Alstom and Ferrovie dello Stato (FS), the holding company that manages infrastructure and services on the Italian rail network, celebrated the 25th anniversary of Pendolino at Milan's Central Station in Italy. On this special occasion, two Pendolino models were presented; the ETR 401, the first prototype produced in 1974 at Alstom's Savigliano factory in Italy and the ETR 450, the first model to enter commercial service in 1988 on the Milan to Rome line.
To mark the special event, Alstom, represented by Pierre-Louis Bertina, managing director of Alstom Transport Italy, offered the original patent of the first model to the FS Foundation represented by Mauro Morretti, managing director of the Italian railways.
Part of Alstom's high-speed train offer, Pendolino is designed to run at up to 250 km/h on both high-speed and conventional lines and there are around 500 trains sold worldwide. Pendolino is certified to operate in 13 countries (including cross-border journeys). Its success rests on its modularity and flexibility.
Pendolino can be fully customized from interior layout to the number of cars (three to 11), voltage power supply, gauge and suspension. It offers flexible configurations, allowing all passengers to travel comfortably, thanks to its catering facilities and areas for children, wide corridors and gangways offering optimal accessibility and comfort, passenger information systems, and large panoramic windows allowing passengers to benefit from natural light and enjoy the scenery.
Pendolino can be operated under extreme climate conditions (up to 45° and -45°C). It is also available with Tiltronix, Alstom's tilting technology, which enables the train to tilt by up to 8 degrees and still run at 250 km/h, allowing it to travel 30 to 35 percent faster than conventional trains.
Pendolino is mainly produced at Alstom's Savigliano factory in Italy. Its first entry into commercial service dates from 1988 with a total of 492 Pendolino trains sold worldwide — including 65 in Italy — representing 85 percent in exports. Pendolino was recently ordered by Russian, Chinese, Swiss and Polish operators. The Savigliano factory is currently executing contracts for PKP (Poland) and SBB (Switzerland).
