Railways - Italy: Books - History and Rolling Stock

Treni e ferrovie del Piemonte

In this volume, the result of years of research and extensive editorial experience on the subject, Diego Vaschetto describes the history and technical features of Piedmontese railways from their origins to the present day. From the Turin-Genoa, the first railway of the newborn Kingdom of Italy, to the Turin-Modane, benefiting from the futuristic (for its time) Fréjus tunnel.

The network of small secondary railways around Turin, and the hubs of Chivasso, Acqui Terme, Cuneo, Casale Monferrato, and Novara, emerged to facilitate connections with the capital, often supporting industrial development, now only surviving as railway traces, sometimes preserved as tourist railways. Additionally, it explores the present, with the new high-speed Torino-Milano line, where trains travel at nearly 400 kilometers per hour.

Each chapter details the railway line's history and engineering works, rolling stock description, and the events that shaped its birth and development. Bridging the past and present, this book narrates the railways and trains of Piedmont, with a remarkable collection of vintage and contemporary images, in-depth insights, and specially crafted maps.

Text in Italian.

Treni di montagna - Le più belle ferrovie delle Alpi

Since the inception of European railway transportation, the towering mountains have posed a challenge - technological, conceptual, even aesthetic - for nations bordering the Alpine range. Overcoming environmental obstacles like steep slopes, inaccessible terrain, and extreme weather, railways in the Alps stand as remarkable testaments to European railway ingenuity.

Bold viaducts, helical tunnels, cogwheel systems, narrow-gauge railways, and locomotives designed for steep gradients showcase a unique array of technical solutions, still enabling travelers to reach some of the most breathtaking mountain vistas by train.

This volume explores the Alpine railways, delving into the historical events and technical features of each railway, from engineering marvels to rolling stock. From the Mont Blanc glaciers to the Jungfraujoch, from the Roya Valley to Lake Geneva, and spanning Liguria, Piedmont, Lombardy, France, and Switzerland.

For each route, detailed maps, a rich and unique photographic collection, historical and technical insights, a discovery itinerary, and practical information are provided to assist in organizing journeys on Europe's most significant mountain trains.

Text in Italian.

Ferrovia Adriatica. Da Rimini a Otranto in treno

From Rimini to Otranto the Adriatic Railway extends for 735 km. The book proposes a journey through images. On a route from north to south we see not only the natural succession of places, but we also embrace the most diverse eras, juxtaposing images of obsolete steam engines and old stations with fast electric trains and modern systems in the various locations.

Around the trains and stations, the protagonists, a whole disappeared or contemporary world is highlighted in the background, a yesterday and a today united by being chapters of the same story, which with continuity from the nineteenth century reaches the present day to project itself towards tomorrow.

Text in Italian.

Le più belle ferrovie secondarie d'Italia - Il centro-Nord

Diego Vaschetto leads readers to explore some of the most important secondary railways in Northern and Central Italy. These are lesser-known routes, distant from major railway hubs, some still active, others only served by highly captivating tourist trains, and some transformed into extraordinary cycling routes of historical and environmental significance.

From the Turin-Aosta to the Terni-Rieti-L'Aquila-Sulmona lines, and from the Brescia-Edolo to the renowned Porrettana, and the railway of the Val d'Orcia to the Novara-Varallo Sesia line, each railway is detailed with its history, route description, engineering works, rolling stock chronology, detailed maps, visiting itineraries, technical insights, and a specially crafted iconographic collection.

Secondary railways covered include:
- Ivrea-Aosta and Aosta-Pré-Saint-Didier lines
- Turin-Ceres railway
- Cuneo-Nice (Ventimiglia) railway
- Turin-Savona railway
- Asti-Genoa railway and Acqui Terme junction
- Novara-Pino railway
- Brescia-Edolo railway
- Porrettana railway (Bologna-Pistoia)
- Garfagnana railway (Aulla-Lucca)
- Terni-Rieti-L'Aquila-Sulmona railway
- Additionally, tourist railways and cycle paths include:
- Ceva-Ormea railway
- Novara-Varallo Sesia railway
- Val d'Orcia railway (Asciano-Monte Antico)
- Sulmona-Roccaraso-Isernia railway
- 19th-century railway between Sestri Levante and Levanto
- Spoleto-Norcia railway.

Text in Italian.