New high-speed PENDOLINO train presented in Turin

On Wednesday 22nd June, representatives from Ferrovie dello Stato, Italdesign-Giugiaro, ALSTOM Ferroviaria and Trenitalia presented a life-size model of the new PENDOLINO train at the Giugiaro Design showroom.  

12 trainsets, which were designed for the high-speed lines of the Italian railway system, will be built by ALSTOM in Italy. They will join the fleet of 40 PENDOLINO trains and 60 ETR 500 already operated by Trenitalia, the transport branch of Ferrovie dello Stato.

The new PENDOLINO trains , to be delivered in 2006, will mark an important stage in the process of modernisation of Trenitalias fleet. In terms of innovative conception, futuristic design, and thanks to the exceptional technological content and comfort (touch-screen videos in the coaches, LAN and Wi-fi systems, ergonomic seats, maximum rationalisation of passenger space), these trains satisfy the most recent European standards of interoperability. They can run on the networks of other European Union countries.

With the arrival of the new PENDOLINO trains, the Ferrovie dello Stato has taken an important step forward. We are now at the threshold of the entry into service of the new Italian high-speed lines, the largest infrastructure project undertaken in Italy since the Second World War, and Trenitalia will be ready to respond with an agile, modern fleet able to meet the customers demands, commented Elio Catania, president and managing director of the Ferrovie dello Stato group.

Roberto Testore, managing director of Trenitalia, declared that Trenitalia is calling into play all its energy with the aim of offering its customers a comfortable, fast journey and services modelled increasingly on their expectations. We are placing such emphasis on the level of quality of these new high-speed services that we are planning to create a dedicated brand. A brand in which to concentrate additional services and facilities which, together with the journey itself, aim to embrace every phase that precedes and follows it.

With the new PENDOLINO, we have reached the fourth generation of trains based on tilting technology, suited to covering long distances at high speed, explained Emilio Gallocchio, managing director of ALSTOM Ferroviaria. These have proven to be a great success throughout the world, and combine technological innovation and attention to passenger comfort. This is a train designed and built in Italy at the Savigliano yards, and underlines the ability of our country to undertake applied research and to industrialise major productions with high technological and design content. This important commission confirms the position of ALSTOM as a strategic partner for high speed railways.

Giorgetto Giugiaro, responsible for the design of the new PENDOLINO, in turn expressed his great satisfaction for the final results of the experiment and research carried out by his company. The design of the new high-speed PENDOLINO, stated Giugiaro, matured over 18 months of studies and research concentrating on the performance of the train and every aspect of its operation, ergonomics and comfort, as required by the precise and ambitious guidelines produced by Trenitalia for this programme, one which represents a ground-breaking step in Italian railway transport.

Press contact ALSTOM Transport:

Italy:
Manuela Bozzolan
Tel : + 39 02 5414 4435
manuela.bozzolan@transport.alstom.com 

HQ:
Helen Connolly
Tel: + 33 (0)1 41 66 91 43
helen.connolly@transport.alstom.com