This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/apr/27/high-speed-train-italo
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Italy's Ferrari of the railways gets off to a flying start | Italy's Ferrari of the railways gets off to a flying start |
| (30 days later) | |
| Could this sleek, red railway equivalent of a Ferrari one day cut a blurry dash through the Chilterns? If Britain has struggled to sell the idea of high-speed rail to a sceptical public, the government might like to turn to Italy for inspiration. | Could this sleek, red railway equivalent of a Ferrari one day cut a blurry dash through the Chilterns? If Britain has struggled to sell the idea of high-speed rail to a sceptical public, the government might like to turn to Italy for inspiration. |
| From Saturday, the traveller from Rome to Naples can cover the 225km (140 miles) in little over an hour, paying as little as €20 (£16.33) for the pleasure. | From Saturday, the traveller from Rome to Naples can cover the 225km (140 miles) in little over an hour, paying as little as €20 (£16.33) for the pleasure. |
| The new Italo – the first privately operated high-speed train in Europe – is a train like no other, claims Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, chairman of Ferrari and boss of NTV, the firm challenging the state service. | The new Italo – the first privately operated high-speed train in Europe – is a train like no other, claims Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, chairman of Ferrari and boss of NTV, the firm challenging the state service. |
| He has a point. Sleeker, faster, quieter, lighter, the AGV – automotrice à grande vitesse – brings into passenger service the technology behind the train world speed record of 574.8kmph in April 2007. | He has a point. Sleeker, faster, quieter, lighter, the AGV – automotrice à grande vitesse – brings into passenger service the technology behind the train world speed record of 574.8kmph in April 2007. |
| British campaigners for high speed rail rolled out music veteran and train enthusiast Pete Waterman in January, but only the Italians could attempt to make a train launch sexy. | British campaigners for high speed rail rolled out music veteran and train enthusiast Pete Waterman in January, but only the Italians could attempt to make a train launch sexy. |
| Mobbed by press at the inaugural journey from Rome Tiburtina, the flamboyant Montezemolo purred: "I'm addicted to speed. Speed and risk. Economic risk." | Mobbed by press at the inaugural journey from Rome Tiburtina, the flamboyant Montezemolo purred: "I'm addicted to speed. Speed and risk. Economic risk." |
| There are no travel "classes", NTV insists, only different "ambiences" – albeit differentiated by bigger seats, at-seat dining and pricier tickets. | There are no travel "classes", NTV insists, only different "ambiences" – albeit differentiated by bigger seats, at-seat dining and pricier tickets. |
| "Remember, you're in the cheap seats!" cried Montezemolo, to the press in carriage seven (ambience: "Smart"). He stressed that "our prices are super-competitive despite the services we offer", which include free Wi-Fi, live TV, films in a cinema carriage and comfortable leather seating. | "Remember, you're in the cheap seats!" cried Montezemolo, to the press in carriage seven (ambience: "Smart"). He stressed that "our prices are super-competitive despite the services we offer", which include free Wi-Fi, live TV, films in a cinema carriage and comfortable leather seating. |
| Should his Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori (NTV) successfully grab a projected 20% share of the market from state-owned Trenitalia and start making money, Montezemolo told the Guardian he might indeed seek to export his brand of superfast travel to the UK. "If it's possible to compete in other countries, yes we would." | Should his Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori (NTV) successfully grab a projected 20% share of the market from state-owned Trenitalia and start making money, Montezemolo told the Guardian he might indeed seek to export his brand of superfast travel to the UK. "If it's possible to compete in other countries, yes we would." |
| Other markets will be in play long before the UK gets its act together. The transport department says no decisions have been taken about either the parameters for procurement of trains or how operators will be sought. | Other markets will be in play long before the UK gets its act together. The transport department says no decisions have been taken about either the parameters for procurement of trains or how operators will be sought. |
| The hybrid bill that will give the parliamentary muscle to make HS2, the proposed high-speed railway from London to Birmingham, a reality is still a potential pitfall, for all the assent that the transport secretary can give. | The hybrid bill that will give the parliamentary muscle to make HS2, the proposed high-speed railway from London to Birmingham, a reality is still a potential pitfall, for all the assent that the transport secretary can give. |
| The manufacturing and engineering group Alstom, which provided Virgin's Pendolinos for the west coast mainline as well as France's TGVs and now the state of the art Italo AGV, will doubtless be one of the prime contenders to build the trains that should ply the tracks from London to Birmingham after 2026. | The manufacturing and engineering group Alstom, which provided Virgin's Pendolinos for the west coast mainline as well as France's TGVs and now the state of the art Italo AGV, will doubtless be one of the prime contenders to build the trains that should ply the tracks from London to Birmingham after 2026. |
| Not only does the AGV hit the top speeds that the tracks allow effortlessly, it does not display anything so vulgar as a locomotive doing the pushing or pulling. | Not only does the AGV hit the top speeds that the tracks allow effortlessly, it does not display anything so vulgar as a locomotive doing the pushing or pulling. |
| Distributed traction means that where you might expect to find a locomotive is, on the Italo, the cinema car; at the other end, the Prima carriage. This, according to Pierre-Louis Bertina, boss of Alstom's Italian train operations, is the most visible difference. | Distributed traction means that where you might expect to find a locomotive is, on the Italo, the cinema car; at the other end, the Prima carriage. This, according to Pierre-Louis Bertina, boss of Alstom's Italian train operations, is the most visible difference. |
