History of The Railroad

HISTORY Of THE RAILROAD
PREFACE: TRAVEL NOTES
You can't cross the orient part of this splendid pearl of the Mediterranean, without being attracted from the giant that dwelling it: the Etna, volcano, in continuous change
Rotating round it, it shows, to every variation of the perspective, scenes and visions of itself that goes from the magical to the fable-like.
To admire fully the fascinating scenes in all their imponence, a point cardinal after the other, in the many days of sun that overflow the island, the tourist can use the vehicle that, from 1895, scrambles up on it for all their circonference.
This vehicle is the train of Circumetnea.
Circumetnea is a railroad with a narrow gauge, long 110 kilometers from Catania to Riposto, that circumnavigates the Etna, showing it, between trenches of washes and citrus groves in flower, in all its particular appearance
To use it, you can go in one of the two city "source/destination" of it.
On of the two is the Catania Borgo station, placed in the high part of the central via Etnea, reachable on foot with the city buses or the metropolitan, also managed from the Circumetnea. < br>The other is the station of Giarre, located in the center zone of city and adjacent to the station of the Ferrovie dello Stato, to give the opportunity, to travellers the coming from travellers from Taormina or Giardini Naxos, of being able to have use of of the node of interchange between the two railroads
THE HISTORY
Ferrovia Circumetnea represents today, the only railway reality with narrow gauge in exercise in all the Sicily, being been, in the time, sluices or abandoned all the other similar railroads.
When, about in 1880, was gone delineating the skeleton of the sicialian railway net, in many centers borned requests for the connection on track with the rest of the island. The same happened in the countries around volcano: at that time they had reach a remarkable development yet, thanks to the favorable environmental conditions, and had therefore good game in their demands
With regal decree of the 31 December 1883 was constituted a Consortium for the construction and the exercise of the Circumetnea railroad, between the Province of Catania, the Limb and Chamber of Commerce of Catania, and the Municipality of Riposto, Giarre, Mascali, Piedimonte Etneo, Linguaglossa, Castiglione di Sicilia, Randazzo, Maletto, Bronte, Adernò, Biancavilla, Santa Maria di Licodia, Paternò, Belpasso, Misterbianco and Catania
How happened in all th sicilian lines, the choice of the route was a lot contrasted
In Catania, in particular the fight was locked between who proposed the passage to south of the city center and who wanted that the railroad was put down to the north-east, like then happened.
To these controversies joined the centers of the mountainous inside of t e Sicily, like Cerami, Troina, Nicosia and Gangi, that demanded the construction of one or more lines that from the ionic coast penetrated towards the Madonie until the connection state road between Catania and Palermo. This demands, remained unlistened for the difficults that derived from the sourness of lands, still today suffers in remarkable way of isolation.
The decisive impulse to the realization of the Circumetnea came from English engineer Robert Trewhella. He projected and directed the jobs of construction of the railway line to narrow gauge. The 11 september 1885, Trewhella, make a compromise with the Consortium, based on which it would have had to take care itsel of all, from the plan to the construction and the exercise of the line, in exchange of exclusivity on the line and the prohibition of concession of other lines with the same route (some decades after was quite the FS to wanting to make competition the Circumetnea).
The expense was fixed in 15,30 Million of Lire of the time, entirely covered by the State that added a clause: if the final amount of the jobs had turned out inferior to the fixed expense, the same one would have contributed for the sum effectively spold. If, instead, the cost for the realization had exceeded the sum established, the State wouldn't have contributed in any way to the difference
The jobs for the construction of the railroad had beginning in 1889. 2 February 1895 happened took service the first feature, from Catania Borgo to Adernò.
Only seven months after, 25 september 1895, the railroad entered in exercise.
But still remained to complete only two short drafts: the connections with the ports of Catania and Riposto to use above all for scopes trade them, that, would be enters in exercise in the passage of little months
The last line, from Catania Gaito to Port was inaugurated on 10 July 1898.
The commercial scopes of the railroad were endured suddenly obvious; but the peculiarity that, in the years next to the 1895 distinguish the FCE evidencing the tourist vocation, above all regarded that inherent evocative beauty of the crossed landscape.
Big writers, such Goethe and De Amicis, travelling with Circumetnea, remained fascinated and subdued from the strong emotions provoked from the landscape, the wild nature and the always-changing volcano for how many are the infinites observation angles that the travel in train can offer.
Also the queen Elena of Italy travelled with a train of the Circumetnea supplied with a real coach. The episode happened in 1911, in occasion of a visit of the monarch to one its lady companion which possessed an house in Randazzo. Incredible, in that occasion, the scenes of popular enthusiasm to the passage of the real convoy during the stopped ones in the stations.
