Eclipse Cruise 2010- Page 5: Cagliari - Simplon Postcards

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	Celebrity Eclipse Cruise Celebrity Cruises Page 5: Cagliari - Saturday 9th October 2010 Ship Name: CELEBRITY ECLIPSE - Ship type: Passenger/Cruise - Year of Build: 2010 IMO Ship No: 9404314 - Gross Tonnage: 122,000 - Deadweight 9,500 Each image links to a larger copy which opens in a new window/tab
	This page is one of a series showing images from a 16 night cruise on Celebrity Eclipse in October 2010 to Venice via Cadiz, Cagliari and Split, returning via Dubrovnik, Palermo and Malaga. We travelled in Sky Suite 2128 high on the starboard side aft. This page covers the visit to Cagliari in Sardinia. T

The 950mm gauge railway from Cagliari running north to Isili and Sorgono was opened by the Strade Ferrate Secondarie della Sardegna (SFSS) in 1889. The section from Isili to Sorgono is now only used by occasional tourist trains. A long branch was also built from Mandas to Arbatax on the coast, also still available for tourist trains. A second company began operations in 1915, when the Ferrovie Complementari della Sardegna (FCS) opened a link from the SFSS to Villacidro and Ales (now closed). The ambitious FCS took over the SFSS in 1921 and also opened a line from Alghero to Sassari. A third company Strade Ferrate de Sarde (SFS) opened other lines in the north from Sassari to Nulvi and Palau Marina plus a short line to Sorso). In 1947, both FCS and SFS were taken over by Rome-based La Ferrotranviaria. FCS and SFS remained independently managed, but the FCS lines in the north were transferred to the SFS. A fourth narrow gauge system was the Ferrovie Meridionali Sarde (FMS) in the south west, linking Calasetta to Iglesias and Siliqua, both on the standard gauge FS system, opened to exploit coal in the area as late as 1926.

FCS and SFS modernised their passenger services with railcars in the late 1950s. These Fiat AD railcars are substantially-built, mainly diesel-electric vehicles, capable of 75kph and the upgraded tracks allow such speeds to be maintained. Their superb streamlined ends are very distinctive and they were completed in various batches for the different Sardinian railways FCS, SFS and FMS between 1957-59, with the SFS being diesel-mechanical. Matching control trailers are available but not in use on this visit. Six standard Fiat ADe railcars were also delivered to the FMS in 1959 after their takeover of the by the state in 1952. All the collieries had closed by 1960 and passenger services ceased in 1969 and 1975. The railcars passed to the FCS in 1975. The FMS railcars had different gearing to those delivered to FCS and SFS, allowing a top speed of 90kph.

In 1989 the FCS and SFS were taken over by the local government to form Ferrovie della Sardegna (FdS), (since 2008 know as ARST Gestione FdS). Some more angular railcars were built for FdS by Breda in 1995/96, but I have not seen used these in service.

In Cagliari the trains originally ran to the station at Repubblica. The Monserrato to Repubblica section is now used by the Cagliari Metro. A short extension links the original FdS Monserrato-Stazione to the new Metro station at Monserrato-Gottardo. Gottardo is unstaffed and had no timetables for the revised service running, and tickets are bought from the guard. Most trains do not stop at Monserrato-Stazione although it maintains station staff and has a buffet/bar. When we arrived at Gottardo on the Metro, we walked to the FdS station to find out what train services, if any, were running, since the FdS website mentioned that track upgrading was taking place on Saturdays. The friendly station master appeared to indicate that all services were by bus. Normal services are three daily returns to Isili (2hr 35min), four more as far as Mandas (1hr 15min), and four short returns to Dolianova (25min). If trains had been running we would probably have had time only to go to Dolianova. Added to our disappointment at the lack of trains, the railway museum was also shut on Saturdays (although the website suggested otherwise). At this point a railcar arrived and rattled through the station round to Gottardo. We then discovered that better communication in French was possible with the station master. He explained that the train only ran 4km to Settimo, before transfer to the bus. This was better than nothing and we bought a ticket, and the station master contacted the train so that it would make a special stop to pick us up. At Settimo the few passengers transferred to a bus and we had 20 minutes to wait until the return to Monserrato-Gottardo. We then returned by tram and trolleybus to the town centre.

Cagliari public transport operator Consorzio Trasporti e Mobilità (CTM) still operates three trolleybus routes:- 5, 30 and 31. CTM have operated trolleybuses since 1952, but the system appears to be being run down, since most (maybe all) 31 services were being run by diesel buses. The trolleybuses also look quite tatty compared to the smart new diesel buses. Routes 30 and 31 are the same interurban route to Quartu Sant'Elena, but run in opposite directions around loops near each terminus. I used route 30 to get to the start of the Metro at Repubblica, but did not have time to travel the routes more extensively. If the yellow routes on the map below are the only ones closed so far then the system has not contracted much. The blue routes give access to the depot. In addition to the city buses run by CTM, additional interurban bus routes are run by Trasporti Regionali della Sardegna (with the unfortunate acronym ARST) who also run the Metro and narrow gauge railways as ARST Gestione FdS.

	Sections on this Page Celebrity Eclipse Images Cagliari Tirrenia Other Shipping Cagliari Metro - FdS - 950mm gauge tramway Monserrato-Isili - FdS - 950mm gauge railway Trenitalia - FS - standard gauge railway Cagliari Buses - CTM Ships on this Page:- Celebrity Eclipse Clodia - Tirrenia Eurocargo Salerno - Grimaldi Lines JRS Carina Lazio - Tirrenia Scorpio - Tirrenia Cruise Itinerary:- Mon 4th October 2010 - Southampton Tue 5th October 2010 - Sea Day Wed 6th October 2010 - Sea Day Thu 7th October 2010 - Cadiz Fri 8th October 2010 - Sea Day Sat 9th October 2010 - Cagliari Sun 10th October 2010 - Sea Day Mon 11th October 2010 - Split Tue 12th October 2010 - Venice Wed 13th October 2010 - Dubrovnik Thu 14th October 2010 - Sea Day Fri 15th October 2010 - Palermo Sat 16th October 2010 - Sea Day Sun 17th October 2010 - Malaga Mon 18th October 2010 - Sea Day Tue 19th October 2010 - Sea Day Wed 20th October 2010 - Southampton Contacts Celebrity Cruises UK Home Page - www.celebritycruises.co.uk	Associated Pages Cruise Ships Ocean Liners UK Excursion Vessels World Ferry Fleets Simplon Postcards. Home Page Simplon Postcards - Recent Updates - Simplon Postcards facebook page Celebrity Cruises Pages:- Celebrity Cruises - Header Page Celebrity Constellation Celebrity Constellation 2007 Cruise Celebrity Eclipse Celebrity Eclipse 2010 Cruise - this page Celebrity Equinox Celebrity Galaxy Celebrity Infinity Celebrity Solstice Royal Caribbean Pages:- Royal Caribbean Cruises Page 1 Royal Caribbean Cruises Page 2 References Click on images for more details - www.overviewpress.co.uk - info@overviewpress.co.uk
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