| The bigger technological advances, Bertina said, are hidden from the layman. The train's speed is capped on these tracks at 300kph, well within its capabilities. In true Ferrari and Formula One style, Alstom promises rapid "pit stop" maintenance as well as tracking technology to identify problems remotely, fix them quickly and keep the service running – an operation similar to the one it provides in the UK for Virgin. | The bigger technological advances, Bertina said, are hidden from the layman. The train's speed is capped on these tracks at 300kph, well within its capabilities. In true Ferrari and Formula One style, Alstom promises rapid "pit stop" maintenance as well as tracking technology to identify problems remotely, fix them quickly and keep the service running – an operation similar to the one it provides in the UK for Virgin. |
| While the original high speed route in Italy connecting Rome and Florence dates back to 1978, most of the shoots of the wider network have grown over the last seven years, now running from Turin to Venice, crossing the Milan to Salerno line (still under construction in parts). | While the original high speed route in Italy connecting Rome and Florence dates back to 1978, most of the shoots of the wider network have grown over the last seven years, now running from Turin to Venice, crossing the Milan to Salerno line (still under construction in parts). |
| Asked how high-speed rail changes a country, Montezemolo talked of how he had once spent an hour crossing Rome in the metro. Today, he was doing half the ancient Appian Way down to Naples in the same time. | Asked how high-speed rail changes a country, Montezemolo talked of how he had once spent an hour crossing Rome in the metro. Today, he was doing half the ancient Appian Way down to Naples in the same time. |
| Andrew Adonis, the transport minister who put HS2 in motion, thought that the economic benefits would be clear: Birmingham could in effect be part of the London economy. Montezemolo concurs: "It's like a super-metropolitan system for the while country," he said. | Andrew Adonis, the transport minister who put HS2 in motion, thought that the economic benefits would be clear: Birmingham could in effect be part of the London economy. Montezemolo concurs: "It's like a super-metropolitan system for the while country," he said. |
| In fact, it makes the journey between Italy's great classical cities virtually identical timewise to traversing London's Northern Line. That, Montezemolo might hasten to add, is where the comparison ends. | In fact, it makes the journey between Italy's great classical cities virtually identical timewise to traversing London's Northern Line. That, Montezemolo might hasten to add, is where the comparison ends. |
| Gwyn Topham was on a trip paid for by Alstom | Gwyn Topham was on a trip paid for by Alstom |
| Fast tracks | Fast tracks |
| United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| The High Speed Two route from London to Birmingham is to open in 2026, despite opposition from some people along the home counties stretch of the line. The second phase, from Birmingham to Leeds and Manchester, is expected to open in 2033, with the whole project costing £33bn. The taxpayer will fund the construction of the tracks and basic infrastructure but the government is keen to get private sector involvement in the stations. | The High Speed Two route from London to Birmingham is to open in 2026, despite opposition from some people along the home counties stretch of the line. The second phase, from Birmingham to Leeds and Manchester, is expected to open in 2033, with the whole project costing £33bn. The taxpayer will fund the construction of the tracks and basic infrastructure but the government is keen to get private sector involvement in the stations. |
| United States | United States |
| Spurred by Barack Obama's support for high speed rail early in his presidency, the California High-Speed Authority has backed a $68.4bn business plan to build a line between San Francisco and Los Angeles. However, the proposal must now get through state legislators. That will be difficult after a state-funded report criticised the proposals and recommended that the state should not provide the $2.6bn in seed funding needed to launch the project. | Spurred by Barack Obama's support for high speed rail early in his presidency, the California High-Speed Authority has backed a $68.4bn business plan to build a line between San Francisco and Los Angeles. However, the proposal must now get through state legislators. That will be difficult after a state-funded report criticised the proposals and recommended that the state should not provide the $2.6bn in seed funding needed to launch the project. |
| Turkey | Turkey |
| Turkey could be a beneficiary of China's search for lucrative infrastructure investments. The Turkish and Chinese governments are reportedly discussing a high-speed line that will travel the breadth of Turkey, linking the provinces of Edirne and Kars. The government has already embarked on an extensive high-speed rail programme, led by the construction of a line between Ankara and Istanbul. | Turkey could be a beneficiary of China's search for lucrative infrastructure investments. The Turkish and Chinese governments are reportedly discussing a high-speed line that will travel the breadth of Turkey, linking the provinces of Edirne and Kars. The government has already embarked on an extensive high-speed rail programme, led by the construction of a line between Ankara and Istanbul. |
| Brazil | Brazil |
| Brazil hopes that a high-speed link between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro will open in 2022, despite three failed attempts to find a private sector backer. Ministers remain hopeful and expect that a consortium to build the line will be chosen in 2014. | Brazil hopes that a high-speed link between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro will open in 2022, despite three failed attempts to find a private sector backer. Ministers remain hopeful and expect that a consortium to build the line will be chosen in 2014. |
| Thailand | Thailand |
| The Thai government is pushing for four lines emanating from Bangkok, with Japan and China cited as potential investors. However, the project has yet to get off the ground, with the proposals still at development stage. | The Thai government is pushing for four lines emanating from Bangkok, with Japan and China cited as potential investors. However, the project has yet to get off the ground, with the proposals still at development stage. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. |