FS Class E.464

The E.464 is a class of Italian railways electric locomotives. They were introduced in the course of the 1990s for hauling light trains, especially for commuter service. They were acquired by FS Trenitalia to replace the old E.424 and E.646, dating from the 1940s and 1950s. The class was originally designed by ABB Trazione, later ADTranz (now part of the Bombardier group), and produced in the Italian plant of Vado Ligure.

Cost per unit is 2.6 million Euro. With 717 locomotives currently in service (as of December 2015) the E.464 is the largest class in use by Trenitalia, and also the most numerous Italian locomotive class ever in service.

History

The E.464 derives from a project launched by the Italian Ferrovie dello Stato in the 1980s for a "modular" class of locomotives which would be easily adapted to commuter, inter-regional and cargo services. Initially, types with 4-axle (Bo-Bo, E.453/E.454) and 6-axle (Bo-Bo-Bo, E.665/E.666) were devised, the latter for cargo services. However, the E.666 class was cancelled due to availability of the new E.652 Tigre class, capable of hauling massive cargo trains. Moreover, the new inverter technology was developed in those years, and the E.454 became suddenly obsolete.