Blue trains run on batteries, electricity, diesel, with batteries as the main source of energy, reducing carbon emissions and fuel consumption by 50% compared to diesel trains.
20 Masaccio trains of Hitachi Rail company began operating in Italy under the name Blue, CNN reported on June 28. This is the first phase of a 1.23 billion euro project to add 135 battery-powered trains to the network of Trenitalia, the main train operator in Italy. The new fleet will operate in Calabria, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Tuscany, the islands of Sicily and Sardinia.
In Calabria, trains are running on the Ionian coast, while lines in Sicily include Messina – Palermo and Messina – Catania – Syracuse. Not all trains running on these lines are Blue, so which train passengers board will be random.
Blue train has 3 or 4 cars with about 300 seats. They are tugboats, powered by batteries, electricity and diesel. “This is the first time that batteries have been used as the main power source on a commercial fleet in Europe,” Trenitalia said.
The Blue fleet, made of 93% recyclable materials, will help reduce carbon emissions and fuel consumption by 50% compared to diesel trains. By running on batteries through urban areas, they can also eliminate emissions and noise pollution. A system that advises the train driver will also recommend the optimal speed to reduce energy consumption.
The trains have a short range, about 15km if powered by batteries alone, but can be recharged as they travel with a pantograph (a device placed on the roof of a train that connects the train to a power line) or with a brake. This means the ship can be recharged several times during the voyage. The maximum speed of the train is 160km/h. The platform is also at the same level as the platform, allowing tourists with mobility difficulties to board the train without the need for high steps.
Europe’s rail network is expanding, but about 40% of the lines are still not electrified and more than half of the trains run solely on diesel, according to Hitachi Rail. Some lines face difficulties in electrification due to geographical problems. In Italy alone, there are more than 4,000 kilometers of tracks that are still not electrified. Hitachi Rail claims the Blue fleet offers an instant solution to the decarbonization of the passenger rail system in Europe.
The next version of Blue is expected to be released in two years. This version is expected to run on battery only, with a range of more than 100 km. Hitachi Rail also plans to further improve the newly launched trains.
