Trolleybuses in Chieti
Encyclopedia
The Chieti trolleybus
system forms part of the public transport
network of the city and comune
of Chieti
, in the region
of Abruzzo
, central Italy
. In operation since 2009, the system comprises one urban route.
From 1950 to 1992, Chieti was served by an earlier manifestation of the same trolleybus route. Currently, 17 Italian cities or metropolitan areas have trolleybus systems, counting four where the system is a new one under construction, and of all of these, Chieti is the smallest in population. By the early 1980s, it was already the smallest Italian city to retain trolleybus service (with Carrara
second).
way that had been in operation since 1905. The system's single line connected Chieti railway station
, located in the valley of the Pescara River (in the large suburb of Chieti Scalo), with the city centre, situated on a hill.
The line's route was Madonna delle Piane - stazione FS - centro città - Sant'Anna, with an especially steep and very tortuous path between the station and the city centre.
The original line offered an excellent service for decades. However, the necessary funds to update its technology were lacking (except for the renewal of the trolleybus fleet in the mid-1980s). Thus, in 1992, due to the poor condition of the overhead wires, it was deemed necessary to suspend the service until such time that a thorough repair or complete reconstruction could be undertaken. The reconstruction work, originally expected to take place within just a few years, was delayed by lack of funding and did not finally begin until 2002, then dragged on for several more years, with many breaks. The service was finally reactivated on 26 September 2009.
This article is based upon a translation of the Italian language version as at July 2011.
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
system forms part of the public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
network of the city and comune
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
of Chieti
Chieti
Chieti is a city and comune in Central Italy, 200 km northeast of Rome. It is the capital of the Province of Chieti in the Abruzzo region...
, in the region
Regions of Italy
The regions of Italy are the first-level administrative divisions of the state, constituting its first NUTS administrative level. There are twenty regions, of which five are constitutionally given a broader amount of autonomy granted by special statutes....
of Abruzzo
Abruzzo
Abruzzo is a region in Italy, its western border lying less than due east of Rome. Abruzzo borders the region of Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and south-west, Molise to the south-east, and the Adriatic Sea to the east...
, central Italy
Central Italy
Central Italy is one of the five official statistical regions of Italy used by the National Institute of Statistics , a first level NUTS region and a European Parliament constituency...
. In operation since 2009, the system comprises one urban route.
From 1950 to 1992, Chieti was served by an earlier manifestation of the same trolleybus route. Currently, 17 Italian cities or metropolitan areas have trolleybus systems, counting four where the system is a new one under construction, and of all of these, Chieti is the smallest in population. By the early 1980s, it was already the smallest Italian city to retain trolleybus service (with Carrara
Carrara
Carrara is a city and comune in the province of Massa-Carrara , notable for the white or blue-grey marble quarried there. It is on the Carrione River, some west-northwest of Florence....
second).
History
The original Chieti trolleybus system was inaugurated on 16 July 1950, in place of an obsolete tramTram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
way that had been in operation since 1905. The system's single line connected Chieti railway station
Chieti railway station
Chieti railway station serves the city and comune of Chieti, in the region of Abruzzo, southern Italy. Opened in 1873, it forms part of the Rome–Sulmona–Pescara railway....
, located in the valley of the Pescara River (in the large suburb of Chieti Scalo), with the city centre, situated on a hill.
The line's route was Madonna delle Piane - stazione FS - centro città - Sant'Anna, with an especially steep and very tortuous path between the station and the city centre.
The original line offered an excellent service for decades. However, the necessary funds to update its technology were lacking (except for the renewal of the trolleybus fleet in the mid-1980s). Thus, in 1992, due to the poor condition of the overhead wires, it was deemed necessary to suspend the service until such time that a thorough repair or complete reconstruction could be undertaken. The reconstruction work, originally expected to take place within just a few years, was delayed by lack of funding and did not finally begin until 2002, then dragged on for several more years, with many breaks. The service was finally reactivated on 26 September 2009.
Current services
Line 1 is currently operated as the route Piazzale dei Martiri Pennesi (Madonna delle Piane) - railway station (Chieti Scalo) - city centre - Sant'Anna, with a limited number of trolleybuses, operating on their own only in the morning; in the afternoons and during holidays, the trolleybuses are supplemented with diesel powered buses.Plans
There is a planned extension from the Madonna delle Piane terminus to Colle dell’Ara, this has already been built, but is not yet in service due to an absence of official approval, and the inadequacy of the trolleybus fleet. Additional drivers are also being trained to obtain a trolleybus driver's license, and three new trolleybuses are on order.Retired trolleybuses
The following trolleybuses were used on Chieti's first trolleybus system:- Fiat 668F: Chieti's original fleet of these trolleybuses was supplemented in the 1960s by the acquisition of four more from the Genoa trolleybus systemTrolleybuses in GenoaThe Genoa trolleybus system forms part of the public transport network of the city and comune of Genoa, in the region of Liguria, northern Italy...
. - Menarini 201 FLU (nos. 212–221): replaced the Fiat 668Fs in late 1985 or early 1986.
Current fleet
Chieti's present trolleybus fleet is made up of only the following:- Menarini 201 FLU (nos. 212–221): seven of the ten trolleybuses acquired in 1985 have been completely refurbished and given a two-tone yellow-green livery: Nos. 212, 213, 215, 217, 219, 220 and 221. The remaining 3 were scrapped after being cannibalizedCannibalization of machine partsCannibalization of machine parts, in maintenance of mechanical or electronic systems with interchangeable parts, refers to the practice of removing parts or subsystems necessary for repair from another similar device, rather than from inventory, usually when resources become limited...
for spare parts for the remainder of the fleet.
External links
- Images of the Chieti trolleybus system, at photorail.com
- Images of the Chieti trolleybus system, at railfaneurope.net
This article is based upon a translation of the Italian language version as at July 2011.