Just after the great bridge at basciano there is a small tunnel, southern entrance was once a two order arches, with in the lower one being the entrance of the tunnel. In the picture left of the concrete you see the only remnants of one of the higher order arches.
These are some old 1930 vintage sleepers found during the works.
Anyone can choose the kind of images he wants ... I put both flavours,
the tiny town on left is S.Andrea a Sveglia, on the right the last forks
on a small bridge, the rails are just on the adjacent tunnel after the
curve and look at the larger pink house.
Just a note: In italy most railway houser are brigtly coloured. See this
at Firenze and this at Manarola.
And now, again after climbing the hill we arrived at Montorsoli Stazione. Montorsoli is a very sparse agglomerate, that beside all is shared in 4 municipalities ( Firenze, Fiesole, Vaglia, Sesto) . Actually the station is in the territory of Sesto.
And this is the inside of the station ...
What are you seing ... a Train ??? We are in 1998 (1 january to be exact)
!!!
We need a flashback !
Back in 1987 ...
Still no tracks .... but more: The tunnel (picture on right) was in the
conditions on left ....
And there is more: The pictures on left and on right are 10.5 years apart
: (the 0.5 explain why the tree had leaves in 1987 and not in 1998, but
10 years to lay two tracks ?)
What a difference. Now two images of historical importance.
At left you see the switchman recover, that was at each end of all the
stations of the line. This one have been destroyed, and only one of this
kind remain in the S. Piero a Sieve station.
On the right picture the works to retrieve the entrance of the collapsed
tunnel (see the picture two rows above)
And again to present with a particular of that rusted device you see on the first picture: It was a remote control for signal. These signal were of the same type of the one on picture on left (actually shot at Luserna S. Giovanni in 1987)
The rail is ready ... but end at the beginning of the tunnel. Anyway
from here to Borgo S. Lorenzo trains could run.
The ballast at one end of the station is the sign that the track is moving.
Stay tuned for latest news.
There is a detailed map, where in purple you see the laid track and in orange the places where have to be laid. In green the variant in tunnel to avoid a road grade crossing. (as 1.2.98) It is a LONG file so download only if you have fast connections. these MAP
On the eve of the opening, 8 janury 1999, i did a visit to this station: Almost all the are had been cleaned, and the station have been moved to the former freight building.
The ticket validating machine was efficient althougth the tickets was not
available yet (and even currently you can use only kilometric tickets, since
the vending machines have not yet been updated)
Look at the roof restoration and on right the one that seem to be the only
unrestored part of the old station, two steps ...
And down: First train (in effect it is the 3rd, but I could not be at all
sttions at the same time ... :-)
For pages on the section North of Pratolino (valle del Carza) click here.
If you will come here I will be happy to arrange a trip together
