At the end of the 1940s, as a result of the end of World War II and the trail of damage done to the railway network, the issue of repairing the infrastructure and renovating the rolling stock inevitably arose. With great foresight, S.N.F.T. Management opted to introduce internal combustion power, which was limited, initially at least, to passenger services only. Between 1950 and 1951, 7 diesel railcars entered service, and another 6 units between 1955 and 1958. There were thirteen units of 5 different models. Some of these had a long life on the public network, such as the An64, which was retired from service in 1982/1983, while others were in service for a much shorter time, such as the AnDu28, the An48 and the An60 which were withdrawn by 1960, with the arrival of the new diesel railcars of the second generation. Particularly worth remembering from the first generation are the four An64, rebuilt on the basis of the Aln56 Breda of the Ferrovie dello Stato, and the An70.231, a FIAT prototype, nicknamed “Faruk”.
First generation diesel railcars
- Costruttore: Breda - Milano
- Costruttore motori: A.E.C. England E
- Larghezza: 2.750 mm
- Massa in servizio: 32.950 kg
- Rodiggio UIC: (1A)(A1)
- Cerchioni a nuovo Ø: 800 mm
- Costruzione: 1935
- Esercizio: 1950/1983
- Sforzo di trazione massimo: 4.830 Kg
- Passo carrelli: 3.000 mm
- Numero motori: 2
- Numero posti a sedere: 64
- Ricostruzione: 1948/1950
- Lunghezza fuori tutto: 22.240 mm
- Traino rimorchi: sì, similari
- Distanza perni carrelli: 15.100 mm
- Potenza totale: 240 CV
- Alimentazione: Nafta fluidissima
- Builder: BREDA - Milan
- Engine builder: A.E.C. England E
- Width: 2,750 mm
- Service mass: 32,950 kg
- UIC wheel arrangement: (1A)(A1)
- Rim diameter when new: 800 mm
- Build date: 1935
- Service date: 1950/1983
- Maximum tractive effort: 4,830 Kg
- Bogie wheelbase: 3,000 mm
- Engines: 2
- Passenger capacity: 64 seats
- Reconstruction: 1948/1950
- Overall length: 22,240 mm
- Trailer towing: yes, similar
- • Distance between bogie pivots: 15,100 mm
- Overall power: 240 hp
- Fuel: Low viscosity diesel
The An64s are without a doubt the defining image of the post-war modernisation of the S.N.F.T. public network. Arriving in Iseo between January and February 1950 following major repair work at Breda in Sesto San Giovanni, they were widely used on test runs, and testing for placing them in regular service took place between February and April the same year. On 17 January 1950 the first test run of a diesel railcar to Edolo took place (photo above), while on 14 May 1950 the official opening of the diesel railcar railway service took place along the Brescia-Edolo route, attended by the Minister of Transport. This marked the official start of what was to be the thirty-year career of these four diesel railcars, which only ended at the beginning of the 1980s, when the new class 120 Aln668 diesel railcars were delivered. They were officially withdrawn between 1982 and 1983 but were only scrapped at the end of the 1990s, after a long period in storage first at Iseo and later at Rovato Borgo.
