Italy starts introducing hybrid trains on regional railways

The new Blues model can be triple-powered

The Italian railway company (Trenitalia) is set to start replacing the diesel trains still running on many of its regional routes with new hybrid trains, called Blues. Reportedly, these will be the first hybrid regional trains to run on the railways. They are designed to rely on a triple power supply (electric, battery and diesel), which should allow a 50% reduction in fuel consumption and as a consequence, it will make them much cleaner and environmentally friendly.

A total of 110 Blues trains will travel on the railway lines of Valle d’Aosta, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Tuscany, Lazio, Calabria, Sicily and Sardinia. The first deliveries are expected starting this year in Tuscany, where 40% of the new trains will be sent.

What is the Blues hybrid train?

Since the region of Tuscany will be the first recipient of the new vehicles, there is already a model on display in Piazza della Repubblica in Florence – the first stop of a promotional campaign to raise awareness among the population about the renovation of the train fleet towards sustainability.

The capability of the hybrid vehicle is to become green and silent when it approaches urban centres, with fuel savings of up to 50%. It is made almost entirely of recyclable materials and equipped with air quality sensors that automatically regulate air conditioning. 

The train can reach 160 km per hour and has bike racks and battery chargers. There is also a play area for children. It can have up to 300 seats and will be used in particular on the non-electrified line most used by commuters. The Blues is also equipped with Ertms, the most advanced railway signalling system in Europe.

The internal and external LED lighting system, the intelligent management of consumption of the air conditioning system and the Green Drive (driver information system) and Smart Parking functions allow to reduce energy consumption to a minimum. The positioning of the traction components on the roof of the train is also an advantage in favour of the larger interior spaces.