HS/HC Naples - Bari Line

Following Authorisation for the same issued by ANSFISA, railway traffic on the first section of the new Naples - Bari Line was launched, covering about 16 km between Cancello and Frasso Telesino/Dugenta that, for the first time, provides a direct link between the cities of Naples and Bari. 

This is an important milestone in developing High Speed and modernising technological infrastructures in Southern Italy, opening the way to all the other challenging goals faced in completing the Naples - Bari Route, in accordance with the National Infrastructures and Networks 14-20 Operating Programme, and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

The opening included:

• The even and uneven numbered Tracks of the Northern (Caserta / Rome) and Southern (Cancello / Naples) Links. 

• The even numbered Track on the Cancello – Frasso Telesino line, over its entire length (16+500 km) 

• The uneven numbered Track on the same line for about 4 km (3+980km), which will be completed following demolition of the pre-existing historical Caserta–Frasso Telesino line, currently out of service, along with more than ten Level Crossings in the Towns of Maddaloni, Valle di Maddaloni, Sant’Agata de’ Goti, Frasso Telesino and Dugenta.

The task involved significant technical and organisational complexity, requiring a high degree of coordination between many contractors (Appalto Tecnologico ACCM1, Appalto Tecnologico TPS ACCM1, Appalto Multidisciplinare) and operating phases, both throughout the works and during the final switch-off phase. The latter involved interrupting railway operations on the Caserta–Benevento and Rome–Naples via Cassino lines for about 14 days, during which 3 Level Crossings were also done away with on the adjacent Frasso Telesino–Telese lot.

Once again, the result achieved was due to the great synergy between RFI, Italferr and the contractors, with the contribution by professionals that add value and engineering excellence to the territory on a daily basis. 

Works included in the Multidisciplinary Contract

The new section of the HS/HC Naples - Bari line is designed for a speed of 180 km/h, with a maximum incline of 13‰ and minimum radius of1,550 m. 
The route is a variation and runs alongside the old Caserta - Foggia line, including 5 viaducts totalling 2,5 km, 1 natural tunnel with dual track covering 4 km, and ground works (embankments and cuttings).

One specific feature is the North and South links system that connects the Rome-Naples line via Cassino to the new Naples - Bari Line.

Also included are upgrading of the Frasso Telesino/Dugenta station, the new Valle di Maddaloni stop, two electrical sub-stations and works outside the line to resolve interference between the new route and the territory’s road traffic and sub-services networks (including 3 railway overpasses and 2 underpasses).

Works included in the Technological Contract

The project introduced latest generation systems to enhance safety, punctuality, reliability and rapidity of maintenance works: ACCM (Central Computerised Multi-Station Equipment), for integrated management and centralised control of the PM Maddaloni and Frasso Telesino plants and the Caserta–Cancello and Cancello–Frasso Telesino sections via a single central post that coordinates all traffic, improving operating efficiency, flexibility and safety. 

The new ACCM was added to the SCCM (Multi-Station Command and Control System), allowing centralised control of railway traffic from the Central Post in Naples.

The complexity of the work demanded modifications to all the systems, more specifically: Evolved CTC, SCMT, TLC / GSM-R and related emergency systems in Tunnels, DOTE.

This is an important milestone in a complex project in which Italferr saw to planning and construction, through to obtaining the AMIS from ANSFISA, Commissioning, Testing, Technical Checking Commissions, and Project Management tasks. All of these phases made a great contribution to achieving the result, by way of significant multi-disciplinary input, with Planning Directives, Construction Engineering, and Operations Division structures, guaranteeing the quality and results through their technical coordination activities.