A tilting train is a train that has a mechanism enabling increased speed on regular rail tracks. As a train rounds a curve at speed, objects inside the train experience centrifugal force. This can cause packages to slide about or seated passengers to feel squashed by the outboard armrest, and standing passengers to lose their balance, or in such excessive speeds, could even cause the train to derail. Tilting trains are designed to counteract this by tilting the carriages towards the inside of the curve, thus compensating for the g-force. The train may be constructed such that inertial forces cause the tilting, or it may have a computer-controlled powered mechanism.
Pendolino is an Italian family of high-speed tilting trains used in Italy, Spain, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Finland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, the UK, the US, Switzerland, China, and Greece. It was also used in Russia from December 12, 2010 until March 26, 2022. Based on the design of the Italian ETR 401, it was further developed and manufactured by Fiat Ferroviaria, which was taken over by Alstom in 2000.
The British Rail Class 390 Pendolino is a type of electric high-speed passenger train operated by Avanti West Coast in the United Kingdom, leased from Angel Trains. They are electric multiple units using Fiat Ferroviaria's tilting train Pendolino technology and built by Alstom. Fifty-three units were originally built between 2001 and 2004 for operation on the West Coast Main Line (WCML). They were ordered as eight-car units, later extended to nine cars, of which some were then lengthened further to 11 cars. These new 11-car trains were renumbered as the subclass 390/1. The trains of the original batch were the last to be assembled at Alstom's Washwood Heath plant, before its closure in 2005. The remaining trains in the fleet were built in Italy.
Eurostar Italia was the name given to high-speed trains operated by Trenitalia in Italy. The brand was discontinued and replaced with Le Frecce in December 2012.
ETR 450 was the first series Italian tilting train.
The New Pendolino is a class of high-speed tilting trains built by Alstom Ferroviaria for Trenitalia and Cisalpino.
The AGV is a standard gauge, high-speed, electric multiple-unit train designed and built by Alstom.
High-speed rail in Italy consists of two lines connecting most of the country's major cities. The first line connects Turin to Salerno via Milan, Bologna, Florence, Rome and Naples, the second runs from Turin to Venice via Milan and Verona, and is under construction in parts. Trains are operated with a top speed of 300 km/h (190 mph).
ETR 470 is a high-speed tilting electric multiple unit, which is now only operated by the Greek company, Hellenic Train. Introduced in September 1996, nine units were built for the Italo-Swiss firm Cisalpino. They were made by Fiat Ferroviaria, and could tilt up to 8°. Today, there are five trains in Greece.
The Sm3 Pendolino is a class of high-speed body-tilting trains operated by VR Group. It is a member of the Pendolino train family; its design is based on the ETR 460. The first two trainsets were assembled in Finland by Rautaruukki-Transtech in the mid-1990s. The rest of the series of eighteen EMUs were built by Fiat Ferroviaria between 2000 and 2006. The trains serve most of Finland's major cities such as Helsinki, Turku, Oulu and Joensuu with a maximum speed of 220 km/h (140 mph), although this speed is only attained between Kerava and Lahti. The train has a power output of 4,000 kW (5,400 hp) and weighs 328 tonnes.
The ETR 480 is a tilting Electric Multiple Unit built by Fiat Ferroviaria since 1993, It is also known as Pendolino. It was developed from the first new-generation Pendolino, the ETR 460. The main difference between ETR 460, ETR 470 and ETR 480 is that the 460 run only on 3 kV DC, the 470 on both 3 kV DC and 15 kV AC, and the 480 on both 3 kV DC and 25 kV 50 Hz AC.
High-speed rail (HSR) has developed in Europe as an increasingly popular and efficient means of transport. The first high-speed rail lines on the continent, built in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, improved travel times on intra-national corridors.
Frecciarossa is a high-speed train of the Italian national train operator, Trenitalia, as well as a member of the train category Le Frecce. The name, which, if spelt "Freccia rossa" means "Red arrow" in English, was introduced in 2008 after it had previously been known as Eurostar Italia. Frecciarossa trains operate at speeds of up to 300 km/h (190 mph). Frecciarossa is the premier service of Trenitalia and competes with italo, operated by Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori.
The ETR 460 is an electric multiple unit (EMU) tilting train produced by FIAT Ferroviaria since 1993. It is also known as the Pendolino after the family of trains from which it comes.
ETR 500 is a family of Italian high-speed trains built by AnsaldoBreda and introduced in 1993.
The Grodzisk Mazowiecki–Zawiercie railway better known as the Central Rail Line, designated by Polish national railway infrastructure manager PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe as rail line number 4, is a 224 km (139 mi) long railway line in Poland between Zawiercie outside the Katowice urban area and Grodzisk Mazowiecki in the suburbs of Warsaw.
The Frecciarossa 1000, is a high-speed train operated by Italian state railway operator Trenitalia and the private Spanish high-speed rail operator Iryo. It was co-developed as a joint venture between Italian rail manufacturer Hitachi Rail Italy and multinational conglomerate Alstom. Both design and production work were divided between the two partner companies.
Frecciargento is a high-speed train of the Italian national train operator, Trenitalia, as one of its Le Frecce brands. The name, which means "Silver Arrow", was introduced in 2012; these trains were previously branded as Eurostar Italia. Frecciargento trains operate at speeds of up to 250 kilometres per hour (155 mph).
Frecciabianca is a high-speed train operated by Trenitalia, Italy's national train operator, and one of its Le Frecce brands, along with Frecciarossa and Frecciargento. Frecciabianca was introduced in 2011, replacing Eurostar City Italia. Frecciabianca trains operate at speeds up to 200 km/h (124 mph).
Le Frecce is the high-speed rail train category operated by Trenitalia in Italy.
