samuele963
@electricsarchive.eu
Living in northern Italy, public transport enthusiast, writing and documenting household electrical installations on my website (electricsarchive.eu) - he/him
See also, RFI's brainworms about fencing off stations (they want few controlled access points that they can close off at night), leading to situations like Gorizia where the side entrance leading to the bus terminals has been fenced off with the recent renovation works
February 12, 2026 at 6:11 PM
See also, RFI's brainworms about fencing off stations (they want few controlled access points that they can close off at night), leading to situations like Gorizia where the side entrance leading to the bus terminals has been fenced off with the recent renovation works
Do you have a use for footage from Gorizia/Nova Gorica? I have some videos from the border, nearby streets and the international train (outside and inside)
February 12, 2026 at 6:05 PM
Do you have a use for footage from Gorizia/Nova Gorica? I have some videos from the border, nearby streets and the international train (outside and inside)
I also wish certain European railways (TI, SNCF, ...) stopped treating trains like planes...
February 2, 2026 at 7:56 PM
I also wish certain European railways (TI, SNCF, ...) stopped treating trains like planes...
Electrification will lead to an interesting question about rolling stock, since FUC has its own separate fleet comprised of two Stadler GTWs and some ex-SV ALn 663s (with original interiors!). I imagine it will replaced by regular Trenitalia EMUs
January 24, 2026 at 7:51 PM
Electrification will lead to an interesting question about rolling stock, since FUC has its own separate fleet comprised of two Stadler GTWs and some ex-SV ALn 663s (with original interiors!). I imagine it will replaced by regular Trenitalia EMUs
Not right now, the line will reopen as diesel-only - but with new signalling (sadly SCMT rather than ETCS), full-barrier level crossings and a removal of the 50km/h speed limit imposed by Ansfisa. However electrification is planned, works are meant to start in 2026-27
January 24, 2026 at 7:51 PM
Not right now, the line will reopen as diesel-only - but with new signalling (sadly SCMT rather than ETCS), full-barrier level crossings and a removal of the 50km/h speed limit imposed by Ansfisa. However electrification is planned, works are meant to start in 2026-27
Truth be told I wish the line hadn't been transferred to RFI - they're too nationally focused. Aside from the signs, Cividale station used to have a train departure announcement in 5 languages, which I think was a nice local touch but I imagine has already been replaced with the usual RFI one
January 24, 2026 at 5:13 PM
Truth be told I wish the line hadn't been transferred to RFI - they're too nationally focused. Aside from the signs, Cividale station used to have a train departure announcement in 5 languages, which I think was a nice local touch but I imagine has already been replaced with the usual RFI one
And in theory in April the Udine-Cividale line will reopen, after a long closure. Hopefully the Friulian signs will have been put back by then
January 24, 2026 at 4:58 PM
And in theory in April the Udine-Cividale line will reopen, after a long closure. Hopefully the Friulian signs will have been put back by then
This is the only reason why I say I like the ETR700/ex-Fyra trains, so it annoys the Dutch ;)
January 23, 2026 at 6:08 PM
This is the only reason why I say I like the ETR700/ex-Fyra trains, so it annoys the Dutch ;)
Yeah, I replaced my 2015 MBP two years ago with a Thinkpad T14 AMD - which was about equivalent to a MBP in terms of price - and after less than a year one USB-C and one USB-A port broke already, from normal use. Meanwhile the old Macbook never had similar issues throughout its lifetime
January 23, 2026 at 1:21 PM
Yeah, I replaced my 2015 MBP two years ago with a Thinkpad T14 AMD - which was about equivalent to a MBP in terms of price - and after less than a year one USB-C and one USB-A port broke already, from normal use. Meanwhile the old Macbook never had similar issues throughout its lifetime
In some ways I like that, at least before... the current BS, the US didn't mandate people going around with a form of ID which you may be asked to show at any time to prove who you are, though the lack of a national ID card is perhaps a bit silly
January 13, 2026 at 6:29 PM
In some ways I like that, at least before... the current BS, the US didn't mandate people going around with a form of ID which you may be asked to show at any time to prove who you are, though the lack of a national ID card is perhaps a bit silly
In Europe more broadly, and some countries mandate having an ID on you at all times, but of course I don't think that's a good thing. I have seen police use this for racism (esp at train stations) wayy too many times, including once where they boarded, interrogated a guy and took him off the train
January 13, 2026 at 6:25 PM
In Europe more broadly, and some countries mandate having an ID on you at all times, but of course I don't think that's a good thing. I have seen police use this for racism (esp at train stations) wayy too many times, including once where they boarded, interrogated a guy and took him off the train
Hmm, then maybe this was just an italian phenomenon? I swear I've never seen one in use here, and very few at flea markets (vs tons of DVD players and VCRs)
January 12, 2026 at 10:08 AM
Hmm, then maybe this was just an italian phenomenon? I swear I've never seen one in use here, and very few at flea markets (vs tons of DVD players and VCRs)
Tangentially related, but it seems to me like DVRs like TiVo were much more common in the US than Europe, I'm guessing mainly due to the predominance of cable boxes? (but also the general "gadgety-ness" of the US). Heck, modern TVs have them built in but I've never seen anyone use the feature
January 11, 2026 at 4:51 PM
Tangentially related, but it seems to me like DVRs like TiVo were much more common in the US than Europe, I'm guessing mainly due to the predominance of cable boxes? (but also the general "gadgety-ness" of the US). Heck, modern TVs have them built in but I've never seen anyone use the feature
Freight I unfortunately do not know at least off the top of my head
Passenger, from a brief search 5tpd regional (2 are Micotras to Villach), 3tpd REX (2 Wien-Venice 1 Wien-Trieste), 1 NJ - plus short-turn regionals (Trieste)-Udine-Carnia
Passenger, from a brief search 5tpd regional (2 are Micotras to Villach), 3tpd REX (2 Wien-Venice 1 Wien-Trieste), 1 NJ - plus short-turn regionals (Trieste)-Udine-Carnia
January 10, 2026 at 7:02 PM
Freight I unfortunately do not know at least off the top of my head
Passenger, from a brief search 5tpd regional (2 are Micotras to Villach), 3tpd REX (2 Wien-Venice 1 Wien-Trieste), 1 NJ - plus short-turn regionals (Trieste)-Udine-Carnia
Passenger, from a brief search 5tpd regional (2 are Micotras to Villach), 3tpd REX (2 Wien-Venice 1 Wien-Trieste), 1 NJ - plus short-turn regionals (Trieste)-Udine-Carnia
Ironically the cross border links AT-SI are reasonably good now, with 1tph (weekdays) Graz-Maribor and 1tp2h Ljubljana-Villach. Compared to the Italian borders in Tarvisio, Gorizia/Nova Gorica or Villa Opicina (which has recently lost 1tpd) that's excellent!
