[IT] ETR 421 and 621: the ‘Rock’ now comes in three different lengths

On 18.05.2020, the first 6-car Hitachi Caravaggio a.k.a. Trenitalia ‘Rock’ was released from the factory in Pistoia. From there, it was taken to Firenze Osmannoro for final adjustments and its first tests, in a train with MRCE > DB Cargo Italia ES64F4-036 and two wagons of RailAdventure. The new train follows shortly after the first 4-car train was released.

ETR 621

The cars of the first 6-car train, ETR 621 001, for Trenitalia, are numbered as follows:

  • 94 83 4621 751-6 I-TI
  • 94 83 0621 151-7 I-TI
  • 94 83 0621 301-8 I-TI
  • 94 83 6621 451-8 I-TI
  • 94 83 0621 601-1 I-TI
  • 94 83 4621 001-6 I-TI

It is not clear yet, in which Italian region Trenitalia will operate this train, but it is expected it will go to the Veneto area.

MRCE > DB Cargo Italia ES64F4-036 with ETR 621 001 on 18.05.2020 – Giovanni Gardenghi
MRCE > DB Cargo Italia ES64F4-036 with ETR 621 001 on 18.05.2020 – Giovanni Gardenghi

ETR 421

On 08.05.2020, the first 4-car Rock was released. ETR 421 001 was put into service that very same day. It is operated by the joint-venture ‘Trenitalia Tper’, the ‘new’ train operator in the Emilia Romagna region. The numbers:

  • 94 83 4421 001-8 I-TTX
  • 94 83 0421 201-2 I-TTX
  • 94 83 0421 601-3 I-TTX
  • 94 83 4421 801-1 I-TTX

The suffix TTX is a word joke. The first T = Trenitalia, and ‘TX’ can be read as ‘TPER’ since X is the symbol of multiplication, ‘per’ in Italian.

14 ETR 421 trains will be delivered to the Emilia Romagna region. They will share the tracks with 25 ETR 521s (the 5-car version) of which 22 have already been delivered. For the future, the purchase of some ETR 621 has also been confirmed.