Udine–Tarcento Tramway

The Udine–Tarcento tramway, built in 1915 as far as Tricesimo and extended to the terminus at Tarcento in 1927, was for many years the "white tram" that swiftly connected the localities of the Torre stream valley with Udine and the Pontebbana railway.

Strongly promoted by a well-known local entrepreneur and operated as a suburban extension of the urban tram network, the line was electrified and produced satisfactory operating results almost until its closure, which took place at a time when investment was being redirected towards road transport.

History

The history of the line to Tricesimo and Tarcento is closely linked to that of the Udine urban trams. Among the promoters of the use of hydroelectric power in the region, the famous inventor Arturo Malignani worked to establish the Società Friulana di Elettricità (SFE) in 1906 with a capital of 2,000,000 lire, which, thanks to the Crosis and some technologies developed by Malignani himself, made it possible to power the first city utilities and give rise to a modern public transport system.

Built to metre gauge and equipped with the same 600 V DC power supply, the Udine–Tricesimo interurban tramway was inaugurated in 1915. It ran along the route through the Chiavris district, then passing Paderno, Feletto, Branco and Tavagnacco, with its northern terminus at the Bivio Collalto locality.

Between the two world wars, Tarcento exerted a notable tourist attraction, favoured precisely by the construction of the "white tram", as it was nicknamed by the locals.

Even after the Second World War, despite some damage, the operating company (in the meantime, in October 1923, operation had passed from SFE to its subsidiary Società Tramvie del Friuli) continued to record good operating results and a substantial break-even; however, the unfavourable climate for investment in rail systems had already led to the closure of the last urban tram in 1952, and did not spare the "white tram" either: on 31 December 1956 the Tricesimo–Tarcento section closed, and on 6 March 1959 the Branco–Tricesimo section. The last run took place at 21:15 on 9 August 1959, departing from Branco. The line was dismantled over the following two months.

Rolling stock

For the operation of the tramway, the Malignani management acquired in 1915 from Carminati & Toselli and from the Savigliano workshops 3 tram motor cars numbered 18, 19 and 20, as well as 3 two-axle trailers numbered 22, 23 and 24, 2 two-axle covered goods wagons numbered 25 and 26, and 4 two-axle low-sided goods wagons numbered 27, 28, 29 and 30; in 1916, a further tram motor car (numbered 21) and 4 two-axle trailers numbered 31, 33, 34 and 35 were acquired from the Savigliano workshops.

In 1940, the three Savigliano motor cars purchased in 1915–16 were upgraded, while in 1943 the Tramvie del Friuli management bought from the defunct 2 tram motor cars numbered 61 and 62 (built by Carminati & Toselli in 1927) and 2 trailers numbered 43 and 44 (built by Officine Elettroferroviarie Tallero in 1927). Two trailers (originally built for funeral services on the Milan tram network) were acquired from the Genoa–Casella railway in 1946; two further trailers, acquired in 1954, came from the Bergamo tram network.

Rolling stock – summary table

See also

• History of rail transport in Italy
• List of railway stations in Lombardy
• Udine–San Daniele tramway
• Tarvisio–Udine railway

Bibliography

Other projects