European Railroad Discussion > More Steam In Italy in the 70's

Here is more Italy Pics. Fortezza-San Candido Line
(1) 740 class 2-8-0 departs Villabassa Station with freight.  March 1975
(2) 740 class and 741 at Fortezza engine shed Summer 1974
(3) 741 bursts out of tunnel with a train to San Candido 1974
Photos copyright Greg Scholl 
gregschollvideo.com
 

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In March 1975 one of my goals was to catch the Saturday Ski Train to San Candido.  Why you ask--well it had generally been running with two engines on the front and one on the rear.  So I hiked down from Valdaora where I was staying near the station to this scenic location outside of town.  Unfortunately growlers were in charge on this day.

(1) Diesels on the Ski Train from Fortezza to San Candido at this lovely location with the big horseshoe curve.  While I was not happy that the Ski Train was diesel instead of steam, I did eventually get a 740 class on the daily freight, and a 741 on the daily passenger train at this spot.

(2) Here is the same lovely spot on a nice summer day in 1974.  We got great weather in Italy during this visit, and perhaps the best weather of the trip.
   A 741 with Crosti boiler is pulling the daily passenger train about a half mile from Valdaora Station.

(3) Same train a bit closer but without the church.  The horsehoe curve can be seen across the valley, where the train was before passing the church.

copyright Greg Scholl
 

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Beautiful photos -- I am not familiar with that location for a stack, or smokebox location...

Oh, here is a discussion, just a bit earlier than this post:   https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?17,4718596
 

Really enjoying your vintage European steam photos. 

Wonderful photos, I wonder how much the scenery has changed since they were taken. On Italian locomotives is the engineer on the right or left side? If on the right it would seem that side mounted stack would be in the way.
Charlie

1.  I don't know about the scenery, but the line was electrified and is operated with modern MU cars.

2.  The engineer is on the left, as FS operates left-handed.

3.  I'd like to see more views of the train consist in the fourth photograph, which has apparently run through from Germany.  Was there also a diesel pusher ?

Best, SZ

Great pictures! It looks like the Italian authorities relaxed a bit, maybe the southern Tyrolian separatist stopped blowing up railroad lines by 1974. On our 1971 visit to the Fortezza we were promptly stopped by the carabinieri, and the stations to San Candido were guarded by police as well.

Thomas Eckhardt

Thanks for sharing.

Picture 2 is very nice.

Steinzeit2 Wrote:
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> 1.  I don't know about the scenery, but the line
> was electrified and is operated with modern MU
> cars.

In 1974 we got at least one diesel railcar set as I remember getting it on film at a tunnel.  We were dismayed it wasn't steam!!!
>
> 2.  The engineer is on the left, as FS operates
> left-handed.
>
Good to know, as it makes sense the stack is on the firemans side.

> 3.  I'd like to see more views of the train
> consist in the fourth photograph, which has
> apparently run through from Germany.  Was there
> also a diesel pusher ?

No I do not believe there was power on the rear.  This was a Weekley Ski Train, which was a big deal.  We subscribed to a periodical called
"World Steam" which made special mention of it and this location was a great spot.  I was able to walk about half a mile from the hotel which was near the station.  When steam it generally had 3 engines, with two on the front and one on the rear.  Its very likely folks came from Germany, Austria, and Italy due to proximity.  I am going to start another thread regarding the turning tracks at San Candido.
Greg
>
> Best, SZ