein Basis Tunnel. North of the tunnel, the line passes Tecknau (island plus east side platform/station) and turns north-northwest, on embankment and then in cutting and on viaduct to Gelterkinden (2 sides, station to the west) and then west, with the traditional line trailing in on the south side, to Sissach (island plus station/platform to the northeast). The line then heads west-northwest, past Itingen (2 sides, station to the north), Lausen (2 sides, station to the north), and Liestal (2 islands), where a single track line tails in from the south as the main line turns north, through a tunnel and past Frankendorf-Fullinsdorf and then west-northwest again, with the line from Rheinfelden trailing in on the north side at Pratteln, where there is a goods yard on the north side, with rail-served industries on the south side, past Muttenz (island plus side/station to the south), with large marshaling yards on both sides of the line, followed by curves through a complex series of flying and burrowing junctions including one with the line north into Germany and one coming north from northwest Switzerland (plus a connector between the two passing below), into the main station at Basel.

Basel SBB station has 16 platforms (7 islands plus 2 side platforms) under a massive barrel overall roof, with a large footbridge connecting the platforms. Many local trains are EMUs; many medium-distance trains are push-pull with electric locomotives. The main station buildings are on the north side of the station, fronting on a large square with tram platforms outside, with a broad avenue heading north towards the center of the city.

After Luzern, the train becomes a homeward bound commuter and business train, not just a long-distance express. From Luzern to the wye junction east of Olten, we're on track we didn't cover on the 2004 Swiss trip. In Basel, we must change platforms, with our luggage, and are glad to see that the footbridge in the station there is supplied with both up and down escalators. As we enter the station, we have seen our ICE3 train also pulling in alongside us, but don't yet realize that it has come from north of the river, not somewhere further south.

Basel to Frankfurt Airport

The line to Germany heads east out of Basel SBB station, and turns north in the complex set of burrowing junctions just east of that station onto a double track line with righthand running. The tracks are elevated above the streets of Basel and then pass over the Rhine. A line trails in on the east side just before reaching Basel Bad, which has five island platforms. The line then crosses into Germany, edging north-northeast, past another line trailing in on the east side, Weil (4 islands plus side/station to the east) and Haltingen (2 side platforms with two center tracks bypassing the platfroms), and then north-northwest, as a non-electrified line heads away north-northeast, on viaduct and then through a short tunnel, through broad, flat, wooded land, past Eimeldingen, Effringen-Kirchen, where it turns west-northwest, Istein, where it turns north, Kelinkems and Rheinweiler (2 side platforms), on a viaduct through the town, where it comes close to the east bank of the Rhine and France is visible across the river.

The line now turns just east of north, past Bad Bellingen (2 side platforms, station to the west), still on viaduct, where it leaves the Rhine behind, through farmland with grapevines in some fields, Schliengen, Auggen, Müllheim (2 islands plus goods yard to the west), where a line across the Rhine from Mulhouse trails in on the west side south of the station, Buggingen (2 side platforms), and Heitersheim (2 side platforms), with town on both sides of the line. A turn north-northeast takes the line past Bad Krozingen (2 side platforms), where a non-electrified line turns away east, Norsginen, Schallstadt (2 side platforms), Ebringen, where a line continues ahead and the main line curves northeast past Freiburg St. Georgen and then north-northeast, across a river and then under a line coming in from the east that bridges overhead and then trails in on the west side to Freiburg Hbf (3 islands plus side/station to the east), north of which a non-electrified line heads northwest. The main line continues north-northeast, past Freiburg-Herdern (2 side platforms) and Freiburg Zähringen (2 side platforms), and turns just east of north, as a line trails in on the west side, past Gundelfingen (2 islands), Denzlingen (2 sides), where a non-electrified line turns away east, and Kollmarsreute (2 sides).