Then, successive history of the Circumetnea was marked from the eruptions of the volcano that with its lava flow many times has invaded the railroads: we remember that one of 1911, of 1923 (than the yields necessary the construction of varying for Castiglione, opened in 1927 and abandoned then in 1962 for lands instability), of 1928 and of the 1981.
Other destructions came from the second world war. In those years the line carried out a great job for the transport of the evacuees from Catania, and after the liberation it was reconstructed and remittance to the efficiency.
In 1938 took service, for the first time, the six most modern exemplary of "ALn 56 Fiat" more better known like LITTORINE, narrow gauge version of the ones that worked on Ferrovie dello Stato railways.
Those, being more comfortable and faster, was being used by about the totality of travellers, determining gradually, the end of the use of the vapor-locomotives, that was completed in the 1963.
The difficults of the war gave the blow of grace also to the society S.I.L.P. (Italian Society for Publics Jobs) owner of the railroad, than in the immediate post-war period, had to yield definitively the company to the State that assumed the command through a governmental commissary management.
THE TRAIN JOURNEY
Who wants to use the Circumetnea Railroad leaving from Catania, it must o in the historical one via Caronda, where has center the master station of Ferrovia Circumetnea called Catania Borgo.
At the entrance of the famous station of Catania Borgo the old vapor locomotive n.14 (nicknamed "Meusa"), that is the same that went with Edmondo De Amicis in his travel at the beginning of the century. Heading towards the periphery of Catania, the shod line cross-sectionally cuts the city center until meeting the first obvious trace of the presence of the Etna: the tap of 1669, that one that caught up and destroyed Catania
The layout assumes now unique characteristic and, between the houses of the periphery, the railroad is flanked from black lava cliffs, that will never abandon it until the arrival.
After Misterbianco opens a huge panorama towards the mountain with a vegetation that varies continuously.
It's a country that is cultivated a lot: the citrus groves leave the place to the olive-tree, to some rare vineyard, the fichidindia cultivate in intensive way
Follow, one by one, the other towns that encircle the volcano on this depositor: Paternò, S. Maria di Licodia, Biancavilla, Adrano.

You don't have be astonished if unexpectedly the convoy arrests itself in the middle of country: it's an optional stopping.
Until some years ago, these halts were to the service of the peasants who used the train to catch up the countries and to return in his town, now can become the line of departure for interesting excursions.
For example from the little station of Passo Zingaro you can go back through a mule-road in the middle to cultivations of pistachio nut and ancient taps until to Minardo mount, or from the stopped Gurrida you can reach the near lake.
The landscape becomes wilder and the lava taps more or less old became more frequent taking the windward on the other landscapes, until exceeded the station of Bronte the tracing of the Circumetnea dipped in a splendid tap constituted from lave to rope and catches up its maximum height on the plateau of Maletto in Contrada Difesa from which the eyes spaces towards edge craters.
This is the higher point touched from the railway line (Rocca Calanna) having an altitude nearly 1000 meters
The next stop is in Maletto (that is famous for the cultivation of the strawberries), last station before Randazzo: important station to the antipodal ones of that one of Catania, from which the train started.
In Randazzo you are about in the middle of trace: tyou can pause in order to visit the historical center before beginning the long reduction that brings you to the Alcantara valley. The landscape is now less sour and wild.
Countries begin to being punctuated from big villas while the train of the Circumetnea covers the valuable vineyards of the Solicchiata.
All around it's coltivated with every kind of typical fruit dell'Etna.
Obviously citrus groves and vineyards make it from landladies on the other products of the earth.
It's a great lookout the color of the zagara that, for beauty, can be approached, only to incomparabile pleasantess of its scent.
Towns and fractions come exceed one by one, while in distance flickering of Ionian and to sides of the railroad is noticed newly appear the citruses.
The train, finally, once again emulating the myth of Sisifo, conclude its race to the station of Riposto.
To make return Catania, it's conventient to come down to the station of Giarre, so as to take, in coincidence, one of the many ordinary trains of the Ferrovie dello Stato that covering Messina-Catania line.
EXTRAURBAN RAILWAY LINE OF SURFACE
Between the Italian secondary railroads, the Circumetnea Railroad introduces the particolarity to have conquer an own detailed list and not negligible market position in the context of local the pendular traffic, and also in the turistic ground.
In exercise from the 02/02/1895, the Circumetnea Railrod is made from an only line to narrow gauge (950 mm) of the 110,963Km length, with the adding of the metropolitan feature of approximately 4 Km. The maximum slope, in several drafts is of the 3,6% and minimums beams of curving are of 100m.
Originals features, constituted from tracks from 25 UNI and length 9 m,was replaced in part with tracks from 36 UNI in rest on sleepers in drafts in rovere and in others in precompress reinforced concrete.
