Trento–Malè–Mezzana railway
.JPG) Inauguration of the electric railway in Nave San Felice, Lavis (TN). Portrait by Italian Art Master Renato Restelli. | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Trento |
| Dates of operation | 1909–present |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 100 centimetres (3 ft 3 in) |
| Length | 66 kilometres (41 mi) |
The Trento–Malè–Mezzana railway (Template:Lang-it) is a metre gauge electric railway originally connecting Trento and Malè in Trentino, northern Italy. In 2002 it was extended to Marilleva ski resort in the Italian Alps: the line has now a total length of 66 kilometres (41 mi). FTM transports 2 million passengers per year along its 56 km line, including tourists. In 2016 the railway was extended to Mezzana.
History
In 1891 a proposal for a new railway in Trentino (then part of the Austrian Empire was issued by Paolo Oss Mazzurana, mayor of Trento. Construction began in 1907 and the railway was inaugurated in 1909 as a 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) narrow-gauge tramway, electrified at 800 V DC (converted to 3,000 V DC in 1964).
After the end of World War I, when Trentino was returned to Italy, the railway was acquired by the Ferrovie dello Stato in 1936. The line was almost totally rebuilt, shortened by 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) but assuming the character of a true railway without road-embedded sections. In 1945 it passed under a new public company, Società Locale Trento Malè', who controlled it until 2002, when it became part of Trentino trasporti.