DIESEL FS ON SECOND HAND

Italian private railways have always search second hand rolling stock on foreigner market. But some changes have been occured: in a few cases - since 1988 - italian societies preferred to get homebased locos, buying diesel units stored by FS. In this way, we can still see locos such as D.341 that on national network is just a nice remembrance. Notmentioning scarse mechanical conditions, they still do regular daily works on freight trains, except for those cases (FCU, FUC) where is freight service in darkly future. The first railway which get FS loco was SATTI - FTC of Torino, in 1988. That units were D.341.2016, 2021, 2026 and 2028. Because re-electrification of the torinese line for Lanzo/Ceres, it was necessary search for adapt machines which will have to trail 4/5 coaches compositions, so they did this choice. After a rental service period, locos were bought definitively and they did common services in original colors and original road numbers until 1992. Still in 1996 one unit was in transfer work in Torino Dora station', but now they are all stored for withdrawn. In 1989 the LFI of Arezzo bought 2 similar units D.341 - n°1041 and 1063 - and in 1990 n°1051 used for internal pieces. When in Arezzo depot, our locos get MU and a new livery in black and red, like old electric FS loco. They are regularly used with heavy freights on Casentino's line and with some shunting trains on Arezzo-S.Giuliano branch, rarely in MU. N° 1041 is now stored. In 1990 has come a selling "boom" for this class' loco, because 7 units taken the way for private metals of FBP and FCU. In Bologna went n°1019 and 1020; the first one for replacing pieces, the second with the number changen in 341 DE.501 and with new red and black colors, like DE.424 locos of preceeding SV. Until 1993 this unit was heading rare freights for Budrio, then was exchangen with another loco of udinese sister FUC, ex SV family. Here she did alternate works, as freight traffic went up and down in regularity. From 1995 'till 1997 Moimacco's container facility was functioning well and in full business and our loco was heading long and heavy container freights. Then - with the intelligent well-known politic of Regione Friuli - all shut down and now no services have the red 341 on trail. Other 5 units have gone on umbria's line FCU, with heavy coke freights for electric facility in Bastardo, near Marsciano' station. Units 1022, 1029, 1039, 1042 and 1049 are in original livery, like 1066 unit, arrived in Umbertide's depot in 1993. Initially services were just nocturnal, with some trips between Perugia P.S.G. and Marsciano, where coke containers get transferred on trucks bound for the facility. This traffic is now quite completely extinct, so our locos - those remaining in function - do just revenue light freights between Todi and Sansepolcro. Just 2 units are still in service on FCU. Even if not private railways, it's nice remember the locos of this class now working in HUPAC container terminal in Busto Arsizio and those in track-gang services. The next group looking interesting for private societies has been D.343 of FS. 11 units have gone far from FS rails since 1990. First were D.343.1001, 1005 and 1021 bought by FSE, already owners of some other units in leasing. In 1992 came 1015, 1027 and 1039. By then, there are 6 D.343 in original colors in service with freight and passenger revenue services on this big pugliese network. Road numbers have been changen in FSE style: BB.164 to 169 respectively. All these units are in service. Again in 1990, after a many years rent of various machines, the SNFT bought 1 unit - D.343.1034 - that ran regularly in a Cne fleet with heavy iron freights to Valcamonica. This loco remained in FS colors until 1994, when for a periodical manutention, she get orange and black paint, like other stock of the society. But the mechanical work goes long: the engine sand to Rimini FS shops for renewal don't come back, so this loco rest as an empty carcass in depot for about 5 (!!!) years. In 1999 the engine has come, but because burocratical problems, loco is still resting out of service in Iseo's depot. In 1991 is FAA - Sangritana that buy 3 units of this class: 1003, 1014 and 1038. First one is just for pieces, the other two are at the head of branch trains of automobile wagons on the line that goes from Torino d.S. to FIAT-SEVEL facility. N°1014 - now 343 D.29 - is still in FS colors; 1038 - 343 D.28 - came out with FAA paint in green and grey. When in 1997 the Ortona-Caldari line is re-opened for freight traffic, this unit is sent there but, in 1999, while shunting, the loco lost his brakes and went down on the line uncontrolled for 7 kilometers - hurting no one - crashing on a curve near Ortona city station. Now it rests under a blu vinyl in the ex Ortona city station. Replacing this lost machine was hard, but in 2000 FAA get a same class unit until then possessed by Transminter, since 1995. This is ex D.343.1010, now paint in green and yellow and silver. It did service on FIAT facility rails in Menfi, now is commonly used on this Ortona trains. Next buys? Logically speaking, we can preview units of this same class 343, or D.443 and D.345 in future. Even if they are recent-building units, electrifications growing up on FS network and slow rhytm of work in Rimini's shop - the only of this kind remaining on all FS - on diesel engines, are causing mass storage of locos of these classes, overall in south Italy. In opposite, private shops contractors of manutention for private railways can easily follow necessity of the various fleets. Afetr this, we can desume that FS locos bought second-hand surely will increase their number.   

Click here for the pictures of these locos