Alessandria - Ovada and Alessandria - Acqui Terme
Alessandria - Ovada
This short line of 34 km is remembered by many railfans as one of the last locations for three-phase traction, when in Alessandria's depot last locos of that kind were still in service. Truly a local branch, this line serve some little town - among them Castellazzo and Roccagrimalda - until it reaches Ovada, where there a double junction permit direct trips from Alessandria to Genova and from Alessandria to Asti. Five couples of emus do their revenue service on this track, plus a push-pul train in the 6.00 to 20.00 period. Freights are not less then 30 (15 couples) using this line as a less jammed line from the north to Genova harbour or to the south. Only trains 41001, 51113, 91108, 53146, 54184, 53144 and 54116 can be shooted at in daylight hours, even if only on certain days. Every day you can find here ALe.724 emus from Torino, after the vanishing of old ALe.540/840 and even before ALe.790/880. Usually the local leaving Alessandria at 13.30 could be done by a loco hauled train, with any kind of engine disposable. A sign of this line are the wire poles, coming from the original three-phase electrification. Nice locations to get trains are in Ovada Nord and Roccagrimalda stations, or you can try some fields near Castelspina or a rural way from the country street Castellazzo B. - Predosa takes you to the point showed in the picture 7.
Alessandria - Acqui Terme
Another historic line - this too of 34 km - that was place for the last train in three - phase traction in the 1976. It's a bit more steep than the other one and it reach Acqui Terme and beyond S.Giuseppe di Cairo and Savona leaving from Alessandria. It' s a single track line, even if among AL and Cantalupo - where a dieselized line diverts to go to Castagnole and Bra - there is a double track way. Passing towns of Gamalero, Sezzadio - where still exists an industrial branch with original poles and wires of the extinct three-phase system - and Strevi. Trains then arrive at Acqui meeting the line from Ovada/Genova and Asti/Nizza M. Service is based on 24 couples AL - Acqui of which 8 are of direct trains Alessandria - Savona. Seven freights are diverted on this line on the descending sense just to avoid the intricate and congestionate network of Genova. Plus we have to add not less then 4 couples of shunting movements all made by D.145 on Alessandria and Acqui, Sezzadio. All these trains are made by ALe.724 emus from Torino depot but 7, in charge to E.464 and 424N and coaches now, E.636 and 424 in the past. Nice stations are Cantalupo, Gamalero, Sezzadio and Strevi. The Acqui Terme's one instead is forewiev by the heavy-looking of nice roof tops made in the 10's: an example of pre-war architecture long gone in many other italian places. Along the line nice images can be taken near Sezzadio - where a sharp curve is dominated by the road - , near Cassine - with the track lost among fields and trees - and near Strevi. Particular are the spots of two extinct stops: Caranzano and Gavonata. The winter or spring are best period to come here, when sweet colors and bright light of sun let you take some aspects of this views you could appreciate. Surely - if you'll be on these lines - you'll have to get the action even on lines around : Asti - Ovada and Acqui - Savona, but we'll talk about these ones later.