FS Class E444
Encyclopedia
The FS
E444 is a class of Italian railways electric locomotive
s. They were introduced in the course of the 1960 until 1975. Starting from 1995, all E444s were upgraded as E444R.
The locomotives are nicknamed Tartaruga (turtle).
and the French TGV
were appearing). Italian railways could boast fast trains like the ETR 200
, but they were getting old and the Pendolino
project was just moving its first paces.
The first 4 prototypes, built at Savigliano
, made their debut in 1967-1968: their power output 3,000 kW was respectable for the time, but they proved unable to held the fast international services required for the new locomotive, and the bogies were limited to 180 km/h. They proved anyway that Italian industry could produce locomotive capable of more than 200 km/h was registered on November 8, 1967 in the maiden trip Rome-Milan.
The series production saw the introduction of the more powerful T750 motors, which boosted the power to 4,200 kW, while the boogies were upgraded for 200 km/h. The frontal part was improved and made more aerodynamic. A characteristic livery with two blue stripes on a pale grey background was adopted. The first 50 units proved successful, and the Ferrovie dello Stato
(FS) ordered 60 more to be built starting from 1972. 16 units were adapted for feeding at 1,5 kV dc. During 1974 two locomotives (units 056 and 057) were provided with a "shunt chopper" system (later the modifies applied were rolled back, making the two units identical to standard ones again), while in 1975 the 444.005 adopted a "full chopper" electronic system, which was later also adopted on the E632
/E633 classes, and which granted a 5,000 kW peak power.
Curiously, the fact that the E444s were often used on old lines and coupled to not advanced coaches, usually hampered their performances. For example, only with the adoption of second-generation coaches, like the Grand Comfort type, trains driven by E444 could replace the old ETR 300
in the Milan-Rome fast service.
groups and the braking system were adapted for high speed service, while later it was also decided to update the driving cabin, which had been always noisy at high speed. A new, profiled frontal was thus adopted, together with a pearl grey-red livery. The modified units (for a total of 97) were re-christened E444R ("R" standing for riqualificazione, meaning "re-qualification", but also known as "Ribollita" among personnel, meaning something like "Reheated soup").
E444R are in widespread service with FS-Trenitalia for fast Intercity and express services.
Ferrovie dello Stato
Ferrovie dello Stato is a government-owned holding which manage infrastructure and service on the Italian rail network. The subsidiary Trenitalia is the main rail operator in Italy.-Organization:Ferrovie dello Stato subsidiaries are:...
E444 is a class of Italian railways electric locomotive
Electric locomotive
An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...
s. They were introduced in the course of the 1960 until 1975. Starting from 1995, all E444s were upgraded as E444R.
The locomotives are nicknamed Tartaruga (turtle).
E444 standard
The E444 locomotive was designed in the 1960s as the first Italian electric locomotive capable to reach 200 km/h (in that period first high-speed trains like the Japanese ShinkansenShinkansen
The , also known as THE BULLET TRAIN, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen in 1964, the network has expanded to currently consist of of lines with maximum speeds of , of Mini-shinkansen with a...
and the French TGV
TGV
The TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
were appearing). Italian railways could boast fast trains like the ETR 200
ETR 200
The ETR 200 is an Italian electric multiple unit introduced in 1936.-Development:In the 1930s the Italian state railways, Ferrovie dello Stato, electrified the main line Milan-Bologna-Florence-Rome-Naples and needed a fast train to use on it and on other newly-electrified ones...
, but they were getting old and the Pendolino
Pendolino
Pendolino is an Italian family of tilting trains used in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Slovenia, Finland, Russian Federation, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Slovakia, Switzerland, China and shortly in Romania and Poland...
project was just moving its first paces.
The first 4 prototypes, built at Savigliano
Savigliano
Savigliano is a comune of Piedmont, northern Italy, in the Province of Cuneo, c. 50 kilometers south of Turin by rail....
, made their debut in 1967-1968: their power output 3,000 kW was respectable for the time, but they proved unable to held the fast international services required for the new locomotive, and the bogies were limited to 180 km/h. They proved anyway that Italian industry could produce locomotive capable of more than 200 km/h was registered on November 8, 1967 in the maiden trip Rome-Milan.
The series production saw the introduction of the more powerful T750 motors, which boosted the power to 4,200 kW, while the boogies were upgraded for 200 km/h. The frontal part was improved and made more aerodynamic. A characteristic livery with two blue stripes on a pale grey background was adopted. The first 50 units proved successful, and the Ferrovie dello Stato
Ferrovie dello Stato
Ferrovie dello Stato is a government-owned holding which manage infrastructure and service on the Italian rail network. The subsidiary Trenitalia is the main rail operator in Italy.-Organization:Ferrovie dello Stato subsidiaries are:...
(FS) ordered 60 more to be built starting from 1972. 16 units were adapted for feeding at 1,5 kV dc. During 1974 two locomotives (units 056 and 057) were provided with a "shunt chopper" system (later the modifies applied were rolled back, making the two units identical to standard ones again), while in 1975 the 444.005 adopted a "full chopper" electronic system, which was later also adopted on the E632
FS Class E632
The FS E632 and E633 are two classes of Italian railways electric locomotives. They were introduced in the course of the 1980s.The locomotives are nicknamed Tigre .-History:...
/E633 classes, and which granted a 5,000 kW peak power.
Curiously, the fact that the E444s were often used on old lines and coupled to not advanced coaches, usually hampered their performances. For example, only with the adoption of second-generation coaches, like the Grand Comfort type, trains driven by E444 could replace the old ETR 300
ETR 300
ETR 300, also known as Settebello, is a series of Italian fast EMU trains formerly operated by Ferrovie dello Stato. Thanks to its aerodynamically low-drag profile, it boasted a maximum speed of 200 km/h, with a power output of 2600 kW.-External links:**...
in the Milan-Rome fast service.
E444R
The introduction of fast lines showed the age of the E444. It was therefore commissioned a program to upgrade all units to a new standard. That statorStator
The stator is the stationary part of a rotor system, found in an electric generator, electric motor and biological rotors.Depending on the configuration of a spinning electromotive device the stator may act as the field magnet, interacting with the armature to create motion, or it may act as the...
groups and the braking system were adapted for high speed service, while later it was also decided to update the driving cabin, which had been always noisy at high speed. A new, profiled frontal was thus adopted, together with a pearl grey-red livery. The modified units (for a total of 97) were re-christened E444R ("R" standing for riqualificazione, meaning "re-qualification", but also known as "Ribollita" among personnel, meaning something like "Reheated soup").
E444R are in widespread service with FS-Trenitalia for fast Intercity and express services.