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PRESERVED ITALIAN DMUS |
by Filippo Ricci |
FIAT 1930s designs
Fiat is the
biggest Italian builder of cars, buses and lorries so not surprisingly
they adopted standard lorry components including engines and
mechanical gearboxes.
Construction
was based on a lightweight steel structure covered with thin aluminium
panels.
As all the
other 1930s designs coupling was a rigid bar and motors were fixed to
the bogies.
Top speed
was 70 mph unless otherwise stated.
Picture courtesy of Stefano Paolini www.photorail.com
Above: Nearest the camera is Ln 55 104 trailer which was Alb 48 105 a member of the first Italian railcar class dating from 1933.
Propulsion
was given by two 120 hp petrol engines.
Of the 15
original members seven were converted to trailers in 1954-55 and as
more seats were added in place of the two cabs capacity increased from
48 to 55.
While
unconverted units were scrapped in the 1950s some trailers lasted
until 1984.
The
preserved example can be seen in the National Railway Museum near
Naples.
Picture courtesy of Stefano Paolini www.photorail.com
Alb 56
design is a direct evolution of Alb 48 with two 75 hp petrol engines.
This 50
strong class was built in 1935 and worked until the early 1960s but
two bought by a private railway soldiered on until 1978 although by
then fitted with 115 hp diesel engines.
One of
these Aln 56.136 is preserved by Museo Ferroviario Piemontese in Turin
but is still unrestored.
Picture courtesy of Stefano Paolini www.photorail.com
These 25
units were built for express work so they had 40 comfortable first
class seats and a kitchen and top speed raised to 80 mph.
Built in
1936 they were the second design to be fitted with diesel engines: two
of 145 hp each.
During the
war five were sold to a private local railway near Turin which fitted
them with 70 wooden seats.
While the
ones in FS ownership were withdrawn by 1969 these five soldiered on
until the early 1980s when 40 004 was given an overhaul and a repaint
in original colours.
It is kept
in working order and used on enthusiasts specials.
Picture used from www.photorail.com
by courtesy of Stefano Paolini
Aln 556
group was formed by no less than 200 units built 1937-40; they were
fitted with two 115 hp diesel engines and for the first time in Italy
with MU jumpers.
Withdrawals
started in 1968 and were completed in 1979 but Aln 556.1202 was saved
for the National Railway Museum (you can see it in the first picture
in second position).
Five more
were to a private local railway in 1970 and two 556.1236 & 1277 are still stored at Sermide near
Ferrara but future is uncertain for these as restoration or scrapping
were often considered in the last twenty years since their demise in
1987.
Picture used from www.photorail.com
by courtesy of Stefano Paolini
This Aln
776 is an enlarged version of the previously detailed Aln 556 class:
they have more powerful 145 hp engines and seated 60 standard class
and 16 first class passengers and had also a guard/ brake compartment.
Only seven of these were built for a private local railway in 1940 but later
absorbed by FS in 1961.
They worked
until 1971 but fortunately one Aln 776.1001 was sold to a sawmill to
be used as an office were it survived until it was bought by Museo
Ferroviario Piemontese last year (2004).
Picture used from www.photorail.com
by courtesy of Stefano Paolini
These nine units were close relatives of Aln 556 but with a number of unique
features due to their use on the only standard gauge rack railway in
Italy.
MU
capability was deemed unnecessary, a cog wheel was mounted on each
bogie for emergency braking and top speed was reduced to 50 mph to
increase tractive effort.
This was
necessary in order to climb 1 in 14 inclines unassisted at 12 mph.
After the
line closure in 1987 one Aln 56.1903 was exported to the USA in 1991
to be exhibited at the Gold Coast Railway Museum.