New tilting train for the Zürich/Geneva to Milan services.

[M. Hardy-Randall]

Yesterday in Zürich main station there appeared a new train for the services on the Zürich, Basel and Geneva to Milan services. The train a Cisalpino II ETR610 was designed and built by Alstom Ferroviaria and is currently running over two years behind schedule in its implementation into service. The tilt system which has been greatly improved since the original Cisalpino I ETR470 permits about a 35% increase in speed on the tight 300 metre radius curves of the Gotthard when compared to standard trains. A maximum speed of 250 km/h is possible, but this will only be achieved for any length of time on the high speed lines of Italy. On the Basel to Milan service the train will be able to increase speed on the Neubaustrecke or new construction line between Olten and Bern, and through the newly opened Lötschberg tunnel between Frutigen and Brig. On the Gotthard no high speed sections are in existence as yet, and it will be 2017 when the new low level 52 km long tunnel will open for high speed traffic.

Cisalpino the operator of the trains is a consortium formed by the Swiss Federal Railways and Trenitalia. Currently the new train will commence trials in service on the Geneva to Milan service.

For the photo gallery on the new and older trains of Cisalpino go to http://www.cisalpino.com/go/ETR-6106

Malcolm