There are many the artworks, like 6 galleries (the longer is 263,82 m in Roccacalanna), 11 arched viaducts and 11 bridges to metallica girder.
Approximately the P.L automate to you with barriers or luminous pointers are 80, while only few unit still results attends to barrierguard or commanded at distance with thread of trasmission.
The exercise is at diesel traction and electrical diesel with rotabile material composed from 24 railcars and six efficient carrozze.
Between 27 cities of service nine are equipped of A.C.E.I systems that working in semi-automatic regimen, three doggingable exchanges to elastic return, five mechanical benches of maneuver with exchanges command through thread of transmission and remaining equips with exchanges, with firm exchanges, maneuverable on the place from the qualified exercise staff.
Normative puts into effect them inherent to the distance of the trains is regulated from the telephone joint with the system of the Dirigenza Unica. Large efforts and investments are in phase of definition for being able to put into effect an electrical command system and cetralized control of the railway traffic, to the aim to obtain important improvements in terms of frequency and times of trains.

Because of tortuousity of the line, the commercial velocity is approximately 35 km/h while that principle of exercise is 60 km/h; that traduces itself in a time of 3 h and 10m, approximately, on all the draft.
THE SERVICE BUS
Ferrovia Circumetnea, already from various decades,has in exercise a complex of bus companies that carry out an important task of adduction to the railway system and also one meaningful and diversified offer of service for the pendular user present on the territory.
The bus companies ar trained in the respet of the concession norms ( rilasciate) from the Councillorship to the Transports of the Sicialian Region,according to exercise programs,timetables and distances opportunely measured to the real necessities of transport that they interest the (comprensorio) served.
The aforesaid bus companies are following:
1) the Adrano - Paternò - Misterbianco - Catania;
2) Paternò - Belpasso;
3) Randazzo - Bronte - Adrano - Catania;
4) Randazzo - Fiumefreddo - Catania (via To 18);
5) Castiglione - Giarre - Acireale - Catania;
6) Adrano - Biancavilla - S.M. Licodia - Belpasso;
7) Train Substitutive Service - Piano Tavola - Belpasso.
Moreover, already from some years, the city service of Adrano is managed and regulated from one convention stipulated with the Administration of such Common and authorized,relatively to the regularity and to the safety of the route,from the competent section of the Civil Motorization.
As far as the line Adrano - Paternò - Catania it's represents not only the carrying axis of all the system of the bus companies (the winter program of exercise previews more than hundreds race week), but it relatively constitutes a fundamental connection from and for Catania to a fraction of Misterbianco (Lineri), characterized by an highest density of inhabitant.
The motor service Lineri - Catania give the possibility, to the population resident, to directly catch up the city of Catania but also it give the possibility of interchanging with the business railway system, using moreover of one ulterior and important possibility of integrated transport, connected to metro.
The Paternò - Belpasso line is characterized by a big scholastic type flow and it concurs daily to students of two towns (approximately 500 customers), to catch up the various present institutes in territory.
Also the Adrano - Biancavilla - S.M.di the Licodia - Belpasso have analogous characteristics and it's used, daily, by 500 students about, a part of which continues, united to those coming from Paternò to Nicolosi, otherwise not served from other transport system.
The Randazzo - Fiumefreddo - Catania (via A18 freeway) constitutes a fundamental possibility from and for Catania transport, and is characterized by user of pendular type that move, daily, for reasons of concerning study or job.
Statistical data of frequentation such bus company have recorded a constant and progressive increment (reaching the 200 units per day), in relation to a service carried out through A18 freeway, that concurs a remarkable discouragement of the times necessary to catch up the city.
The Catania - Castiglione - Giarre - Acireale - Catania line is characterized, instead, by a local type flow and it carries out, also, a service integrated with that railway one, through a series of coincidences between the two transport systems, that connect Castiglione, in this way residents customers are able to move in Catania direction and in Randazzo direction too.
An other important system of intermodal transport is the substitutive service Piano Tavola - Belpasso, realized through numerous coincidences attested near the railway station of Piano Tavola.
Concerning to the tourist sevices exercited from the Ferrovia Circumetnea, there is an ulterior example of integration between the railway system and the automobilistic one.
Tourist routes proposals, are all characterizes by an extraordinary participation of user, binds and exalt, in fact, the characteristics of both systems, determining an offer that isn't realizable from some other present carrier on territory.
In summer the business bus companies carry out a service of connection between Adrano, Paternò and Misterbianco with the bathing lydians of the Plaja di Catania.
More recently, but with analogous success, was also realized a sea-service that connect Randazzo, Linguaglossa and Piedimonte with Riposto.