January 10, 2026 at 6:57 PM
Ironically the cross border links AT-SI are reasonably good now, with 1tph (weekdays) Graz-Maribor and 1tp2h Ljubljana-Villach. Compared to the Italian borders in Tarvisio, Gorizia/Nova Gorica or Villa Opicina (which has recently lost 1tpd) that's excellent!
In that regard the planned 1tp2h ÖBB IR from Villach to Tarvisio will certainly help... just a shame that the Italian side (and so, the FVG region) doesn't seem particularly interested in collaborating to extend them further - noting that the region owns some 15kV-compatible ETR 564 EMUs
January 10, 2026 at 6:49 PM
In that regard the planned 1tp2h ÖBB IR from Villach to Tarvisio will certainly help... just a shame that the Italian side (and so, the FVG region) doesn't seem particularly interested in collaborating to extend them further - noting that the region owns some 15kV-compatible ETR 564 EMUs
The RFI issue is certainly more severe, I imagine it's something that could be solved with enough political will though that's very much lacking in the region
January 10, 2026 at 3:19 PM
The RFI issue is certainly more severe, I imagine it's something that could be solved with enough political will though that's very much lacking in the region
Yes, part of the issue is that the new line runs outside the population centres... but, assuming the old one won't get reopened, better bike/bus connections would at least help. Even then, I think better connections between UD/Gemona/Villach would still be useful, they're big enough for it
January 10, 2026 at 3:19 PM
Yes, part of the issue is that the new line runs outside the population centres... but, assuming the old one won't get reopened, better bike/bus connections would at least help. Even then, I think better connections between UD/Gemona/Villach would still be useful, they're big enough for it
Yep - my idea (which I doubt would ever happen) is for the region to buy 200km/h EMUs with IR/quasi-IC interiors and run 1tph Udine-Villach, and integrate it into the Austrian IR plans, as the Slovenians have done with the Maribor-Graz line. A bit like FVG's version of the TER 200 to Strasbourg
January 10, 2026 at 2:18 PM
Yep - my idea (which I doubt would ever happen) is for the region to buy 200km/h EMUs with IR/quasi-IC interiors and run 1tph Udine-Villach, and integrate it into the Austrian IR plans, as the Slovenians have done with the Maribor-Graz line. A bit like FVG's version of the TER 200 to Strasbourg
(forgot to say - 5tpd regional, I'm ignoring LD trains since for this kind of regional journey they're too expensive)
January 10, 2026 at 1:00 PM
(forgot to say - 5tpd regional, I'm ignoring LD trains since for this kind of regional journey they're too expensive)
Local to me, the Pontebbana (Udine-Tarvisio-Villach) line is quite an egregious example - only 5tpd on winter weekdays (better on weekends/summers due to tourism) of which only 2 continue to Villach - this is despite it being a modern line built to quasi-HSR standards
January 10, 2026 at 12:58 PM
Local to me, the Pontebbana (Udine-Tarvisio-Villach) line is quite an egregious example - only 5tpd on winter weekdays (better on weekends/summers due to tourism) of which only 2 continue to Villach - this is despite it being a modern line built to quasi-HSR standards
I'm afraid it's not just an issue limited to the South 🙁
January 10, 2026 at 12:44 PM
I'm afraid it's not just an issue limited to the South 🙁
Or, the most important transit logo in the world ;)
December 2, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Or, the most important transit logo in the world ;)
Similarly to Saudi Arabia, South Korea switched from US plugs and 110V to Schuko and 220V (good idea) in the 70s/80s, and thus has Schuko sockets compatible with American-style rectangular wall boxes. Italy also has US-derived boxes, after switching from the European round box standard
November 27, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Similarly to Saudi Arabia, South Korea switched from US plugs and 110V to Schuko and 220V (good idea) in the 70s/80s, and thus has Schuko sockets compatible with American-style rectangular wall boxes. Italy also has US-derived boxes, after switching from the European round box standard