North of the latter, the line heads northwest, past Emmendingen (2 sides), Teningen-Mundingen (2 sides), Köndringen (2 sides, station to the west, with freight warehouse and sidings on the west side, north of the station), and Riegel (2 sides, station to the east), where a non-electrified line heads west, and then turns north past Kenzingen (2 sides), Herbolzheim (2 sides) and Ringsheim (2 sides) and just east of north again, past Orschweier (2 sides) and Lahr (2 islands), where a non-electrified branch trails in from the east, south of the station, and one heads west, north of the station. The line continues past Friesenheim (2 sides, station to the west) and a freight-only station at Niederschopfheim, and turns northeast and then just east of north again past Offenburg (3 islands plus side/station to the east), where a line trails in on the east side.

The line now enters onto segregated high-speed tracks, separate from the traditional line's tracks to the east, with which there are occasional connectors backs and forth, and edges north-northeast, leaving the high-speed line to serve a station at Baden-Baden (island plus two sides), and then returning to the high-speed line. Approaching Karlsruhe, the line trails back into the traditional tracks. There are carriage yards on the east side, and Karlsruhe station has six island platforms under an overall roof. There are locomotive yards to the northeast, and then more carriage sidings. A double track line heads away to the east, and the high-speed line turns north. There is a station with three island platforms and a side/station to the east, and then a long tunnel that brings the line  into Mannheim, where the station has 3 islands plus an east side platform/station. There are complex junctions both east and west of the east-west oriented station, permitting the meeting of, and interchange among, trains on different routes through the area.

West ot Mannheim, the line towards Frankfurt makes an abrupt turn to the north, back onto high-speed trackage, crossing a waterway in the process. The line passes Mannheim Waldhof (2 islands), Lampertheim (island plus 2 sides), Bürstadt (2 sides), Bobstadt (2 sides), Biblis (2 islands plus side/station to the east), where a line trails in from the west, south of the station, and the main line turns northeast, Gross Rohrheim (2 sides), Gernsheim (2 sides), where the line heads north again, rail-served industries on the west side, Biebesheim (2 sides, station to the west), Stockstedt, a goods yard on the west side, Goddelau-Erfelden (2 islands), Leeheim-Wolfhehlen (2 sides), Dornheim (2 sides, station to the west), and Gross Gerau-Dornberg (island plus 2 sides). Connectors depart to east and west, north of the latter, and another line then passes underneath. The line, heading north-northeast, then passes Morfelden (2 islands), Walldorf (2 sides, station to the west), and Zeppelinheim (2 sides) before the Frankfurt Airport line turns away west at a burrowing junction, and plunges into a tunnel from which it emerges just east of the Frankfurt Airport Long Distance station.

On the ICE 3, we meet a lawyer from the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland, who helps us understand which way the train will depart from Basel, and with whom we later have dinner. he is a human-rights lawyer, traveling to present a lecture on human-rights to a police academy, somewhere in Germany (north of Frankfurt). His politics are somewhat left-wing, and his comments about the policies of the current US Administration quite scathing. The line from Basel to the last junction before Frankfurt Airport is completely new to Chris, but somewhere in the Mannheim vicinity, I had passed through in the middle of the night, on the way from London to Salzburg back in 1966.

At Frankfurt Airport, we catch the hotel's shuttle over to the InterCity Hotel at Cargo City Süd, for the last night before flying home.

Friday, May 26^th, 2006

Frankfurt to Tehachapi

Arising early in the morning, we catch the 7:15 am shuttle back over to the Lufthansa Terminal, check the baggage in area B, and go through the security checks our to the gate. At the first of these, someone finally notices that there's a small knife attached to one of the sets of keys in my briefcase, so we say goodbye to that. Out at the gate, we've got almost an hour's wait before the start of general boarding, but that's better than being late. The flight to San Francisco goes even further north than last year's return to LAX from the Eastern Europe trip, passing north of Iceland, over Victoria island and the Northwest Territories, and then over Vancouver (BC) and Seattle before approaching San Francisco from the ocean side, turning north at the south end of the bay and landing to the north.

While in SFO, we take the opportunity to purchase TSA-approved locks for the luggage, so that in future the checked bags can travel locked, rather than unlocked. Our onward flight to Bakersfield is 20 minutes late, and we're seated in the very back row of the full turbo-prop, with no window access (the only seats on the plane that don't). Back on the ground, we reclaim the bags and drive home, reaching the house a little after 6 pm to a wonderful welcome by the kitties.