THE METRO LINE
The service that the Ferrovia Circumetnea carries out today is not still suitable for the potenziality that possesses the system. Although the consisting penetration in the city woven, the FCE has not never carried out the role of system of transport in city within, in how much of the iron line is being unused because for remarkable promiscuity of the private traffic. But there is in action a large program of potentiation and requalification, with investments of hundred of million euro, already financed, that will give to FCE service the characteristics of commercial capacity, velocity and frequency of a transport system of particular metropolitan type.
This program previews the transformation and the potentiation of the original narrow gauge single binary line, exercises with diesel traction, in a railway net composed from double binary lines, ordinary gauge and elettrified, for exercises of a metropolitan-like service.
In this contest, to leave from July 1999, was realized and it is in exercise one draft of metropolitan railway line, falling back in the city center of Catania, in gallery to double binary, having one total development of 1.8 km. Such draft comprises the following stations Borgo, Giuffrida, Italia and Galatea, and the medium distance is of approximately 600 m. Was also realized (and it's in exercise too) one draft of surface to a single long railroad of approximately 2 km that connects the station of Galatea with the port of Catania, with intermediate stopping near the station centers of FS of Catania. When, according to the program of widening of the metropolitan line, will being realized the draft in gallery to double binary that will connect Galatea station with square Giovanni XXIII (in which there is the Central FS Station), to the surface draft Galatea-Port will remain only the function of connection with the entire metropolitan line, to service of the passengers whom will land to the port of Catania or will leave from it.
The draft of the metropolitan line Borgo-Galatea-Port travels over again that one of the old narrow gauge line of surface that, to continuation of the jobs of the metropolitan was disactivated.(The dismantling of the line is now realized only in Jonio avenue). This draft entered officially in exercise the 27 june 1999 using, for the traction, three electric trains previously belonged to the Ferrovia Centrale Umbra.
In 2001 was entered in exercise four most modern electric trains supplied from the FIREMA that, today carry out to regulate service, from hours 7,05 a.m. to hours 8,40 p.m. every day, excluded Sundays and the festive ones, with a frequency of 15 minutes between one run and successive in the both senses of march.

The metro line in exercise and successive lines that, based on the program of potentiation and transformation will be realized, have been planned with own the constructive characteristics of the double binary railway lines with ordinary gauge and with electric traction to 3 kV c.c. The definition of the type of feed of the electric traction was motivated from the previewed realization of tens of kilometers of local line, and from the possibility to concur an eventual interchange of convoys, in the connection nodes realized and/or previewed, with the Ferrovie dello Stato.
THE PROGRAM OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE METRO NET
The program of development of the metro net of the Ferrovia Circumetnea in territorial contest of the city of Catania previews an extension of metropolitan draft in exercise, having one total length of 3.8 km. Is previewed, in fact, the next realization of other four drafts of railway line in gallery with characteristics of metropolitan, having a total length of approximately 13 km.
The first two drafts (Galatea-Giovanni XXIII and Giovanni XXIII-Stesicoro) has the function to continue the line in the city center of Catania, while the other two (Borgo-Nesima and Nesima-Misterbianco Center) to connect the metropolitan center with the outlying areas of the part the north-west of the city and with close city center of Misterbianco and its industrial and commercial zone.
Those drafts are all supplied of the necessary authorizations for the realization of the works and are entirely financed. In particular, the draft Galatea-Giovanni XXIII (0,9 km long ) is actually in phase of realization, while the drafts Giovanni XXIII-Stesicoro (1,0 km long) and Borgo-Nesima (3,1 kmlong) are both entire financed with statal found of law 211/1992 (respective 36,15M euro and 87,79M euro) and of next realization.The Nesima-Misterbianco Center draft (3,9 km long), is financed by POR Sicily 2000/2006 (104,32M euro) and it is of next realization too.
Besides is previewed the realization of the draft Stesicoro-Librino-Airport (6,9 km long) that will allow the prosecution of the metropolitan line in the city center of Catania and, subsequently, along the periphery south-west of the city as far as the airport, serving the popular quarters Villaggio S. Agata and Librino. This work take part of strategic infrastructures characterized in the Legge Obiettivo, that it assigns, for the "Nodo of Catania" one cost previewed in 516.46 million of euro.
In completion of the development program of the metropolitan net, in the inside of the city of Catania area is previewed, finally, the realization of another draft (2,8 km long), along the west margin of the city, to connect the foretold drafts and realize a city ring.
Altogether the realization of those works will allow to have in exercise, to the inside of the city of Catania, one metro double binary railway line in gallery, more than 20 km long, able to equilibrate the mobility situation in the area, to help private transport, and to improve the environment quality of the city for the consequent reduction of the atmospheric and acoustic pollution phenomena.