Dire-ness exemplified
Railways in Sardinia appear to fall into two brackets, the standard gauge lines operated by a division of the mainland Italian national railway company and then there's ARST, or FdS (Ferrovia del Sardegna) who operate the rump of the former narrow gauge (950mm) systems... the latter (ARST) operate many of the island's inter regional bus and coach services too.
Based on what might be a simplification of things and purely from my observations made last week in the north of the island, only the narrow gauge line (recently re-laid) from the second city of Sassari to the port and resort town of Alghero appears to flourish and see any real traffic levels. However, whilst the trackwork may now be excellent and able to see some fast running, the rolling stock is visually dire in direct contrast to the operator's immaculate road coaches. One has to wonder why the railway is allowed to convey such a down at heel appearance when to spruce things up would take comparatively little effort. Judge for yourselves, would you be enamoured if this mobile ghetto turned up to take you on your journey?
Breda built Fiat powered ADe90 railcar.
Dire-ness exemplified
Railways in Sardinia appear to fall into two brackets, the standard gauge lines operated by a division of the mainland Italian national railway company and then there's ARST, or FdS (Ferrovia del Sardegna) who operate the rump of the former narrow gauge (950mm) systems... the latter (ARST) operate many of the island's inter regional bus and coach services too.
Based on what might be a simplification of things and purely from my observations made last week in the north of the island, only the narrow gauge line (recently re-laid) from the second city of Sassari to the port and resort town of Alghero appears to flourish and see any real traffic levels. However, whilst the trackwork may now be excellent and able to see some fast running, the rolling stock is visually dire in direct contrast to the operator's immaculate road coaches. One has to wonder why the railway is allowed to convey such a down at heel appearance when to spruce things up would take comparatively little effort. Judge for yourselves, would you be enamoured if this mobile ghetto turned up to take you on your journey?
Breda built Fiat powered ADe90 railcar.