With the end of socialist economy and separation of activities, the PKP workshop in Bydgoszcz (Poland) became an independent company renamed PESA and, to the traditional job of repairs, joined the projecting and building of new stock, especially railcars and trams.
In 2008 FSE became the first buyer of the Atribo model, an articulated DMU with three bodies over four trucks moved by two 382 kW MAN engines through hydrodynamic gearboxes.
Finally FSE bought 27 units (ATR 220 001-027) and others were ordered by FNM (at the time not yet Trenord), FER (the railway arm of Emilia Romagna region) and FS, apart two regional divisions of PKP.
From daily use emerged some problems: the units are underpowered for mountain lines (FNM bought two trains for the Brescia-Edolo line but quickly had to take them off from diagrams because the polish cannot maintain the timetable on the slopes) or for stopping services, engines are very sensitive to fuel (and railroad fuel is generally of low quality), there is too much wear on that part of the wheels that serves as a guide (please give me the right term, in Italian it's bordino), and the most important: truck chassis have been fissuring. This is why, in 2016, Italian railway safety board stopped all the Atribos.
After strong ultrasonic examinations, the units in worst condition are still dumped waiting a solution and the others follow working but with a far shorter time between ultrasonic checks; in case of worsening over a determined level they are immediately stopped. PESA is trying to modify suspensions and supports but still there is not a sure solution, apart taking off the actual trucks and reproject new ones.
Of the FSE fleet, four or five units are out of use and the other ones are more or less in service but with frequent stops in the Bari workshop because, apart the "big" problem, of a myriad of other faults.
In 2015 ATR 220.009 was caught running in the country near Galugnano.
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Instead ATR 220.024 and another unit were immortalized running on the side of the typical "trulli" huts with the town of Locorotondo in the background.
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The two images by S. Paolini courtesy of Photorail.
Well, I briefly showed story and stock of this unfortunate railroad; now we can only wait and see what will happen.
Ciao
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