The International Steam Pages


Surviving Narrow Gauge Steam in Italy - Part 2, Southern Italy

These pages are the work of Thomas Kautzor and date from June 2021:

Click on the section you are interested in:

Introduction

Part 1 - Sicily

Part 3 - Other Areas Two new pictures were added on 9th November 2021

Part 4 - Sardinia


Ferrovia Calabria Lucane (FCL): the FCL’s 950mm gauge network covered the regions of Puglia, Basilicata and Calabria and is detailed in James Waite’s account at https://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/trains/italy12.htm. Its present successors are the Ferrovie Appulo Lucane (FAL) operating out of Bari (Puglia) and Potenza (Basilicata) and the Ferrovie della Calabria (FC) out of Cosenza, Catanzaro and Gioia Tauro. Four out of a total of twelve FCL steam locomotive classes are represented in preservation, for a total of 14 locomotives. 

FCL 171-188 (2-6-0T, Breda 1922/23, 35.0 t, 365 hp) https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locomotiva_FCL_170  

188 (Breda 2059/1923) stored at DL Gioia Tauro 
(James Waite’s 14.09.2008 pics https://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/trains/italy12.htm

FCL 351-366 (0-8-0T, Borsig/Breda/Ansaldo 1926/28, 45.0 t, 800 hp) https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locomotiva_FCL_350 With their large boilers, these were the most powerful steam locomotives of FCL.

353 (Borsig 11940/1926) belongs to DL Cosenza and is detached to Camigliatello Silano for use on the Treno della Sila tourist trains between Moccone (km 37.2) and San Nicola-Silvana Mansio (km 50.2) on the closed branch line from Pedace to San Giovanni in Fiore. It was restored 1991 and 2008 and was in service until early 10.2020, when it was to undergo an overhaul  (James Waite’s 13.09.2008 pics https://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/trains/italy12.htm

358 (Ansaldo 1352/1928) is privately-owned by Nettunia Sud and stored near Rome (no photo) 

FCL 401-421 (2-6-0T, CEMSA 1930/32, 41.0 t, 600 hp) https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locomotiva_FCL_400  

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401 (CEMSA 934/1930) was sold to the now-deceased Prince Don Fabrizio Ruffo di Calabria in 1983 and is now abandoned at La Selva di Paliano (Frosinone), Lazio (20.07.2009) 

402 (CEMSA 935/1930) belongs to FAL Potenza. It was restored in 1992 and used on specials until 1997. It was recently put on display inside the yet-to-be opened Potenza Gallitello terminal station, which is being transformed from the old workshops at Potenza Inferiore Scalo (James Waite’s 19.02.2010 pics https://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/trains/italy12.htm

403 (CEMSA 936/1930) belongs to FC Cosenza. It was restored in 1987 and used until 1997, when its boiler received a general overhaul. It has since remained dismantled at DL Cosenza (no photo) 

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411 (CEMSA 944/1931) is plinthed at Centro delle Tradizioni Popolari, Villa Cappelotti, Città di Castello (Perugia) (23.07.2009) 

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412 (CEMSA 945/1931) is plinthed at Mileto (Vibo Valentia) station, the terminus of the branch from Vibo Marina which closed in 1966 (29.10.2020) 

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418 (CEMSA 973/1932) was sold to the now-deceased Prince Don Fabrizio Ruffo di Calabria in 1983 and is now abandoned at La Selva di Paliano (Frosinone), Lazio (20.07.2009) 

421 (CEMSA 976/1932) belongs to FAL Bari. It was restored in 1989 and used in 1997. It was once more restored by Lucato Termica in 2013/14, but failed (water leak) on its inaugural trip between Bari and Matera on July 23, 2017 and has since been stored at DL Bari Scalo (no photo) 

FCL 501-506 (2-6-2RT, CEMSA 1931/32, 47.5 t, 600 hp) https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locomotiva_FCL_500 These locos were assigned to DL Castrovillari (until 1952 Lagonegro) and DL Catanzaro Lido for use on the rack section between Lagonegro and Spezzano Albanese (105 km) and between Catanzaro Sala and Catanzaro Pratica (2.0 km). 

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502 (CEMSA 966/1931) is stored at Serrastretta-Carlopoli (CZ), on the FC line between Catanzarro Città and Soveria Mannelli. It is almost completely overgrown by vegetation (29.10.2020) 

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503 (CEMSA 967/1932) is plinthed at Castrovillari (Cosenza) station, on the line from Lagonegro (later Rivello) to Spezzano Albanese, which closed between 1973 and 1978 (30.10.2020) 

504 (CEMSA 968/1932) belongs to FC Cosenza and received a general overhaul in 2003, but went back into the workshops in 2005 for repairs and has remained dismantled since then. (James Waite’s 13.09.2008 pics https://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/trains/italy12.htm)

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506 (CEMSA 970/1932) is plinthed outside the Città dei Ragazzi in Cosenza, prior to which it was stored in Aprigliano station (30.10.2020) 

F.S. Paola – Cosenza (1435 mm): the old 36km line between Paola and Cosenza had a total of 12 km rack sections. It was closed in 1987, when it was replaced by a new 26 km electrified line which included the 15.3km long Santomarco tunnel. 

FS 980.001-012 (0-6-0RT, SLM 1908-1913, 44.4 t, 440 hp) https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locomotiva_FS_980  
Initially, four locos were assigned to DL Pisa for use on Cecina – Volterra, which included a rack section with a switchback on the final stretch between Volterra-Saline-Pomarance and Volterra that closed in 1958, while the other eight locos were assigned to DL Cosenza. 

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980.002 (SLM 1898/1908) is on display at the Museo Nazionale Ferroviario in Pietrarsa (Napoli) (31.10.2020) 

FS 981.001-008 (0-6-0RT, Breda 1922 under license from SLM, 47.2 t, 530 hp) https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locomotiva_FS_981 The entire class was assigned to DL Cosenza and last worked on specials in 1992.

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981.001 (Breda 1911/1922) is awaiting restoration at the Museo Ferroviario Piemontese in Savigliano (Cuneo) (30.07.2020) 

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981.004 (Breda 1914/1922) is plinthed at DLF Dopolavoro Ferroviario in Paola (30.10.2020) 

981.005 (Breda 1915/1922) is awaiting restoration at Trenitalia workshops OGR Foligno (Perugia) (no photo) 

981.006 (Breda 1916/1922) had been kept in storage at DL Cosenza in order to be plinthed, but was scrapped in 02.2019 (no photo) 

981.007 (Breda 1917/1922) is privately-owned by Snr. Bugognoli in Corinaldo (Ancona) (no photo) (James Waite’s 06.06.2015 pic https://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/trains/italy17.htm


Rob Dickinson

Email: webmaster@internationalsteam.co.uk