TRENITALIA has selected Alstom to supply Coradia DMUs and EMUs for use on regional services across Italy. The initial contract covers 36 trainsets, and there are options for up to 110 more EMUs and 90 DMUs to a total value of 650m euros as part of the FS six-year investment programme.

Under the 115m euro first phase of the order, Alstom is to supply 14 EMUs and 10 DMUs to Trenitalia, six DMUs to Trento province, four EMUs to Arezzo province and two EMUs to Salerno.

The three-car units will all be 51·3m long, with two motor cars and a centre trailer. There will be a low-floor ’multifunctional section’ and wheelchair-accessible lavatory. The 160 km/h EMUs will have Onix 3000 three-phase drives, while the 130 km/h DMUs will have a hydrodynamic transmission and a different design of bogie.

Deliveries are due to start in 2003.The trains are to be built at Savigliano in Italy. Bodyshells, bogies and the diesel traction package will come from the Alstom LHB plant in Salzgitter, with interiors to be added during final assembly at the Alstom Ferroviaria (ex-Fiat) plant in Savigliano. Traction equipment for the EMUs will come from ACEC in Charleroi.

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