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| E.656 | |
|---|---|
| Name | E.656 |
| Powertype | Electric |
| Builder | Ansaldo, Fiat Ferroviaria, TIBB |
| Builddate | 1975–1989 |
| Totalproduction | 300 |
| Wheelarrangement | Bo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′ |
| Electricsystem | 3 kV DC |
| Maxspeed | 200 km/h |
| Poweroutput | 6,220 kW |
| Operator | Trenitalia, Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane |
E.656 is an Italian class of electric locomotive introduced in the mid-1970s and widely used for passenger and freight service across Italy. Designed for versatility and high tractive effort, these locomotives became a backbone of Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane operations, displacing older classes and supporting intercity networks such as the Direttissima and routes connecting Milan, Rome, and Naples. Built by consortiums including Ansaldo and Fiat Ferroviaria, the class saw extensive use with operators like Trenitalia and later private railways.
The design emerged from requirements set by Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane in the early 1970s to replace aging electric types used on mainlines serving Turin, Genoa, and Bologna. Influences included contemporary projects at Ansaldo and electrical systems developed by TIBB engineers collaborating with Fiat Ferroviaria design teams. The dual-section Bo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′ arrangement addressed axle load limits on bridges and viaducts such as those on the approaches to Florence and the mountainous lines to Bolzano. Prototype testing incorporated facilities at the Pistoia test plant and trials on the Direttissima high-speed corridor.
The class features a two-section semi-permanent coupling with each section having four powered axles, using traction motors derived from TIBB designs also employed on contemporary Italian EMUs. Running on 3 kV DC overhead supplied by catenary systems used across Italy, electrical control used rectifiers and chopper regulation developed by Ansaldo. Braking systems combined rheostatic and pneumatic equipment supplied by Fiat Ferroviaria and Bronze-manufactured components tested on haulage trials alongside locomotives at Pistoia. Bogies were designed with primary and secondary suspension units similar to those used on locomotives serving the Mediterranean corridor, enabling a maximum speed of 200 km/h and continuous power output around 6,220 kW.
Introduced between 1975 and 1989, the locomotives entered service on routes linking Milan–Rome, coastal runs to Bari, and Alpine services to Venezia. Deployment patterns shifted with the liberalization of Italian rail services; units operated by Trenitalia and later leased to private operators supplemented fleets on regional and long-distance services. The class replaced older electric types on key trunk lines and remained active during the electrification expansions reaching Pescara and Taranto.
Operators praised the class for tractive effort suited to heavy regional consists and fast intercity trains running from Naples to Milan. The locomotives demonstrated robust performance on gradients such as those on the approaches to Florence and the Apennine crossings toward Bologna, often paired with modern coaching stock from Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane and Trenitalia pendolino services in non-tilting roles. Maintenance regimes were centralized at works in Rome and Milan, where overhauls addressed traction motor wear and control electronics legacy components developed by Ansaldo.
Throughout service life, several retrofit programs delivered upgrades: improved control electronics from TIBB-derived suppliers, modifications for multiple-unit compatibility with Trenitalia control systems, and enhancements to cooling systems for operations in southern Italy and Sicily. Some units received gearing changes to optimize top speed versus tractive effort for dedicated passenger duties on the Direttissima, while others were reinforced for freight workings to ports such as Genoa and Trieste.
Originally delivered in liveries selected by Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, the locomotives wore schemes reflecting corporate identities over decades, including liveries used during the 1980s modernization and later Trenitalia branding. Units leased or sold to private operators adopted company colors seen on routes serving hubs like Bologna Centrale and Torino Porta Nuova. Identification numbers and class platework followed national numbering practices used by Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane and regulatory marking standards applicable across Italy.
Several examples entered preservation with railway museums and heritage lines, maintained by groups associated with institutions such as the Museo Nazionale Ferroviario di Pietrarsa and volunteer preservation societies operating excursions to stations like Naples Centrale and La Spezia. The class is remembered in photographic archives documenting the transformation of Italian mainline traction during the late 20th century, featuring in publications concerned with the fleets of Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, railfan societies, and museum exhibitions on Italian industrial heritage.
Category:Electric locomotives of Italy Category:Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane rolling stock