Alstom was awarded a contract a year ago to deliver an additional 12 Pendolino to add to NTV’s existing fleet of Alstom Avelia trains. This will allow the private Italian operator to expand its current network and respond to a demand for new routes and increased service.
The train is manufactured at Alstom’s site in Savigliano, Italy. Other Alstom sites involved in the production are Sesto San Giovanni, Bologna and Nola depot, which will handle maintenance of the trains for 30 years. The trains are scheduled to be delivered by December 2017 and to enter service in March 2018.
"Today is a great day for us. We are very proud to present these new trains that will enable us to grow," said NTV President Andrea Faragalli Zenobi. “With this investment we will increase our fleet by 50 percent, we are ready to face this new challenge with enthusiasm. Special thanks today to those Italian entrepreneurs who in 2006 had this intuition called Italo, on which few would have bet initially and which is now a well-established Company. "
The Pendolino Italo, which is ruby red with the characteristic golden hare, features a front end designed to provide crash protection, high recyclability and reduced CO2 emissions, and can reach a maximum speed of 250 km/h. The trains are 187 meters long, composed of 7 cars and can accommodate approximately 480 passengers. The train features full compatibility with the latest 2014 TSI European Union regulations and its traction system regenerates energy while braking.
“The Pendolino is a versatile, high performance train. We sold more than 500 Pendolino trains worldwide, which exceeded one billion kilometer in operation," said Michele Viale, managing director of Alstom Italy. “The realization of this new generation of trains for NTV has given us the opportunity to adapt the Pendolino to the latest safety standards and interoperability in Europe, opening up new opportunities worldwide for this product made in Italy.”
Pendolino is part of Alstom’s Avelia range of high-speed trains.